In this message we come to the vision of the golden lampstand. This is a vision that in a sense forms part two of the preceding vision. You will remember that in Zechariah 3, the prophet saw a vision regarding Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3:1). Joshua was the high priest during the era in which the newly returned Jewish exiles kept delaying the rebuilding of the temple. That vision was essential for laying the groundwork for forgiveness through God's restoration of the priestly line through Joshua.

The present vision advances the thought begun in Zechariah 3. Zechariah 4 is a vision regarding Zerubbabel (Zech.4:6). But who was Zerubbabel? And how is he related to Joshua? To answer this we must recall that the book of Ezra is essential for understanding Zechariah's prophecies. It contains the explanatory historical background to the prophetic ministries of both Haggai and Zechariah.