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| 1 And the messenger who is speaking with me doth turn back, and stir me up as one who is stirred up out of his sleep, |
The angel – Our returned Lord (perhaps a reference here to the fact that our Lord speaks to the church through a messenger, i.e., Pastor Russell.)
As a man that is wakened out of his sleep – "They all slumbered and slept... Behold the Bridegroom!" – This is the second advent. |
| 2 and he saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing ' And I say, 'I have looked, and lo, a candlestick of gold all of it, and its bowl [is] on its top, and its seven lamps [are] upon it, and twice seven pipes [are] to the lights that [are] on its top, |
A candlestick – The one true church of God.
All of gold – These are under Divine care and eventually reach the Divine nature (gold.)
Seven lamps – In Revelation (1:12-13) this same picture is described as seven golden candlesticks. |
| 3 and two olive-trees [are] by it, one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left.' |
Two olive trees – The Old and New Testaments. The Word of God prior to and after Jesus first advent. Both of these feed, give oil (the holy spirit) to the church (golden candlestick.) |
| 4 And I answer and speak unto the messenger who is speaking with me, saying, 'What [are] these, my lord ' |
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| 5 And the messenger who is speaking with me answereth and saith unto me, 'Hast thou not known what these [are] ' And I say, 'No, my lord.' |
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| 6 And he answereth and speaketh unto me, saying: 'This [is] a word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by a force, nor by power, But by My Spirit, said Jehovah of Hosts. |
By my spirit – The spirit of the Truth, the Word of God. Eph. 6:17 |
| 7 Who [art] thou, O great mountain Before Zerubbabel for a plain! And he hath brought forth the top-stone, Cries of Grace, grace [are] to it.' |
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| 8 And there is a word of Jehovah to me, saying, |
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| 9 Hands of Zerubbabel did found this house, And his hands do finish it, And thou hast known that Jehovah of Hosts Hath sent me unto you. |
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| 10 For who trampled on the day of small things, They have rejoiced, And seen the tin weight in the hand of Zerubbabel, These seven [are] the eyes of Jehovah, They are going to and fro in all the land.' |
Day of small things – 'Do not despise these small beginnings' [New Living Translation, Jubilee Bible]; 'Who despised the day when little things began to happen' [God's Word] - See R2522 |
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| 11 And I answer and say unto him, 'What [are] these two olive-trees, on the right of the candlestick, and on its left ' |
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| 12 And I answer a second time, and say unto him, 'What [are] the two branches of the olive trees that, by means of the two golden pipes, are emptying out of themselves the oil '
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| 13 And he speaketh unto me, saying, 'Hast thou not known what these [are] ' And I say, 'No, my lord.' |
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| 14 And he saith, 'These [are] the two sons of the oil, who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.' |
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