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| 1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened 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 said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: |
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 by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. |
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 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? |
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| 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. |
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| 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD 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 thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
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| 8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, |
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| 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. |
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| 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. |
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 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? |
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| 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? |
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| 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. |
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| 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. |
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