“Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”” – Zechariah 4:6-7 (ESV)
After seventy years as exiles, taken from Israel to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus the Persian King freed the captives and about 50,000 returned to Jerusalem. They immediately began to rebuild the temple, but opposition from neighbors from without, and the people’s indifference from within, the work stalled and was abandoned. Zechariah, a priest and a prophet⸺contemporary with Haggai was commissioned by God to stir up the people to finish building the new temple. God give Zechariah the prophet a vision for Zerubbabel to take up the task and finish the job. But a caution and a promise are also given that we can learn from and trust as a promise for ourselves. Whatever our duty, neither our might, wealth, or physical stamina will be sufficient for us to complete the work God gives to us. Only an abundant supply of the power of the Holy Spirit, will enable us to carry out the task. Because the outcome is guaranteed, any mountain-like opposition will be ultimately squelched and leveled by God to become like a flat surface. As was promised to those rebuilding the Temple of God it was completed 4 years later in 516 B.C.
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