Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/152

 thus represented as " standing " before the Angel of Jehovah; and in chap. iv. it is Zerubbabel who is specially mentioned by name. It is fitting, therefore, that in the end the two who are so often mentioned together by Haggai and Zechariah should again be represented together in their united ministry. Though differently occupied, the one in more particularly " religious," and the other in civil duties, they both stand (intent on their ministry) before the Lord of the whole earth.

But, while in relation to the remnant of Israel at that time, and to the Temple then in building, we are to under stand by these two " sons of oil " the actual persons of Joshua and Zerubbabel, it is certain that these two, con sidered merely as individuals, do not exhaust the symbol, for the simple reason that the supply of oil for the candle stick in a vision designed to describe the abiding, and especially the future position and mission of the congrega tion of Israel, could not be represented as dependent on the lives of two mortal men. They must therefore be viewed standing here as the types or representatives of the kingly and priestly offices to which they respectively belonged the only two orders (with the one other exception of the prophetic) which could properly be designated by the term " sons of oil," because of their being originally consecrated for their office by the ceremony of anointing (with oil), by which act they were, so to say, appointed as the media through whom " the spiritual and gracious gifts of God " were to be conveyed to His Church.

And both these divinely-appointed offices and functions in Israel, we must remember, were from the beginning designed to shadow forth what should ultimately be united in Him who, as set forth by Zechariah himself (vi. 1 3), would be " a Priest upon His throne " the true and ever lasting great High Priest, of whom Joshua and the whole order of the Aaronic priesthood were " men that were a sign " (iii. 8); and the just and ideal King (ix. 9), of whom the kingly function in Israel was also a type and prophecy. It is in His light, and by means of the golden oil of His