QT 15/12/2025 Mon. Zechariah 4 By His Spirit, Not Human Prowess 靠圣灵而非人力
QT 15/12/2025 Mon. Zechariah 4 By His Spirit, Not Human Prowess
READ http://www.esv.org/zechariah4
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” — Zechariah 4:6
Zechariah 4 is God’s word to a weary people and a weary leader. Zerubbabel faced an impossible task: rebuilding God’s temple with limited manpower, political opposition, discouragement, and a small, unimpressive foundation that hardly looked like the glory of the former days.
Into this discouragement, God sends a vision—a golden lampstand supplied continually by two olive trees. A lampstand shines because it is fed by a constant supply of oil. And God explains what the image means:
(1) God does His work through His Spirit, not human strength (v. 6).
Zerubbabel did not need more political influence, more muscle, or more impressive resources. He needed the Spirit. We often assume that if we simply had more time, more money, more talent, or more support, then we could finally obey God. But God delights in replacing human self-sufficiency with Spirit-empowered dependence.
The Christian life begins, continues, and ends by the Spirit.
(2) What looks like a mountain to us is nothing before God (v. 7).
The Lord calls Zerubbabel’s obstacle a “great mountain”—and then immediately says it will become “a plain.” God does not minimise the reality of hardship, but He redefines it in light of His own power. When God is the One building, what feels insurmountable becomes level ground.
(3) God finishes what He starts (v. 9).
“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation… his hands shall also complete it.”
What a promise. God does not drop His projects halfway through. If He has called you into something—obedience, repentance, ministry, restoration—He will bring you through to the end (Phil. 1:6 echoes this truth).
(4) Never despise small beginnings (v. 10).
Israel looked at the tiny, unimpressive temple foundation and saw failure. God looked and saw the beginning of glory. In our lives, spiritual growth often starts small—quiet repentance, small steps of obedience, simple prayers, unnoticed faithfulness. Heaven rejoices in beginnings that earth is quick to dismiss. God’s eye is not drawn to size but to faith.
(5) The lamp burns because the oil flows (vv. 2–3, 11–14).
The golden lampstand portrays the people of God shining for Him. The olive trees picture the continual supply of the Spirit. The message is unmistakable: Your light is not your achievement—it is your surrender. Your effectiveness is not about trying harder—it is about receiving more deeply and responding accordingly as God had shaped and prompted you.
Reflection Questions
(a) Where in your life are you relying on might or power instead of the Spirit?
(b) What “mountain” do you need to place before the Lord today?
(c) What small beginning might God be asking you to stop despising?
(d) How can you make space to receive rather than strive?
Prayer
Lord, You are the God who levels mountains and finishes what You start. Teach me to live not by my own might or power, but by Your Spirit. Open my eyes to see small beginnings with Your hope, and help me trust Your faithfulness in the work You have called me to. Strengthen me today with the oil of Your Spirit, that my life may shine for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
QT 15/12/2025 星期一. 撒迦利亚书4 靠圣灵而非人力
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/zec/4/
“他对我说：“这是耶和华对所罗巴伯所说的话：‘不是倚靠权势，不是倚靠能力，而是倚靠我的灵。’这是万军之耶和华说的。”——撒迦利亚书4:6
撒迦利亚书第四章是神对疲惫子民与领袖的宣告。所罗巴伯面临着看似不可能的任务：在人力匮乏、政治阻挠、士气低落的困境中重建圣殿，更何况那微不足道的基石根本无法让人联想到昔日的荣光。
在这绝望中，神赐下异象——两棵橄榄树持续滋养着金灯台。灯台因源源不断的油而发光。神阐明这象征的意义：
(1) 神的工作靠圣灵成就，而非人力（第6节）。
所罗巴伯不需要更多政治影响力、更多武力或更显赫的资源。他需要的是圣灵。我们常以为只要拥有更多时间、金钱、才能或支持，就能最终顺服神。但神喜悦以圣灵赋能的倚靠，取代人的自以为是。
基督徒的生命始于圣灵，存于圣灵，终于圣灵。
(2) 人眼中的高山，在神面前不过是虚无（第7节）。
主称撒拉铁的阻碍为“大山”——随即宣告它将化为“平原”。神并非淡化困境的现实，而是凭祂的大能重新定义困境。当建造者是神时，看似无法逾越的险峻终将化作平坦之地。
(3) 神必成就祂所开始的事（第9节）。
“所罗巴伯的手奠立了这殿的根基，他的手也必完成这工。”
何等应许！神绝不会半途而废。祂若呼召你进入某种境地——顺服、悔改、事奉、复兴——必引领你到底（腓立比书1:6印证此真理）。
(4) 莫轻看微小的开端（第10节）。
以色列人望着微不足道、不起眼的圣殿根基，只看见失败。神却看见荣耀的开端。在我们生命中，属灵成长常始于微小——安静的悔改、顺服的小步、简朴的祷告、无人注意的忠心。天上欢庆的开端，地上却轻易轻视。神的眼目不看大小，只看信心。
(5) 灯因油流而燃（2-3节，11-14节）。
金灯台象征神子民为祂发光，橄榄树预表圣灵源源不断的供应。信息清晰无误：你的光芒并非成就所致——乃是全然顺服的结果。你的功效不在于更努力——而在于更深领受，并按着神塑造你、感动你的方式作出回应。
反思问题
(a) 你生命中哪些领域仍在倚靠人力而非圣灵？
(b) 今日你需要将哪座“高山”摆在主面前？
(c) 神或许正呼召你停止轻视哪些微小的开端？
(d) 如何腾出空间去领受而非拼搏？
祷告
主啊，你是推倒高山、成就所应许之事的神。求你教导我，不倚靠自己的力量，唯靠你的灵而活。求你开启我的眼睛，使我看见你所赐的盼望，在微小的事工中萌芽生长；求你帮助我信靠你信实不渝的应许，在我所蒙召的事工上。今日求你用圣灵的膏油坚固我，使我的生命为你荣耀而发光。奉耶稣的名求。阿们。
