Do Not Despise the Day of Small Things
by Mark R. Rushdoony
It is easy enough to say that might does not make right, but our democratic age makes it hard for us to think as though might did not matter. We look for support in numbers as a confirmation that we are in the right. We look to polls and trends as indicators of the future. Even if we do not think might means right, we often use it as an indicator of significance. Our democratic age, because it is thoroughly humanistic, judges more than morality in terms of the might of numbers. It justifies cultural and historical trends in terms of the wants and perceived needs of collective man.
When the prophet Zechariah wrote, numbers were all against him. About 40,000 Jews had returned from exile to find Jerusalem an impenetrable pile of rubble. Zerubbabel was a prince subordinate to the Persian ruler and had too few men and too little money to accomplish his intent of rebuilding the temple. He had managed to build the foundation but was then stalled. There was no might behind Zerubbabel and only weakness, discouragement, and a daunting task before him. Zerubbabel was joined by Joshua (or Jeshua) the high priest, against whom the prophet says Satan stood in opposition (3:1).
During this time of apparent weakness, God sent word to His prophet that His servants were not to move in terms of circumstances but in terms of Him: "[T]his is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." The obstacles that seemed insurmountable were addressed by God as a mountain, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain" (4:6-7).
When God moves, everything changes. When the Spirit, who hovered over the face of the waters prior to the creation, moves mountains, God's ministers "shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it" (4:7). The mountains opposing God's people shall become headstones; the obstacles shall be replaced by monuments to the death of opposition and the grace of God.
Because it was God's intent that Zerubbabel finish the temple (4:9), he is the man who would accomplish that task. The mountains of rubble and opposition were not there to obstruct him but to display that his was the work of God. Therefore, God said to Zechariah, "[W]ho hath despised the day of small things?" (4:10).
"Small things" we are not to despise may be ministries or works such as the foundation of the temple Zerubbabel had already laid. Certainly the small beginnings of such activities had begun in Jerusalem and would be used by God. A vision to Zechariah revealed even more -- that people would be used by God to further His Kingdom.
The vision was of seven lamps, supplied with oil by conduits from two olive trees. Zechariah did not quite know what it represented. He could presume the seven lights were like the seven eyes God promised (3:9). In Revelation 5:6 Jesus Christ as the lion of the tribe of Judah is described as having seven horns (omnipotence) and seven eyes (omniscience), which are the "seven Spirits of God [the fullness of God] sent forth into all the earth." Thus, the seven lamps, as seven eyes, clearly indicate the reign of God's Kingdom going forth in the power of God's Spirit.
Still, Zechariah was puzzled at the two olive trees. Olive trees normally only give oil after much labor is exerted in their processing and crushing. These trees supplied oil for the seven lamps of God miraculously. A supernatural power made them productive in giving light to the lamps God provided. Zechariah had to ask what these trees represented. God answered him, "These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth" (Zech. 4:14).
The "two anointed ones" were prince Zerubbabel, who faced a daunting task with insufficient resources, and the high priest Joshua, against whom Satan stood as an adversary. God's word to these men and us is that it is not by might or power, but by the Spirit of God. And mountains that stand in our way may, if God wills it, be made into plains by the Spirit of God. Do not despise the day of small things or small beginnings. When God's Spirit moves, everything changes. If God's Spirit moves in our age, the mountains of opposition and the rubble of the past will be made a plain. Be part of that change now, and prepare so that, like God's anointed, you might be a conduit of His miraculous work.
It is easy enough to say that might does not make right, but our democratic age makes it hard for us to think as though might did not matter. We look for support in numbers as a confirmation that we are in the right. We look to polls and trends as indicators of the future. Even if we do not think might means right, we often use it as an indicator of significance. Our democratic age, because it is thoroughly humanistic, judges more than morality in terms of the might of numbers. It justifies cultural and historical trends in terms of the wants and perceived needs of collective man.
When the prophet Zechariah wrote, numbers were all against him. About 40,000 Jews had returned from exile to find Jerusalem an impenetrable pile of rubble. Zerubbabel was a prince subordinate to the Persian ruler and had too few men and too little money to accomplish his intent of rebuilding the temple. He had managed to build the foundation but was then stalled. There was no might behind Zerubbabel and only weakness, discouragement, and a daunting task before him. Zerubbabel was joined by Joshua (or Jeshua) the high priest, against whom the prophet says Satan stood in opposition (3:1).
During this time of apparent weakness, God sent word to His prophet that His servants were not to move in terms of circumstances but in terms of Him: "[T]his is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." The obstacles that seemed insurmountable were addressed by God as a mountain, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain" (4:6-7).
When God moves, everything changes. When the Spirit, who hovered over the face of the waters prior to the creation, moves mountains, God's ministers "shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it" (4:7). The mountains opposing God's people shall become headstones; the obstacles shall be replaced by monuments to the death of opposition and the grace of God.
Because it was God's intent that Zerubbabel finish the temple (4:9), he is the man who would accomplish that task. The mountains of rubble and opposition were not there to obstruct him but to display that his was the work of God. Therefore, God said to Zechariah, "[W]ho hath despised the day of small things?" (4:10).
"Small things" we are not to despise may be ministries or works such as the foundation of the temple Zerubbabel had already laid. Certainly the small beginnings of such activities had begun in Jerusalem and would be used by God. A vision to Zechariah revealed even more -- that people would be used by God to further His Kingdom.
The vision was of seven lamps, supplied with oil by conduits from two olive trees. Zechariah did not quite know what it represented. He could presume the seven lights were like the seven eyes God promised (3:9). In Revelation 5:6 Jesus Christ as the lion of the tribe of Judah is described as having seven horns (omnipotence) and seven eyes (omniscience), which are the "seven Spirits of God [the fullness of God] sent forth into all the earth." Thus, the seven lamps, as seven eyes, clearly indicate the reign of God's Kingdom going forth in the power of God's Spirit.
Still, Zechariah was puzzled at the two olive trees. Olive trees normally only give oil after much labor is exerted in their processing and crushing. These trees supplied oil for the seven lamps of God miraculously. A supernatural power made them productive in giving light to the lamps God provided. Zechariah had to ask what these trees represented. God answered him, "These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth" (Zech. 4:14).
The "two anointed ones" were prince Zerubbabel, who faced a daunting task with insufficient resources, and the high priest Joshua, against whom Satan stood as an adversary. God's word to these men and us is that it is not by might or power, but by the Spirit of God. And mountains that stand in our way may, if God wills it, be made into plains by the Spirit of God. Do not despise the day of small things or small beginnings. When God's Spirit moves, everything changes. If God's Spirit moves in our age, the mountains of opposition and the rubble of the past will be made a plain. Be part of that change now, and prepare so that, like God's anointed, you might be a conduit of His miraculous work.
