Zechariah 4
Angel wakes up Zechariah verse 1
And the angel that talked with me came again – and waked me
as a man that is wakened out of his sleep
Angel asks a question verse 2- 3
AND said to me: What see you?
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
and two olive trees by it
one upon the right side of the bowl
and the other upon the left side thereof
Zechariah answers and asks a question verse 4
SO I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me
saying: What are these, my lord?
Angel asks second question verse 5a
Then the angel that talked with me answered
` and said to me
Know you not what these be?
Zechariah answers in the negative verse 5b
And I said – No my lord
Angel tells him the answer verse 6- 7
THEN he answered and spoke unto me
saying
This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel
saying
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 be come a plain
and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof
with shouting – crying
Grace – Grace to it
Second message from the LORD verse 8- 10
MOREOVER the word of the LORD came unto me
saying
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house
his hands shall also finish it
You shall know that the LORD of hosts
has sent me unto you
For who has 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
Zechariah asks question regarding vision verse 11- 12
THEN answered I and said to him
What are these two olive trees upon the right side of
the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
AND I answered again
and said to him
What be these two olive branches
which through the two golden pipes
empty the golden oil out of themselves?
Angel asks a question verse 13a
AND he answered me and said
Know you not what these be?
Zechariah answers in the negative verse 13b
AND I said – NO – my lord
Angel gives interpretation verse 14
THEN said he – These are the two anointed one
that stand by the LORD of the whole earth
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. (5782 “waked” [‘uwr] means raise, arise, incite, to rouse oneself, stir up, to act in an aroused manner or awake.)
DEVOTION: Sometimes we can hear a message and all that happens is that our head spins. That means that we didn’t fully understand what was being taught or what was taught was beyond our present pay grade.
It seems that Zechariah was overwhelmed with all that was being taught and went into a type of sleep to try to understand what was happening. He wanted to understand but seemed to be given more information than his brain could comprehend.
The angel didn’t want him to be overwhelmed but also wanted to give the full message that the LORD was trying to tell him. So he woke him up and answered more questions.
Sometimes we have to go home and study the Bible to find out what was taught. Our mind needs to process for us to grow in the LORD. God wants our mind to be engaged in our understanding of HIS Word.
The fact is that sometimes the LORD even speaks to us in our sleep to help us understand HIS Word. I have gone to bed thinking about a sermon I was going to preach and during the night the LORD seems to bring it all together. I have kept a notebook close for those occasions. Reason: If I don’t write it down right away I forget what HE is teaching me to preach.
For someone who is preparing a lesson or a sermon the material is never completely complete. Even teachers continue to learn if they are open to the teaching of the Word of God. None of us have arrived.
CHALLENGE: Never think that you have arrived!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? (113 “lord” [’adown] means master, owner, theophanic angel, or general recognistion of superiority.)
DEVOTION: Never, never, never be afraid to ask question about something you don’t understand. The LORD always accepts honest questions from HIS children. HE wants us to learn what the Bible is trying to teach us. The only way we learn is by asking questions and then listening to the answers.
Zechariah was given many visions by the LORD. The LORD used HIS angels to give Zechariah the answers to the questions. This was usual for prophets in the Old Testament.
Sometime we would like to have an angel come to our side and answer a question we have regarding some of the things the LORD wants to teach us. This doesn’t happen now. The book of Hebrews tells us that God spoke in the Old Testament one way and now in the age after the death of Christ HE speaks through Christ.
Christ taught HIS disciples and they wrote letters called epistles under the direction of the Holy Spirit for our instructions today.
The LORD also calls pastor/teachers to give instruction. They usually go to college and seminary to learn how to interpret the Bible and then teach it from the pulpit or classroom of our churches to those who want to learn more about the Bible.
One of the things that the Christians did in the book of Acts was that they went home after Paul gave them instructions and checked out what was taught with the Bible. We need to do the same.
God wants us to use discernment when reading or hearing someone preach the Word of God. This can only come through our checking out what was taught with the Word of God regularly.
CHALLENGE: Again, never, never, never be afraid to ask questions.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 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 (1697 “word” [dabar] means speech, speaking, thing, saying, utterance, matter, chronicles.)
DEVOTION: Throughout the word of God we find the phrase “the word of the LORD.” God speaks to HIS people on a regular basis. The words are recorded for our benefit. The Bible is God’s instruction to us regarding life. We are commanded to learn from the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament HE spoke directly to the people on many occasions. In the New Testament HE speaks through the Bible after the first century. HE does speak to our spirit but HIS spirit. When we study the word of God the Holy Spirit illumines us to the meaning and application of the word of God. So HE is speaking to us today.
HE uses the Holy Spirit to lead us through the open doors HE wants us to go through to serve HIM.
We sometimes are deceived by the devil into thinking that we are doing it in our own power. We sometimes are deceived into believing that we have enough might to get things accomplished for the LORD. Our thinking is controlled many times by our flesh. The LORD wanted to get across to Zerubbabel that he wasn’t building the temple under his own power but by the LORD’S Spirit.
We need to realize that we are building the church under the power of the Holy Spirit. There are some churches that are being built under human power. These churches will not last. Please pray for the local church that you attend is only build under the power of the LORD.
The Holy Spirit is working today. HE gives guidance to Bible preaching pastors to share what HE has laid on their hearts. HE is the one who should be giving vision for the church. HE is the one who will give power to each Christian as they witness in their neighborhood.
We are building the kingdom one person at a time. Zerubbabel was building a physical Temple we are building a spiritual one. The spiritual temple which is our body will only be built properly if we are doing it under the direction and filling of the Holy Spirit.
Watch out for those who teach possibility thinking or positive thinking. They are teaching a false doctrine. They are teaching that we can do things with our own power alone. The Bible never teaches this.
CHALLENGE: Ask for wisdom from above for all the projects you are working on for the glory of the LORD. Dependence on the LORD should always be our first step in any project.
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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. (913 “plummet” [badiyl] means plumb line, alloy, tin, a stone of tin. OR 68 “plumbline” [’eben] means stone, slingstone, gem, building stone, plumb line.
DEVOTION: There is some confusion regarding the meaning of this word. Zerubbabel was a builder. He was the political leader of the returning Israelites. He was the one commanded to rebuild the Temple. The work had stopped because of the indifference of the people. They were busy building their own homes. There were people from other nations that didn’t want to see the Temple rebuild. There was just a general attitude of disobedience.
Some think this verse is calling the new Temple a small thing compared to what Solomon did with his Temple. They didn’t have the expense account that Solomon had. They were working with material that was not as good and there were fewer people to build.
Remember that small things in the hands of the LORD can produce great things. We are told that this Temple is greater than Solomon’s temple because Jesus Christ was going to enter and preach in it. HE was much greater than Solomon.
God is watching our actions and attitudes. HE knows what we are thinking every moment of every day. HE wants us to realize that there are no small projects. All the projects or ministries HE gives us are big ministries in HIS eyes.
We are being watched by the LORD regarding our giftedness. Zerubbabel was a political leader who answered to the LORD. The LORD promised him that he would finish the Temple. The true is that he did!!!
CHALLENGE: Each assignment the LORD puts in our hands is important to HIM. If our attitude is wrong because we think it is too small than we need to straighten out our attitude. Serve the LORD with GLADNESS!!
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Foundation of this house (of worship) verse 9
Rejoice verse 10
Two olive trees verse 11, 12
Candlestick verse 11
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 6, 8
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 6, 9, 10
Word of the LORD verse 6, 8
LORD of hosts verse 6, 9
Eyes of the LORD verse 10
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master) verse 14
Lord of the whole earth verse 14
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
MY Spirit verse 6
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angel that talked with me verse 1, 4, 5
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Depending on own might verse 6
Depending on own power verse 6
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Not by might or power verse 6
Dependence on Holy Spirit verse 6
Grace verse 7
Finish verse 9
Send verse 9
Anointed verse 14
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Zerubbabel verse 6, 7, 9, 10
Two anointed ones verse 14
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
11–14 The question and response of vv.4–5 in the vision are now resumed after the intervening oracle of vv.6–10. In v.12 Zechariah repeated his question from v.11 in order to be more specific. He desired an explanation of what he saw in vv.2–3. In v.12 the Hebrew for “golden oil” is literally “gold,” but NIV correctly represents the sense (the oil being described by its color).
The answer to the prophet’s inquiry comes in v.14, where the two olive branches are implicitly identified as Zerubbabel, a member of the line of David, and Joshua. In the light of the context (chs. 3–4), they must be “the two who are anointed to serve the Lord.” In the Hebrew text they are designated as “sons of oil,” but NIV has accurately captured the sense (“anointed” as God’s appointed leaders). Both priest and ruler were anointed for service to the Lord and the covenant community. The oil takes us back again to v.6 (“by my Spirit”). It has already been suggested in the comment at v.3 that this combination of ruler and priest is evidently intended to point ultimately to the messianic King-Priest (cf. 6:13; Ps 110; Heb 7). In keeping with one of the key ideas of the chapter (viz., bearing testimony), only the messianic King-Priest may be acknowledged as the perfectly “faithful and true witness” (Rev 3:14). Finally, since God was declared to be “the Lord of all the earth,” he was master of all the circumstances in which Zerubbabel and the people found themselves. (Barker, K. L. (1986). Zechariah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, pp. 630–631). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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4:10b–14. The words about the seven being the eyes of the Lord are possibly a delayed answer to Zechariah’s question in verse 4. Like “eyes” the seven lights (lamps, v. 2) symbolize God’s worldwide scrutiny, for nothing is hidden from Him. Others understand the “seven” to refer back to the seven eyes in the previous vision (3:9).
The two olive branches and two gold pipes are mentioned for the first time in the vision in 4:12. The two branches with olives poured their oil into the gold pipes, which flowed into the bowl and then through the 49 channels to the seven lamps. The interpreting angel removed Zechariah’s confusion regarding the two olive trees (vv. 3, 11) by indicating that their two oil-supplying branches represent the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth (v. 14). The branches refer to the anointing of priests and kings, with particular allusion to Joshua and Zerubbabel who typify the Messiah as both Priest and King. The lampstand, then, seems to represent Israel as a light to the nations (cf. Isa. 42:6; 49:6), potentially in Zechariah’s time, but will be actually so during the millennial reign of Christ. Another fulfillment, partial at least, of Zechariah 4:11–14 is found in the two witnesses in the future Tribulation period (Rev. 11:3–6, esp. v. 4). (Lindsey, F. D. (1985). Zechariah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1556). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The tabernacle candlestick also spoke of the nation of Israel, the nation God had chosen to be a light in a spiritually dark world (Isa. 60:1–3; 62:1). (The seven-branched candlestick, the menorah, is the official symbol of the modern State of Israel.) The light was burning very low when the remnant returned to the land to rebuild the temple, and Zerubbabel wasn’t sure there was enough power to keep the work going.
Believers today must keep in mind that the church is a light in a dark world, and we must depend on the Holy Spirit to enable us to bear witness (Matt. 5:14–16; Phil. 2:14–16). In Revelation 1–3, local churches are symbolized by individual lampstands, and the purpose of a lampstand is to give light. If we don’t do what Christ commands us to do, He may take away the lampstand (2:5).
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The vision climaxes (4:14) with God calling Zerubbabel and Joshua “the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” What a noble title for His servants! As the two olive trees, Joshua and Zerubbabel received the empowering Spirit of God and kept the light of Israel’s work and witness burning. Oil is a general symbol for the Holy Spirit in Scripture. Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil, and the words “Messiah” and “Christ” mean “anointed one.” The holy anointing oil was not to be prepared by anybody but the priests or be used for any other purpose than for anointing God’s servants (Ex. 30:22–33). “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me” (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18–19).
If our God is “Lord of all the earth,” what have we to fear? If He promises us the power of His Spirit, why should we falter and fail? Let’s remember Joshua and Zerubbabel, men who are encouragements to all who seek to serve the Lord in any way.
There are no “small places” or “small ministries,” and there are no “big preachers.” But we do have a great God who can empower and bless servants who are dedicated to Him. He can cleanse us and He can empower us, so let’s trust Him and do His work!
(Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be heroic (pp. 103–104). Colorado Springs, CO: ChariotVictor Pub.)
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4:14 These are the two anointed ones. The two olives trees (vv. 3, 11) represent the kingly and priestly offices in Israel through which the blessing of God was to flow. The two olive branches (v. 12) are the two men who occupied the supreme positions in those offices at that time: Zerubbabel, as a descendant of David, and Joshua, the High-Priest, a descendant of Eleazar. Together, they foreshadow the Messiah, in whom these two offices are combined (cf. 6:13; Ps 110) and who is the true source of blessing to make Israel the light to the nations (cf. Is 60:1–3). They had positions of responsibility in service to “the Lord of the whole earth,” a millennial term that points to the final kingdom (cf. Mic 5:4). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Zec 4:14). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 14. Then said he, these are the two anointed ones, &c.] Or sons of oil. Some think the gifts and graces of the Spirit are meant, which come from the God of all grace, remain with Christ, are given freely by him to the sons of God, and are always for the service of the church, and sufficient for it; others, Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. Christ is the anointed One, or son of oil, being anointed with the Holy Ghost to the office of Prophet, Priest, and King; and with which oil he has supplied his candlestick, the church, in all ages. The Holy Spirit is the oil of gladness, and that anointing which teacheth all things. And this is the sense of Capellus, as has been observed on ver. 2. And the learned and judicious Pemble makes a query of it, whether Christ and the Comforter; or Christ in his two natures; or Christ in his two offices of King and Priest of his church; or how else the words are to be understood: and this was the sense of Origen long ago, though censured by Jerom; it may be the rather, because he interprets the candlestick of the Father. But these epithets, anointed ones, and sons of oil, are very suitable to them; the one being called the Messiah, or anointed; and the other the unction, and the oil of gladness: and indeed, if by the golden oil emptied out of them is meant the grace of God, as it frequently signifies in Scripture, no other can be meant; since they are the inexhaustible fountain of all grace and gifts to the church in all ages, whereby it is supplied and supported; and may be said to stand before the Lord of the whole earth, God the Father; who does not immediately by himself administer to the church, but by Christ the Head of it; and Christ communicates by his Spirit, whom he sends from himself, and from the Father: and the rather they may be thought to be meant, since the ministers of the word seem to be designed by the seven lamps which receive the oil, or gifts and graces of the Spirit, fitting them for their work, from the bowl on the top of the candlestick, which is suppled with it from these two olive-trees; and therefore must be distinct from them, or otherwise they will be said to be supplied from themselves: though, whereas both Christ and the Spirit communicate by the word and the ordinances, administered by the faithful dispensers of the word; hence those witnesses of Christ, in all ages, may with propriety enough be called two anointed ones, and the two olive-trees, as they are in Rev. 11:4. where there is a plain allusion to this passage. The Targum renders the words, these are the two sons of princes, or great men. Some Jewish writers interpret them of their two Messiahs, Messiah ben Joseph, and Messiah ben David. Some interpreters understand by them Enoch and Elias; others Peter and Paul; others, better, with Kimchi and Ben Melech, Joshua and Zerubbabel, the one anointed for the priesthood, and the other for the kingdom; of which two offices Jarchi interprets them; and others the two churches, Jewish and Christian. That stand by the Lord of the whole earth; the Creator and Governor of the universe: ministers of the word are on his side, abide by his truths and ordinances, and are faithful to his cause and interest: or, before the Lord of the whole earth; they are his ministers, and serve him; they stand, as it becomes them, which shews their work is not done; and that it is the Lord’s work they are engaged in; and that they continue and persevere in it: likewise it shews that they are under his eye, notice, dispose, care, and protection; that they are in his favour, and enjoy his presence. How this may be applied to the two divine Persons standing by or before God the Father has been before observed, and to be understood of them as in their office-capacity. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, p. 700). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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In God’s sight it was “a great work” that was going on in Jerusalem, for it was the carrying out of His own word, with a view to the coming of His Son into the scene.
On one other point Zechariah desired enlightenment. He had been contemplating the two olive trees, wondering what they might signify; so he inquired boldly of the angel, asking for information regarding them. It would seem as though there was slowness of apprehension on his part; for he not only had to put his question twice over, but the angel did not immediately reply, but questioned him, as in verse 5, where it seemed as though spiritual intuition ought to have made all clear, saying, “Knowest thou not what these be?” Confessing his ignorance, Zechariah is told that, “These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
To him the two anointed ones could be no other than Zerubbabel, the prince, and Joshua the high priest. So in kingly and priestly power the testimony of God was to be maintained. These were the agencies through which Jehovah would work.
In Rev. 11:4 the two witnesses are said to be “the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” The reference is clearly to Zechariah’s vision; yet there is a marked difference. There we have two candlesticks; here, but one. The reason is plainly this: the two witnesses come on the scene before Israel is established as God’s lamp-stand nationally. With them it is individual testimony. Therefore in place of one seven-branched lamp-stand, setting forth completeness of testimony we have two witnesses described as two lamp-stands. And they are also said to be the two olive trees; for they stand before God as His anointed sons of oil in the day when His name is denied and His word despised. Coming in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah, they prophesy in the energy of the Spirit till put to death by the Beast and his adherents. Thus, for the moment, all testimony for God will seem to have been blotted out; but the word of the Lord shall not fail, for the seven-branched lamp-stand shall be set up when the Lord descends and delivers His people Israel out of the hands of all who oppress them. (Ironside, H. A. (1909). Notes on the Minor Prophets. (pp. 360–362). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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FROM MY READING:
Nahum 1
Nahum warns Nineveh to turn from idolatry and to be true to her vows.
INSIGHT
Nahum is sent from God to urge repentance again. This message must seem absurd. In the ensuing years, Nineveh has grown into the most powerful city in the known world. Her walls seem impregnable. Water totally surrounds the city, and inside there is a self-sufficient agricultural system. Feeling independent, she does not repent. The Babylonian army marches through the breach in the wall—and Nineveh falls. The Word of God is sure! (Quiet Walk)
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THE COVENANT OF GRACE
I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God. Exodus 6:7
God has made certain promises. So what is the great central promise that He has made in the covenant of grace? He has promised to be a God unto man. That is the great promise: “I will be to you a God.” Do you see the importance and significance of this? God had been the God of Adam, but Adam sinned against Him and fell; he became the slave of Satan and broke the connection with God. And the remarkable and astounding thing is that God turned to man and assured him in the covenant of grace that He had a way whereby He could still be a God to man. “I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God” (Exodus 6:7).
Make a note of that because as you go through the Scriptures you will find that this great promise is repeated time and time again. You will find it in Jeremiah 31:33; 32:38-40. You will find it in Ezekiel 34:23-25; 36:25-28; 37:26-27. You will find it in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 and in Hebrews 8:10 and, in a marvelous way, in Revelation 21:3 where we read: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.” That is the final state. So you see that is the very essence of God’s promise in the covenant of grace–that what had been broken by sin and the Fall was going to be restored. And the supreme blessing therefore, the ultimate blessing, the blessing of blessings, is that God is my God, and that I have a right to say, “my God.” And the whole of salvation is included in that.
How often do we tend to define salvation in terms other than that? Yet the greatest thing a human being can ever say since the Fall is this: “God is my God.”
A Thought to Ponder: The greatest thing a human being can ever say since the Fall is this: “God is my God.” (From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 226-227, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Salvation Through the Word
“And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.” (2 Kings 22:11)
This experience of Judah’s good King Josiah illustrates the convicting power of the Scriptures and points up the essential importance of the revealed Word of God in the process of repentance, forgiveness, and salvation. It is the Word of God that brings conviction of one’s need of salvation, and this is the indispensable first step leading to salvation. “For by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).
It is also through the Scriptures that one comes to an understanding of salvation: “The holy scriptures . . . are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Furthermore, it is the Word that generates saving faith: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Finally, the very miracle of regeneration, transforming a lost soul into a born-again child of God, is accomplished by the Holy Spirit on the basis of saving faith in Christ (as revealed in Scripture) through the Word. “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth” (James 1:18). “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).
The result of King Josiah’s reading of the Word was that he “made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments” (2 Kings 23:3).
In view of the transcendent importance of God’s Word in every phase of the process of salvation, it is no wonder that the apostle Paul’s great command, just before his martyrdom and just after his tremendous assertion of the full inspiration of Scripture and its sufficiency for every need (2 Timothy 3:15-17), was, simply, “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). Not just preach, but preach the Word!
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Like Billy Sunday, Moody was a “layman” with no special theological or ministerial training, or even ordination; yet God deigned to use him in a remarkable way. Moody would say it was the work of the Holy Spirit. “God commanded us to be filled with the Spirit,” said Moody, “and if we are not filled, it is because we are living beneath our privileges.
(p. 106, 10 Power Principles for Christian Service by Warren W. & David W. Wiersbe)
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