Zechariah 4&5 – 2 olive trees - a lampstand, the Northern and Southern kingdoms as one assembly.

Zec 4:1
Then the angel who was speaking with me returned, and roused me as a man who is awakened from his sleep.

It sounds as if the messenger startled Zechariah.

Zec 4:2
And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

Zechariah is seeing the gold lampstand that was in the Temple. That original lampstand was apparently stolen and destroyed by the Babylonians some 70 plus years earlier (Jer 52:19). We are told that a lampstand represents an assembly. So Zechariah is picturing a lampstand that represents one assembly.

Zec 4:3
also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side."

There are two olive trees. One on each side of the lampstand. Olive trees represent Israel (Jer 11:16-17, Hosea 14:5-6). In chapter 3, Zechariah was given a vision of Messiah as Joshua the high priest, the Branch, and the Rock. Here, Zechariah is given a vision of the two houses of Israel as one assembly with Messiah over them. Ezekiel was told this same thing also (Ezek 37:15-28).

Zec 4:4
Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, "What are these, my lord?"

Zec 4:5
So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."

Zec 4:6
Then he answered and said to me, "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.

Zerubbabel was appointed by Cyrus to be governor of Judah. Zerubbabel was the grandson of Jehoiachin who was in the line of David (Haggai 1:12-14). Zechariah is to tell this to Zerubbabel to be an encouragement to him (v. 6). The gathering of Israel and Judah will not take place by the light or power of man, but by the Spirit of Elohim.

River Valley Torah Assembly