Zechariah 4:10 (Daily Verse and Comment)

  Zechariah 4:10

(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. 
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The seven eyes—we will assume they represent the messengers of the seven churches—are glad when they see the measuring of the church commencing. They see something happening within the church that will bring them back to a standard. The "plumb line" in Zechariah 4:10 corresponds to the "reed like a rod" in Revelation 11:1. This provides an idea of its timing. Revelation 10 and 11 seem to proceed in a straight-line chronology. It starts with the thunders pealing—one at a time, seven successive claps of thunder. When the seven thunders are about to cease, John (in the antitype) is given a reed like a rod, and he is told to measure the temple, the altar, and the worshippers.

The time that the plumb line or measuring rod is placed in the hand of this servant of God is the same time that "these seven [eyes] rejoice." The seven eyes—the seven messengers—are glad to see that God is moving His purpose forward by placing this implement of measurement in the hand of His servant to measure the church. Perhaps we would be more correct to say that God has put in Christ's hand the authority—or the permission—to assess the church because now is the time when things are starting to move forward. Then, right after this, the Great Tribulation begins—after the measuring is done.

This seems to be the timing of this particular verse. When the plumb line is put into Zerubbabel's hand, it is equivalent to when the measuring rod is given to John in the antitype. Has that time already begun? We can hopethat it has. This verse implies that all God's servants should be happy, glad, to see that is beginning to happen—not only because the end is near, but also because it is something the church needs to finish the temple (the church). The Bride of Christ can be made ready.

So, with the rejoicing, gladness, and hope, there is also motivation to participate in this work of measuring the temple. If these seven eyes are the seven messengers to the seven churches extant in the end time, they will all pitch in to prepare their flocks for Christ's return and the Kingdom of God.

The seven eyes rejoice when they witness the measuring, a joy obviously tempered by their sorrow at the destruction it causes. When a measuring line (a plummet or measuring rod) is set up to measure, it will find instances of materials and construction that meet the standard, but it will also find others that do not. It seems as if, in this case, because the standard is so high, many more will fail than pass. We can imagine a great deal of sadness behind the joy of seeing God's plan moving forward.

The immediate context, though, is very positive. The joy at the completion of the temple comes to the fore, which tempers the sorrow in the background. The main point is that the return of Christ is near, and God's people can express a great deal of joy about that.

— Richard T. Ritenbaugh