John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 4:7

"Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel [thou shalt become] a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it." — Zechariah 4:7 (ASV)

Here the angel pursues the same subject which we have already explained—that though the beginning was small and seemed of hardly any consequence or importance, yet God would act in a wonderful manner regarding the building of the temple.

But since this task was not only arduous and difficult, but also impeded in various ways, the angel now says that there would be no hindrance that God would not surmount or compel to give way.

He compares to a mountain either the Persian monarchy or all the hosts of enemies, which had then suddenly arisen in various parts, so that the Jews thought their return was without advantage, and that they were deceived, as the outcome did not match their wishes and hopes.

We now perceive then the design of the Holy Spirit: as Satan attempted by various artifices to prevent the building of the temple, the angel declares here that no obstacle would be so great as to hinder the progress of the work, for God could suddenly reduce the highest mountains to a plain.

What are you, great mountain? This expression has more force than if the angel had simply said that all the attempts of enemies would be of no avail.

For he triumphs over the pride and presumption of those who then thought they were superior to the Jews: “You are,” he says, “like a great mountain; your bulk is indeed terrible, and sufficient at first sight not only to weaken, but also to break down the spirits; but you are nothing in all your height.”

But the text may be read in two ways: “What are you, great mountain? A plain before Zerubbabel;” or, “What are you, great mountain before Zerubbabel? A plain.” The latter rendering is the best, and it is also the one that has been universally received. And he says that this mountain was before Zerubbabel, that is, in his presence, because it stood in opposition to him.

Now this doctrine can be fittingly applied to our age, for we see how Satan raises up great forces, and how the whole world conspires against the Church to prevent the growth or the progress of the kingdom of Christ.

When we consider how great the difficulties are that confront us, we are ready to lose heart and become completely dejected. Let us then remember that it is nothing new for enemies to surpass great mountains in height, but that the Lord can, in the end, reduce them to a plain.

This truth, then, is our shield, which can cast down and lay prostrate whatever greatness the devil may set up to terrify us. For as the Lord then reduced a great mountain to a plain when Zerubbabel was able to do nothing, so today, however boldly numerous adversaries may resist Christ in the work of building a spiritual temple to God the Father, all their efforts will still be in vain.

He afterwards adds, He will bring forth the stone of its top. The relative pronoun is feminine and must therefore be understood as referring to the building. Zerubbabel then will bring forth the stone that was to be on the top of the temple. By “the stone of the top,” I understand the highest stone, which was to be placed on the very summit.

The foundations of the temple had already been laid; the building was modest and almost contemptible. However, it could not be advanced, since many enemies united to disrupt the work, or at least to delay it. Nevertheless, the angel promises what he later explains more fully—that the temple would reach its completion, for Zerubbabel was to bring forth and raise on high the stone of the top, which was to be on the very summit of the temple.

And then he adds, shoutings, Grace, grace, to it; that is, God will grant a happy success to this stone or to the temple. The relative pronoun here is again feminine; it cannot then be applied to Zerubbabel, but to the temple or to the stone. It is, however, more probable that the angel speaks of the temple.

And he says that there would be shoutings, because it was necessary to encourage the confidence of the faithful and to inspire them to prayer, so that they might seek, by constant entreaties, a happy and prosperous outcome for the building of the temple. The angel, then, commands all the godly with one voice to pray for the temple; but as all prosperous events depend on the good pleasure of God, he uses the word חן, chen, grace, which he repeats, so that he might more fully encourage the faithful to persevere, and also that he might kindle their desire and zeal.

So now we see what this verse on the whole contains:

1. The angel shows that however impetuously the ungodly might rage against the temple, yet their attempts would be frustrated; and that though they thought themselves to be like great mountains, it was still in the power and will of God to reduce them to a plain—that is, suddenly to lay them prostrate.
2. He adds that a happy success would accompany the building of the temple, for Zerubbabel would bring forth the top-stone, the highest.
3. He further adds that the faithful ought to pray unanimously and so persevere with the greatest ardor and zeal, so that God might bless the temple and cause its building to be completed.