Indeed,
who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.
Zechariah 4:10
Zechariah 4 [6.] Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies. Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”
Zechariah 4 [8.] Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”
Zechariah 4 [11.] Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”
Meaning:
Zechariah 4:10 was spoken to a discouraged people. Around 520 BC a small group of Jews had returned from exile in Babylon to a ruined Jerusalem. Under Zerubbabel, the governor descended from King David, they had laid the foundation of a new temple, but opposition and poverty had halted the work for years. Compared with Solomon’s glorious temple, their effort looked pitiful. Through the prophet Zechariah, God asks a searching question: who despises the day of small things?
- The Day of Small Things
When the foundation of the second temple was laid, older people who remembered Solomon’s temple wept, while the younger ones shouted for joy. The new building would be modest. The prophet Haggai, Zechariah’s contemporary, encouraged the same builders to be strong and work, because God was with them (Haggai 2:4-5).
God’s answer to their discouragement is that small beginnings are not to be despised. He had promised that the hands that laid the foundation would also finish the house. What looks insignificant to people can be the start of something great in God’s plan.
- The Plumb Line and the Seven Eyes
A plumb line was a weight on a cord used by builders to keep walls straight. Seeing it in Zerubbabel’s hand meant that construction was underway again and that the work would be done properly. The “seven” are explained as “Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth”, a picture of God’s complete knowledge and watchful care. The Lord who sees everything rejoices when he sees faithful work resumed.
The vision of the lampstand that surrounds this verse explains how the work would be completed: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).
- Small Beginnings in the Gospels
Jesus loved to show how God works through small things. He compared the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, which grows into a great plant (Mark 4:30-32). When five thousand hungry people needed food, the disciples had only five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:38), yet in Jesus’ hands that was enough with twelve baskets left over.
The Significance of Zechariah 4:10
- Faithfulness in Little Things
Jesus taught, “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). A small church, a new ministry, a first step of obedience or a modest gift may seem unimportant, but God values faithfulness more than size.
- God Chooses the Weak
God deliberately chooses what the world thinks small, “that he might put to shame the things that are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). When the work succeeds, the glory clearly belongs to him.
Cross-References:
Zechariah 4:6: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit" says Yahweh of Armies. The temple would be finished by God’s Spirit, not by human strength.
Haggai 2:4: "Be strong, all you people of the land" says Yahweh to the same builders, calling them to work because he was with them. Haggai’s encouragement matches Zechariah’s message.
Mark 6:38: "He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go see.” When they knew, they said, “Five, and two fish.”" Jesus fed thousands from a small beginning.
Luke 16:10: "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." Small things reveal the heart and prepare us for greater responsibility.
Conclusion: Zechariah 4:10 encourages everyone tempted to give up because their work seems small. God sees the plumb line in the builder’s hand and rejoices over faithful beginnings. By his Spirit he finishes what he starts. So believers should never despise the day of small things, but offer what they have to the Lord and trust him for the increase.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible