Early morning devotion at Mines Wellness Hotel, after attending IKUPM 36th Anniversary Dinner at Mines Shopping Fair the previous evening.
"for YHWH -- His eyes go to and fro in all the earth, to show Himself strong [for] a people whose heart [is] perfect towards Him" 2 Chronicles 16:9 YLT (when Hanani the seer rebuked King Asa for depending on the King of Syria instead of depending on YHWH, his God.)
Zechariah speaks of a vision in which he saw a lamp-stand with seven lamps (4:2). In v. 10, the angel who spoke to Zechariah in that vision explained that they represent the eyes of YHWH which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.
A vision with some similarity is also given to the apostle John in the New Testament. In Revelations 4:5, John saw a vision of God on his throne and seven lamps of fire were burning in front of the throne - "which are the seven spirits of God".
Subsequently, in Revelations 5:6, John saw the Lamb of God with seven horns and seven eyes - "which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth".
Furthermore, the angel had said to Zechariah earlier in 4:6 those famous words, "This [is] a word of YHWH unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by a force, nor by power, But -- by My Spirit, said YHWH of Hosts."
It appears that the eyes of YHWH, shown to Zechariah as a lamp-stand with seven lamps, are indeed His spirit, seen by John as seven lamps of fire and also as seven eyes on the Lamb of God. It is noteworthy that both the eyes of YhWH in Zechariah's vision as well as the "seven spirits of God" in John's vision are seven-fold in nature, and both are moving throughout the earth.
Today's passage from Zechariah chapter 4 reminds me of the verse in 2 Chronicles 16:9, quoted above, which explains the purpose of God's eyes i.e. to show Himself strong on behalf of people whose hearts are perfect towards him.
Sadly, in 2 Chronicles 16, we read that King Asa's heart was not perfect towards YHWH, i.e. he did not trust his God completely. In verse 9, Hanani the seer went on to tell King Asa, " thou hast been foolish concerning this, because -- henceforth there are with thee wars".
Thus it is clear that the spirit of YHWH moves all over the earth, akin to His eyes, seeking out everyone who turns to Him and trusts in Him as God with a perfect heart. To such people, YHWH shows Himself strong on their behalf.
Dearly beloved brothers and sisters, let us avoid the folly of King Asa. Instead, let us put our trust completely in the name of our God, YHWH, with perfect hearts.
