Last month I was reading the book of Zechariah during my devotions. Zechariah had to ask a lot of questions before he could understand the visions God showed him. Here are some examples:

What he saw: A man on a horse in a ravine with red, brown, and white horses behind him. (1:8)
What he said: What are these, my lord?

What he saw: A man on a horse in a ravine with red, brown, and white horses behind him. (1:8)
What he said: What are these, my lord?

What he saw: Four craftsmen. (1:20)
What he said: What are these coming to do?

What he saw: A man with a measuring line in his hand. (2:1)
What he said: Where are you going?

We would think God would just give his message to Zechariah plainly. Or at least tell Zechariah the meaning of the visions he was seeing. But no, Zechariah must ask questions before the meaning is revealed to him.

As we progress, we find that the angel starts asking Zechariah questions.

Angel: What do you see? (4:2)
Zechariah: I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top (4:3)

The angel doesn’t explain further. Again, Zechariah must ask.

Zechariah: What are these, my lord? (4:4) Still, the angel doesn’t explain. Instead the angel asks, “Do you not know what these are?” (4:5) Zechariah: No, my lord.

If this isn’t bad enough, by the end of chapter 4, Zechariah has to ask the same question twice before he gets an answer.

Zechariah: What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand? (4:11) Zechariah again: What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil? (4:12) Angel: Do you not know what these are? (4:13) Zechariah: No, my lord.

What is going on here?

God, through the angel, is encouraging Zechariah to press in for deeper revelation. The more he seeks, the more the angel reveals. In the same way, God rarely tells us everything all at once. He wants us to press in to seek him more regularly and more deeply.

Here is what happened to me eight days after I read Zechariah 4.

A Vision of Swords

I was visiting a church’s small group meeting. One of the members suggested we all pray for another member who was going through a hard time due to difficult family dynamics. When it was my turn, I put my hand on her shoulder and began to pray. As I prayed, I saw a mental picture of swords sticking out of her back. It was like someone had plunged them in and left them there.

I was surprised at the vision. If her family members had caused her emotional pain, I would have expected to see swords piercing her heart, not her back.

I asked, “Lord, what does this picture mean?” Unfortunately for me, the meaning did not immediately come. Remembering Zechariah, I kept asking, “Lord, What does it mean?” Finally, I clued into part of the vision: swords in her back was a pictorial representation of “backstabbing.”

The dictionary defines backstabbing as follows: betrayal (as by a verbal attack against one not present) especially by a false friend.

The Lord was showing that this woman had been betrayed. After my prayer was over, I told her what I had seen. She had indeed been a victim of backstabbing.

As I spoke, further revelation came: if the flesh into which the sword has been plunged clings to the sword, further injury will occur. The flesh needs to release (i.e., forgive) and let go of the sword. Then it can be withdrawn and healing can occur.

Here are my lessons from this story. Perhaps you have others.

The Lord may give us a picture but not immediately tell us what it means. We shouldn’t be content with the picture; we should press in and ask the Lord what it means. As we speak out what God has given us, he frequently gives us more to share. Finally, if we are going to heal, we need to let go of the thing that has wounded us.

May you press in deeper, and ask God questions when he speaks to you.

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