Zerubbabel

the son of Salathiel or Shealtiel (Haggai 1:1; Zorobabel, Zerubbabel Matthew 1:12); called also the son of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:17-19), i.e., according to a frequent usage of the word "son;" the grandson or the nephew of Salathiel. He is also known by the Persian name of Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:8,11). In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, he led the first band of Jews, numbering 42,360 (Ezra 2:64), exclusive of a large number of servants, who returned from captivity at the close of the seventy years. In the second year after the Return, he erected an altar and laid the foundation of the temple on the ruins of that which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (3:8-13; ch. 4-6). All through the work he occupied a prominent place, inasmuch as he was a descendant of the royal line of David.

Dual Plan - The Sealing Process

We have seen how the ten-horned beast will mark its loyal subjects. Now, we will notice the seal of the living God, which his loyal subjects receive on their foreheads. John says:

"I saw another angel ascending from the sun-rising, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to injure the earth, and the sea, saying: Injure not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads." (Rev. 7: 2, 3.)

This subject divides itself into three points.

1. What constitutes the seat of the living God?

A seal marks the completion of an act. The sealing of a letter or a contract completes that act and settles it as done and established. Many different explanations and definitions are given concerning the seal of the living God and how it is applied; but, all the definitions of this kind that we have seen are applied to what the different sects consider to be their highest aims or goals with respect to their religious professions. The Sabbath, the baptism, the conversion, etc., are referred to as being that seal. Such a seal can be administered to any subject, however unrighteous. As far as the Sabbath is concerned, anyone can apply such a seal to himself. All there belong to the principles or to the first lessons of the doctrine of Christ (Hebr. 6: 1, 2); but the seal of the living God has reference to an impression made on mortal beings which perfects them before their God. Hence, it must correspond with the nature and the immortal life-power of God, so that those who are sealed by it realize from its impressions on their minds that our God is the living God and that we also shall live.

We follow up the dual plan and place before our minds this question: What constituted the shadow of the sealing process?

This important act, like all the rest, must have a foreshadow. At the closing up of the first part of the week of the covenant, there transpired a scene in Jerusalem which astonished its inhabitants and sent fear and consternation throughout the land, but which cheered and put new life into the disappointed disciples. A great train, starting from the mount of Olives, moved up to the holy city. Ahead of that train rode the Nazarene, surrounded by his disciples. As they came near Jerusalem, the disciples and the people sang the jubilee-song and announced the coming of the great King. They threw their garments before him; they broke off branches from trees and strewed them in his path. In their song they said:

"Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."

The people then believed that the time had come for the kingdom of Israel to become established under the rule of the promised Messiah. A few days later the Nazarene hung on the cross, condemned by the nation as an impostor. What impression did this have on the disciples and on the jubilant people? From the time he was captured until it was evident that he had arisen from the dead, there was silence in the camp of his followers. Death had triumphed, and the effect was very great on all those who believed him to be the Messiah.

But God raised him from the dead and sealed him with a seal against which death was powerless. When the disciples were convinced that he lived, their hearts were filled with joy and they at once began to encourage the people and make known that the seal of the living God had broken the chains of darkness and death. From that time they did not fear the opposing foes, but exhibited such power of faith that they stirred up not only the people in Jerusalem but the people throughout the land of Judah.

If, in the light of this typical phenomenon, we read the prophetic testimony given to Zerubbabel, we think the answer to the above question is clearly set forth.

"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, 0 Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel (asked of God), saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts." (Hag. 2: 21-23.)

The Lord will make Zerubbabel a signet at the time he shakes heaven and earth. At what time will he shake heaven and earth? We find the answer in Hebr. 12: 25-29. He will do it when he overthrows the kingdom of Baal in order to establish the kingdom of the Messiah; he will speak from heaven with such a tremendous voice that heaven and earth will tremble. As the kingdoms of the nations still stand on the earth, we know that such a shaking has not occured yet. But we are nearing the time when the prophecy concerning the overthrow of the nations will unfold itself, in the way announced by the prophets. (See Zeph. 3: 8, etc.)

Who, then, is Zerubbabel?

Zerubbabel was the leader in the movement of the two tribes out from the typical Babel. That movement was a typical movement—a shadow cast from the great movement out from the mystical Babel. Hence, Zerubbabel typified the leader of this final movement. Zerubbabel also built or worked on the temple at Jerusalem and his leadership constituted a prefigure of the movement now pending.

The name Zerub-Babel signifies a cherub in Babel. By comparing Zech. 4 with Rev. 11: 1-6, the prophetic signification of the name and the mission connected therewith becomes apparent. Concerning the great Babel-mountain, which includes all the kingdoms, the Lord says that before Zerubbabel it shall become a plain. (Zech. 4: 7.) This shows that the prophecy concerning the real or complete mission of Zerubbabel belongs to the time when the Messianic kingdom is to be set up.

The prophet shows further that Zerubbabel shall build the temple of the Lord by the power of the "seven," which are called "the eyes of the Lord." The figure seven belongs to the act of completion. By comparing Rev. 4: 5, we find that the same power is spoken of there and is called the "Seven Spirits of God"—the Spirit of God with sevenfold power.

The prophet is led onward, as it were, and finally the prophetic development presents itself before his mind as being represented by two beings, of whom the revealing angel says, "These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." (Zech. 4: 9-14.) In John's vision, these two beings were also revealed in connection with the temple, and the Lord himself says of them: "These are the two olive trees (branches) and the two candlesticks (which the prophet. describes), standing before (or by) the God of the earth." (Rev. 11: 4.)

Thus, we see that the name Zerubbabel , in its prophetic signification, is applicable to these special witnesses of Jesus in the concluding movement. These two anointed (or children of oil) are also connected with the spiritual Mountain of Olives, from which the great spiritual (or personal) train starts on its way to the New Jerusalem. They give the midnight-cry and arouse the sleeping virgins with their trumpet-sound, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him !" Then the oil-question arises, and the mass of inquirers and light-seekers form the mountain of the personal Olives.

The great train moves on and finally the people anticipate that the kingdom is about to become a reality. Such prophecies as Is. 52; Jer. 31: 1-11; Hosea 1: 10, 11; 3: 4, 5, etc., become fulfilled, and the people rejoice over the prosperous movement.

The candidates for the offices of priests and kings in the new kingdom develop during this wonderful progress; the hope runs high and the joy is great in the camp of the saints. The living temple is then built up of the children of faith, under the guidance of the two witnesses, into a powerful structure. Jubilee-songs are heard everywhere among the masses, and people gather around the standard of Zion from all parts of the earth.

But then comes the scene of dissappointment and confusion. The beast ascending from the bottomless abyss makes war against the two witnesses, overcomes and kills them. (Rev. 11: 7.) Then is fulfilled what the angel revealed to John:

"And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven (the heavenly camp) about the space of half an hour." (Rev. 8: 1.)

The prophetic hour is about 14 days; half of that, 7 days. The last fight, the capture, the trial of the two witnesses, and their lying on the street three days and a half are included, of course, in that half hour. But at the expiration of that time, the "seal of the living God" will appear in a most glorious scene. It is the Word of God made flesh that the Christian world have then murdered. The seal of the living God was stamped upon them; hence the power of death must turn aside. These two beings live again, stand upon their feet and disappear in the blue sky in the sight of both friends and enemies.

"I will make thee a signet." The Word made flesh, represented in and by the candidates for the offices of the immortal kingdom, will be sealed by the immortal impression which prepares them for their high position, in order that they may take the power and the kingdoms from the world. Hence, when they see and realize that their leaders who were murdered are living again by the power of God, the immortal impression revives them with such strong faith that they fear neither might nor death. They become sealed with the seal of the living God and realize that death has no more power over them.

2. The sun-rising.

The messenger having the seal of the living God ascends from the sun-rising. The word translated east in the common version is in the Greek anatoles helio which means the sun-rising. It is during the morning of the great day of the Lord that the movement is carried on, and at the closing up of the tree years and a half, the morning has advanced to the time of the rising of the sun. The sun of that morning is everlasting and it will never go down anymore—it is the "Sun of righteousness, with healing in his wings." (Mal. 4: 2.) It is the immortalized and immortalizing King, who then brings forth his righteous kingdom by the united power of his kings and priests who are sealed for their commission.

The seal-bearer ascends from the rising of the sun. He is actuated by the same power that brings forth the heavenly King and kingdom, and his work closes with the power of immortality. In Rev. 18th chap., the same messenger is described as coming down from heaven and as having great power; the earth becomes enlightened with his glory. He holds the seal of the living God in his own life, as it were, and it appears in its full power and glory so that death itself yields before it.

3. The sealed company.

There are twelve thousand of each tribe of the children of Jacob to become sealed. This shows that the ten lost tribes are then along in the restoration and that the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, are also with them.

The sealed company passes over from the holy to the most holy apartment of the temple, and in that state they become imbued with an immortalizing power which makes them invincible. No earthly power can subdue them anymore; hence, they will take the kingdoms from the nations. They constitute the Bride, who dresses herself in clean, fine and white linen, "for the linen is the righteousness of saints." (Rev. 19: 8.) The priestly garments of the old covenant prefigured their righteous acts.