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Figure 1. Large pieces of rock, believed to be ruins from the second Jewish Temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, lie at the base of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Who despises the day of small things?
Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
(Zechariah 4:10a NIV)
A play on words:
There is a play on words with the name 'Zerubbabel'. The text includes two Zerubbabels:
[†† A convenient shorthand identifier at the time of writing.]
Zerubbabel6C is descended from Babel. However, is not ZerubbabelC21 also descended from Babel, being born a Gentile?
There is a play on words with the name 'Shealtiel'.
Zerubbabel6C's father was a real person named 'Shealtiel'.
However, with regard to the prophesied Zerubbabel (here labelled ZerubbabelC21 for convenience), he is the Gentile who was drowning in an ocean of lies spewed out by Paul et al. He 'asked God' (ie, "Shealtiel'd"); was heard; was taught. He rejected the lies of Paul, the unknown writer to the Hebrews, and the new-covenant church in all its many variations. Instead, he chose the [Messisanically Amended] Covenant (ie, was reborn a Jew) ... and was subsequently appointed by God to be His servant.
In the case of ZerubbabelC21, 'descended of Babel' indicates a change in personal state from Gentile to Jew.
[Dissertation: Zerubbabel6C.]
[Dissertation: Compare and contrast the two Zerubbabels.]
Defilement of the Covenant by Jews; defilement and annulment by Paul et al; destruction of the Temple in 70 CE: the Covenant was no longer enforceable at the Physical Level. It needed to be rebuilt in such a way that the Flock could worship - individually or collectively - at the Spiritual Level.
Fortunately, Jesus had already shifted worship entirely to the Spiritual Level:
[21] Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:21-24 NIV)
So far as theory goes, all appears fine; it is only in detailing the practicalities that problems appear.
Zechariah 8 T hints at the current difficulties:
18 And the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying, 19 Thus said the LORD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity.
20 Thus said the LORD of Hosts: Peoples and the inhabitants of many cities shall yet come—21 the inhabitants of one shall go to the other and say, “Let us go and entreat the favor of the LORD, let us seek the LORD of Hosts; I will go, too.” 22 The many peoples and the multitude of nations shall come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23 Thus said the LORD of Hosts: In those days, ten men from nations of every tongue will take hold—they will take hold of every Jew by a corner of his cloak and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” (Zechariah 8:18-23 (Tanakh))
Zechariah 8:20-23 (Tanakh) provides context. Zechariah 8:18-19 (Tanakh) mentions some upcoming changes to the Covenant. It is the changes to the Covenant which need to be spelled out in detail in order for individual and collective worship to be conducted in a meaningful way. The matter doesn't end there, because of the impact on education, conduct, outreach, and so on...
Jerusalem's broken stone wall has been replaced with an intact wall of Fire:
5 I looked up, and I saw a man holding a measuring line. 6 “Where are you going?" I asked. “To measure Jerusalem," he replied, “to see how long and wide it is to be.” 7 But the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him. 8 The former said to him, “Run to that young man and tell him:
“Jerusalem shall be peopled as a city without walls, so many shall be the men and cattle it contains. 9 And I Myself—declares the LORD—will be a wall of fire all around it, and I will be a glory inside it. (Zechariah 2:5-9 (Tanakh))
The Levitical Priesthood have been reduced to the ranks, and are being replaced by the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek:
10 The [Levitical] watchmen are blind, all of them,
They perceive nothing.
They are all dumb dogs
That cannot bark;
They lie sprawling,
They love to drowse.
11 Moreover, the dogs are greedy;
They never know satiety.
As for the shepherds, they know not
What it is to give heed.
Everyone has turned his own way,
Every last one seeks his own advantage. (Isaiah 56:10-11 (Tanakh))
But now:
6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen,
Who shall never be silent
By day or by night.
O you, the LORD's remembrancers,
Take no rest
7 And give no rest to Him,
Until He establish Jerusalem
And make her renowned on earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7 (Tanakh))†
[† For the full context, refer to Isaiah, chapter 62 (Tanakh).]
Because Jerusalem's wall is now a wall of fire, only Priests in the Order of Melchizedek are able to stand upon it. Note that they can see what is going on on the inside, as well as on the outside.
1 The angel who talked with me came back and woke me as a man is wakened from sleep. 2 He said to me, “What do you see?" And I answered, “I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl above it. The lamps on it are seven in number, and thelamps above it have seven pipes; 3 and by it are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and one on its left.” 4 I, in turn, asked the angel who talked with me, “What do those things mean, my lord?" 5 “Do you not know what those things mean?" asked the angel who talked with me; and I said, “No, my lord.” 6 Then he explained to me as follows:
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit — said the LORD of Hosts. 7 Whoever you are, O great mountain in the path of Zerubbabel, turn into level ground! For he shall produce that excellent stone [or capstone‡]; it shall be greeted with shouts of 'Beautiful! Beautiful!'"
8 And the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “Zerubbabel's hands have founded this House and Zerubbabel's hands shall complete it. Then you shall know that it was the LORD of Hosts who sent me to you. 10 Does anyone scorn a day of small beginnings? When they see the stone of distinction‡ in the hand of Zerubbabel, they shall rejoice.
“Those seven are the eyes of the LORD, ranging over the whole earth.”
11 “And what," I asked him, “are those two olive trees, one on the right and one on the left of the lampstand?" 12 And I further asked him, “What are the two tops of the olive trees that feed their gold through those two golden tubes?" 13 He asked me, “Don't you know what they are?" And I replied, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he explained, “They are the two anointed dignitaries who attend the Lord of all the earth.” (Zechariah 4 (Tanakh))
[† "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!'" (Zechariah 4:7 NIV)]
[‡ [10] For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. (Zechariah 4:10a ESV)]
20 And the word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 Speak to Zerubbabel the governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 And I will overturn the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the might of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders shall fall, each by the sword of his fellow. 23 On that day — declares the LORD of Hosts — I will take you, O My servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel — declares the LORD—and make you as a signet; for I have chosen you — declares the LORD of Hosts. (Haggai 2:20-23 (Tanakh))
Zerubbabel is God's servant, later to be chosen and signeted by the Lord of Hosts:
23 On that day — declares the LORD of Hosts — I will take you, O My servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel — declares the LORD — and make you as a signet; for I have chosen you — declares the LORD of Hosts. (Haggai 2:23 (Tanakh))
Dictionary definition:
The authority and scope of the authority conferred on Joseph by Pharaoh:
41 Pharaoh further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.” 42 And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph's hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command, and they cried before him, “Abrek!" Thus he placed him over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:41-43 (Tanakh))
The Lord made an example out of King Coniah, using it to warn those signeted against abuse of their authority:
24 As I live—declares the LORD — if you, O King Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, of Judah, were a signet on my right hand, I would tear you off even from there. 25 I will deliver you into the hands of those who seek your life, into the hands of those you dread, into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and into the hands of the Chaldeans. 26 I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another land, where you were not born; there you shall both die. 27 They shall not return to the land that they yearn to come back to.
28 Is this man Coniah
A wretched broken pot,
A vessel no one wants?
Why are he and his offspring hurled out,
And cast away in a land they knew not?
29 O land, land, land,
Hear the word of the LORD!
30 Thus said the LORD:
Record this man as without succession,
One who shall never be found acceptable;
For no man of his offspring shall be accepted
To sit on the throne of David
And to rule again in Judah. (Jeremiah 22:24-30 (Tanakh))
Two points worth making:
Darius seals the mouth of the lions' den:
17 By the king's order, Daniel was then brought and thrown into the lions' den. The king spoke to Daniel and said, “Your God, whom you serve so regularly, will deliver you.” 18 A rock was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; the king sealed it with his signet and with the signet of his nobles, so that nothing might be altered concerning Daniel. (Daniel 6:17-18 (Tanakh))
23 On that day — declares the LORD of Hosts — I will take you, O My servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel — declares the LORD—and make you as a signet; for I have chosen you — declares the LORD of Hosts. (Haggai 2:20-23 (Tanakh))
[Essay: What day (Hag. 2:23a T)?]
Substituting for 'Zerubabbel' and 'Shealtiel':
23 On that day — declares the LORD of Hosts — I will take you, O My servant Descended of Babel (ie, Zerubbabel) son of I have asked God (ie, Shealtiel) — declares the LORD — and make you as a signet; for I have chosen you — declares the LORD of Hosts. (Haggai 2:20-23 (Tanakh))
A reminder:
Accountability.
This is identical to the accountability of the Priests in the Order of Melchizedek.
There is an expicit mention of the Plumb-Line:
For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. (Zechariah 4:10a ESV)
However, this is more than a mere mention. Having the Plumb-Line in his hand, there is every indication that Zerubabbel will not stand idly by, but will put it to good use in the rebuilding of David's Fallen Tent - just as Zerubbabel6C worked hard to physically rebuild the Temple long before!
In this instance, the reference is more indirect:
"What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!'" (Zechariah 4:7 NIV)
Capstone (NIV) / top-stone (NRSV)
▸ noun a stone fixed on top of something, typically a wall:
figurative our time might be merely the capstone to the age of humankind.
▪ Archaeology a large flat stone forming a roof over the chamber of a megalithic tomb.
(Dictionary of English)
Stone of distinction (Tanakh).
However one looks at the 'stone', it is a direct reference to Jesus and the Messisanically Amended Covenant.
Put another way, Jesus is the Key-stone to a gated archway leading to Life!
The narrow entrance has been obliterated by the Jews and by Paul et al. But the Messisanically Amended Covenant forms a fitting gated archway to the Path leading to Life, and which Zerubbabel will complete by bringing and putting in place the Key-stone.
Version: 9-May-2024