Zerubbabel and Joshua were also ‘types’ of Christ and imprinted in Zerubbabel and Joshua, God was foreshadowing the Perfection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
In 586 BC, Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah were conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and taken into exile to Babylon, and 70 years later, their descendants returned.
Ezra 2: 1-2a (‘Jeshua’ is Joshua) CEV, GNT, MEV, NIV, Jeremiah 25: 9-13
Upon their return to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel and Joshua worked together in the rebuilding of the temple and resumed the sacrifices performed by the priests, Haggai 1: 14b-c ‘Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah; Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people who had returned from the exile...began working on the Temple of the Lord'. GNT
Ezra 3: 1-2, 8-10
Zerubbabel and Joshua were the 2 prominent leaders of the people and are named together 12 times.
Ezra 2: 2 Ezra 3: 2, 8; Ezra 4: 3: Ezra 5: 2; Nehemiah 7: 7; Nehemiah 12: 1; Haggai 1: 1, 12, 14; Haggai 2: 2, 4
Before we go on to discuss the significance of Zerubbabel and Joshua being named together 12 times, let’s talk a little bit about Bible Numerology - the study of numbers in the Word of God - God uses numbers to indicate His Providence in our lives
Testimony: Here’s some numerological indications of God’s Providence in my life based on the number 7 which means wholeness or completeness
I was born in 1957
I Married in 1977 (14th May 2 7’s)
This year (2024) Jennifer and I have been married for 47 years
We started our Pastoral ministry in 1987
This year (2024) Jennifer and I have been in Pastoral ministry for 37 years
We were called to a new ministry here in Nelson in 1997
And this year I am 67 years old
Now let’s get back to the Main Message
12 is a number full of meaning in the Word of God and signifies God’s Perfection - For example:
- The first recorded words of Jesus were when He was 12 years old (Luke 2: 42)
- In the beginning of His ministry Jesus chose 12 disciples (Matthew 10: 1).
- There were 12 baskets of bread and fish leftover after Jesus fed the multitude of 5, 000 people (Matthew 14: 20).
- A woman was healed by Jesus after 12 years of suffering an illness (Matthew 9: 20).
- Jesus raised a 12-year-old girl from the dead (Mark 5: 42).
- Jesus said we have 12 hours every day to serve the will of God (John 11: 9).
- Mary worshipped Jesus by anointing Him with precious perfume from a 12-ounce container (John 12: 3).
- 12 men were the founding members of the Church at Ephesus (Acts 19: 7).
- There are 12 thrones in Heaven under the authority of Jesus Christ (Matthew 19: 28).
- The Book of Revelation records the Apocalyptic Vision of the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven and makes multiple references to the number 12:
12 stars, 12 gates, 12 angels, 12 tribes, 12 foundation stones, 12 Apostles, 12 precious stones, and 12 crops of fruit for 12 months of the year.
In addition to these, there are another 91 references to the number 12 in the Old Testament!
So, in what way were Zerubbabel and Joshua ‘types’ of Christ and what likenesses to Christ do we see imprinted in Zerubbabel and Joshua?
Firstly, Zerubbabel
Zerubbabel became the governor of Judah because he was the royal descendant in the line of King David and became the ancestor of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1: 6, 13, 16
Whereas Jesus is the fulfillment of the promised Messiah, the ‘Son of David’, Luke 1: 32-33 (‘Who rules forever’); Luke 18: 38-39; Luke 20: 41-44
Zerubbabel laid the foundations of the 2nd Temple and finished it with the capstone, the highest point of the temple.
Ezra 3: 11; Ezra 6: 14-15 (Here’s a bonus for you: ‘The Temple was completed on March 12’ ((Hebrew: Adar 19))); Zechariah 4: 7-9
Whereas Jesus is the promised fulfillment of the temple, John 2: 19-21 ‘Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ‘What! they exclaimed. It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple (Herod’s restoration), and You can rebuild it in three days?’ But when Jesus said, “this temple,” He meant His own body.’”
Acts 4: 11
Secondly, Joshua
Joshua was the High Priest who acted as a mediator between God and the people particularly on the Day of Atonement – the one day each year when all Israel would be purified of their sins.
Haggai 1: 12
God gave this instruction to Moses who said, Leviticus 16: 29-34a ‘This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.’
Please notice that on the Day of Atonement the people were purified of their sins and made right with God ‘once each year’. That meant that the ceremony had to be repeated every year, it was only a temporary covering of the people’s sins.
Whereas Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the promise to be our High Priest Who would take away our sins once and forever.
Hebrews 7: 23-8: 1-3; Hebrews 9: 24-26, 28b; Hebrews 10: 10, 12, 14
Now we come to an amazing prophecy concerning the fulfillment of Zerubbabel and Joshua’s combined ministry in Jesus Christ
Zerubbabel was the royal Governor of Judah and the Builder of the temple in Jerusalem. Imprinted in Zerubbabel was the promise of God that would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ – King of all Kings Who reigns forever.
Joshua was the High Priest. Imprinted in Joshua was the promise of God that would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ – our High Priest Who’s shed blood has forgiven our sins once and forever.
Zechariah 6: 9-14
A gold crown was made and placed on Joshua which represented the combined ministry of Zerubbabel and Joshua.
The ‘Branch’ in the second part of Zechariah 6: 12, is NOT referring to Zerubbabel or Joshua, it is a prophecy about the coming Messiah Jesus Christ, Isaiah 11: 1 ‘Like a branch that sprouts from a stump, someone from David's family will someday be king.’
And concerning the ministry of the Branch, Zechariah 6: 13b ‘He will receive royal honor and will rule as king from His throne. He will also serve as priest from His throne, and there will be perfect harmony between His two roles.’
Jesus Christ is King of all Kings, Lord of all Lords and our High Priest – He is our Perfect Savior.
Now here’s the perfect way to end this Message Series, Romans 16: 25 ‘Now all glory to God...This message about Jesus Christ has revealed His plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.’
(Here’s my comment: ‘a plan kept secret’ and secretly imprinted in the Christ ‘types’ in the Old Testament).
All these Christ ‘types’ foreshadowed the promises of God that would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ – the ‘Antitype’, 2 Corinthians 1: 20 ‘For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ’.
2 Corinthians 7: 1 ‘So, my beloved people, with promises like these, let’s make ourselves clean from everything that defiles us, outside and inside, and let’s become completely holy in the fear of God.’ NTE
Amen!
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