The new messiah ─ Christ, the Chosen One, Anointed by God ─ is indeed Zerubbabel.
Its archetype is the Zerubbabel accompanying Joshua during the reconstruction of the Temple in the sixth century BC.
Zerubbabel, Governor of Judah, represents the civil authority and it is with this title that he has come to judge at the last judgment.
You must not confuse the Joshua and Zerubbabel of the sixth century BC with the Jesus who came two thousand years ago and the Zerubbabel of today.
Indeed, the two characters of the sixth century BC are not assigned as Christ and that also there can be no two Christs at the same time.
The Word of God is incarnated in one person at a time, which explains why Christ Jesus came two thousand years ago ─ under the figure of the High Priest ─ demonstrating his identity as a messiah by the realization of all the signs and wonders mentioned in the Scriptures and that he returned to heaven (John 16:7)for the coming of Zerubbabel today as Christ the King.(John 16:13-15)
Jesus thought that the Return should come in its time two thousand years ago, thus demonstrating the primacy of the Father over the Son:
“In truth I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming with his kingdom.”
Matthew 16:28 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
Another plan was underway and the Author ─ God ─ had not yet revealed it to his Son.
The revelation will be made to Jesus before his crucifixion.
This prediction was made by God to the prophet Zechariah in the sixth century BC when God said to the prophet:
“Collect silver and gold from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, then (you yourself go the same day) go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, who has arrived from Babylon.
Then, taking the silver and gold, make a crown and place it on the head of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak.
And say this to him, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Here is a man whose name is Branch; where he is, there will be a branching out (and he will rebuild Yahweh's sanctuary).
Yes, he is the one who will rebuild Yahweh's sanctuary; he will wear the royal insignia and sit on his throne and govern, with a priest on his right. Perfect peace will reign between these two.”
Zechariah 6:10-13 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
As a footnote to my Osty Bible ─ Émile Osty and Joseph Trinquet, Éditions du Seuil, 1973 ─, it is written concerning the crown of verse 11 of (Zechariah 6:10-13):
This crown, which is the symbol of royal dignity, could only be placed on the head of a descendant of David, Zerubbabel, on whom the eschatological hopes of the community had focused. The events having taken another turn and Zerubbabel having disappeared, it is to his collaborator Joshua the High Priest that this crown, which was not originally intended for him, was awarded.
This is the secret revealed in this explanation of God's plan.
Zerubbabel disappeared and his crown went to the High Priest Joshua ─ representing the religious authority ─ also with the symbol (crown) of the civil authority.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus, the High Priest ─ being Christ this time ─ understood therefore that he had to wear the crown since the Son of Man ─ invested with his royal power ─ was not to return in his time, but later in the distant future.
All this was to happen even if Jesus (''God Save'') had come to save and not to judge.
Jesus understood that he had to follow the prophecy announced to Joshua by the prophet Zechariah in the sixth century BC (Zechariah 6:10-13) by putting the crown on his head and giving himself the title of king.
This explains the mysterious passage of Scripture described in chapter 21:1-11 of Matthew's Gospel, among others, where the triumphant reception of Jesus in Jerusalem is described.
“Say to the daughter of Zion: Look, your KING is approaching, humble and riding on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”
Matthew 21:5 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
This also explains Jesus' answer to Pilate:
Jesus, then, was brought before the governor, and the governor put to him this question, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' Jesus replied, 'It is you who say it.'
Matthew 27:11 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
And that also, at his crucifixion, the reason for his condemnation was placed above his head, written as follows:
“Above his head was placed the charge against him; it read: 'This is Jesus, THE KING of the Jews.”
Matthew 27:37 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
No one could understand the meaning of these passages from Scripture since all this was encrypted to be revealed today.
Remember that Zerubbabel disappeared in the sixth century BC and it was then that the prophet Zechariah ─ under the command of God ─ placed the crown on Joshua's head in accordance with the passage of Zechariah 6:11.
But how can Zerubbabel disappear if God is the God of the living?
Indeed, in the sixth century BC God had advised Zorobabel ─ as he had done with Joshua ─ that he should play the role of Messiah in a future time ─, but not at the same time as Jesus two thousand years ago ─.
As for the times, God gives a lead by addressing the prophet Haggai:
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah. Say this, "I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I shall overturn the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kings of the nations. I shall overthrow the chariots and their crews; horses and their riders will fall, every one to the sword of his comrade. When that day comes -- Yahweh Sabaoth declares -- I shall take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel my servant -- Yahweh declares -- and make you like a signet ring. For I have chosen you -- Yahweh Sabaoth declares.”
Haggai 2:21-23 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
God chose him, which means that he was elected for a future time and that he would be like a signet ring.
According to the definition of the signet ring in my Osty Bible ─ Émile Osty and Joseph Trinquet, Éditions du Seuil, 1973 ─, it is written:
A ring in which was embedded the seal (often a valuable stone) used to authenticate a written document; the object was doubly precious, both in its value and in its destination. Whether it was worn on the finger, or on the wrist, or on the neck (tied by a cord), it was not easily separated.
Zerubbabel would therefore be like a signet ring and according to the definition it would include the seal used to authenticate, but of what?
In the revelation of John, it is written (chapter 7):
“ Then I saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea, Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. And I heard how many had been sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel.”
Revelation 7:2-4 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
Rising sun, means "East" and we also know that the seal is used to mark on their foreheads the slaves of our God.
So we have enough information here to know that, first, Zerubbabel was chosen by God to become a signet ring. (Haggai 2:21-23)
This ring (Zerubbabel) therefore includes ─ according to the definition of the signet ring in the Osty Bible ─ a seal used to authenticate the slaves of our God. (Revelation 7:2-4)
Zerubbabel is carried by the angel who rises from the rising sun ─ he comes from the East ─ and his Word will reach the West.
“Because the coming of the Son of man will be like lightning striking in the east and flashing far into the west.”
Matthew 24:27 ─ New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
Zerubbabel is therefore the seal of the Living God. (Revelation 7:2)
This means that you have to understand his Word to be part of the one hundred and forty-four thousand marked. (Revelation 7:4)
Welcoming and understanding his Word ─ signed '''' Zerubbabel ''' ─ is the only way to reach salvation and to be marked as being'chosen'''.
There is no other way to emerge unscathed from the end of the world.
The end of the world being the end of all flesh you must understand his Word to become a spirit again and escape what will happen to the world.
Next chapter
The Faithful and True Christ the King
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