Who was Zerubbabe in the Bible?
To think of God as being responsible for the insignificant details of a project while we take care of the major decisions is a dangerous way to approach any project. It is God who is in control, and we only play a part in His overall plan. When God gives us important jobs to do, it isn’t because He needs our help, but because He wants us involved. Zerubbabe learned this lesson.
God’s people had been exiled in Babylon for many years. Many of them had settled into comfortable lifestyles there and wanted to stay. There were, however, almost 60,000 who had not forgotten Judah. When Babylon was defeated in 539 B.C., the Persian ruler, Cyrus, allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. Zerubbabe led the first and largest group back to the promised land.
Zerubbabe’s leadership was by right and recognition. Not only was he a descendant of David, he also had personal leadership qualities. When the people arrived in Judah, they were given time to establish living quarters, and then were called to begin the work of rebuilding the temple. They began not by laying the city walls or constructing government buildings, but by rebuilding the altar, worshiping God together and celebrating a feast. Under Zerubbabe’s leadership, they established a spiritual foundation for their building efforts.
The temple was quickly completed and another round of celebration followed. But soon, two problems arose. A few of the older men remembered Solomon’s glorious temple and were saddened at how much smaller and less glorious this one was. In addition some enemies of the Jews tried to infiltrate the work force and stop the building with political pressure. Fear caused the work to grind to a halt. The people went to their homes and 16 years would pass.
We don’t know what Zerubbabe did during this time. His discouragement, following those first months of excitement and accomplishment, must have been deep. Those feeling eventually hardened into hopelessness. So God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to be Zerubbabe’s encouraging companions. They confronted the people’s reluctance and comforted their fears. The work began again with renewed energy and was completed in four years.
Zerubbabe, like many of us, knew how to start well but found it hard to keep going. His successes depended on the quality of encouragement he received. Zerubbabe let discouragement get the better part of him. But when he let God take control, the work was finished. God is always in control. We can not let our circumstances or lack of encouragement slow us from doing the tasks God has given us.
Who is in control in your life, you or God? Do you know God? Do you know Jesus?
Are you certain that you are going to heaven? If the answer is no or your not really sure and there is something stirring inside you at this very moment to do this, then all you have to do is say a small prayer and you can be assured of your name being added to the Book of Life. Go to the prayer of salvation and pray the words out loud and believe in your heart and you will be saved.
Zerubbabe’s story is told in Ezra 2:2 – 5:2. He is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:19; Nehemiah 7:7; 12:1, 47; Haggai 1:1, 12, 14; 2:4, 21, 12; Zechariah 4:6 – 10; Matthew 1:12, 13 and Luke 3:27
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