Advent Journey - Following the Seed From Eden to Bethlehem Shembull

Day 22

THE SEED OF BABYLON

Shealtiel (52), Zerubbabel (53)

Today we meet perhaps the most significant, unfamiliar name in the line of the Seed. His name was Zerubbabel. 

And what does the name Zerubbabel mean? Answer: “The Seed of Babylon.”

Zerubbabel was born in Babylon during Judah’s exile! Wow! Let’s step back and look at a Big Picture prophecy.

According to the prophet Jeremiah (Chapter 25), God had some events planned:

1.  Judah would be captured by Babylon and exiled from their land. 

2.  Babylonian captivity would last 70 years.

3.  After 70 years, God will bring judgment on Babylon (conquered by Cyrus the Great of the Persian Empire).

4.  A remnant of Judah would return to Jerusalem. 

Those of us on the Advent Journey have the benefit of hindsight. These prophecies line up nicely with history. But without this hindsight perspective, Babylonian exile was an unexpected detour for the Seed. 

How would the Seed advance while the people were exiled in a foreign land? And not just any foreign land, but Babylon!

After Babylon was conquered, King Cyrus showed favor on the tribe of Judah and issued orders for Jerusalem to be rebuilt! (All part of God’s amazing sovereignty – see Isaiah 44:28).

Zerubbabel found favor during Judah’s exile and was positioned as governor of Judah. (Zerubbabel was grandson to the rotten King Jechoniah.) 

Zerubbabel found himself at the center of yet another of the Seed’s impressive pivot points. Zerubbabel hosted a return mission trip to Jerusalem to help rebuild the city (temple and walls). 

The father-son combo, “Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel” is referenced nearly a dozen times throughout the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai.

When we think of the Jerusalem rebuilding projects, we mostly think of Ezra and Nehemiah. Their names get the most attention, but Zerubbabel’s name is sprinkled all throughout.  

Zerubbabel falls not only in line of the Seed – but also in a line of history’s famous travelers who helped to transport the Seed during various pivot points. 

The first was Abraham – transporting the Seed from Ur to Haran to Canaan. 

Later God used Moses – directing the Seed out of slavery in Egypt. 

Then roughly 1,000 years later, after an unexpected detour to Babylon, God used Zerubbabel – to get the Seed back to Jerusalem. 

The Seed is going back home…near Bethlehem.

Reflections:

Years after king Jechoniah (Zerubbabel’s grandfather) was exiled to Babylon, the king of Babylon released Jechoniah from prison and showed him unusual favor…affording him royal treatment, seating him among the kings and letting him eat from the kings table for the rest of his life.

What might explain this special favor given what we know about Zerubbabel’s future assignment.

[Perhaps this favor extended to king Jechoniah was God’s way of preparing the way for grandson Zerubbabel – so that he would be in position to return to Jerusalem as governor of Judah.]