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“The Foundation of Your Temple” No. 16 by Rev. Toru Asai
This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty. "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 (Zech 4:6-7)!’”
Zerubbabel figuratively represents Jesus Christ, through whom the former kingdom of God has ended, and a new kingdom with a new system has been established. The period of the Second Temple in which Zerubbabel lived served as a transition from the old one to the new one. Here, the “mighty (big) mountain” was Mount Zion on which David’s palace once stood, symbolizing the nation of Israel, the former kingdom under the old covenant, and its “becoming level ground” meant the abolishing of that kingdom. The “capstone” was the foundation of this old kingdom, and Zerubbabel was to “bring out” to shouts of “God bless it! God bless it (grace, grace to it)!” The old system of distinction between Israel and the Gentiles has been removed, and all those who believe in Christ are now “members of God’s household.”
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:19-20).
The blood of Jesus was already sprinkled upon the Atonement Cover of the Ark of the Covenant, and he brought out the former stone to the shout of “It is finished (fulfilled)!”
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Rom 10:4).
The ending of the old system meant the beginning of a new system, in which we believers are now living.”
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts (believes) will never be dismayed (Isa 28:4).
What is new under the new system is that we no longer need to try to be righteous by keeping the law with the drive of our soul, but by believing (accepting) the spiritual reality of God’s word and being led by God’s spirit through our spirit, the requirements of the law (the will of God) are fulfilled in them (Rom 8:4, 14). The foundation on which this new system has been established is called “the distinction stone (ha’eben habbedil)” in Zech 4:10.
Who despises the day of small things? Men (They) will rejoice when they see the plumb line (distinction stone) in the hand of Zerubbabel. " These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range throughout the earth (Zech 4:10).
For the time of Zerubbabel, this “distinction stone” would be the stone called “shetiyyah” that was actually placed in the Most Holy Place in lieu of the Ark of the Covenant. Concerning the Ark, Jeremiah had already prophesied as follows:
“In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “men will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made (Jer 3:16).”
It was by God’s plan that the Ark was lost, and the new stone was placed in the Second Temple. This stone is really Jesus Christ himself who has seven eyes—seven springs welling up with living water, and seven lamps lighting up with golden oil.
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By Davar Kingdom of GodThis is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty. "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 (Zech 4:6-7)!’”
Zerubbabel figuratively represents Jesus Christ, through whom the former kingdom of God has ended, and a new kingdom with a new system has been established. The period of the Second Temple in which Zerubbabel lived served as a transition from the old one to the new one. Here, the “mighty (big) mountain” was Mount Zion on which David’s palace once stood, symbolizing the nation of Israel, the former kingdom under the old covenant, and its “becoming level ground” meant the abolishing of that kingdom. The “capstone” was the foundation of this old kingdom, and Zerubbabel was to “bring out” to shouts of “God bless it! God bless it (grace, grace to it)!” The old system of distinction between Israel and the Gentiles has been removed, and all those who believe in Christ are now “members of God’s household.”
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:19-20).
The blood of Jesus was already sprinkled upon the Atonement Cover of the Ark of the Covenant, and he brought out the former stone to the shout of “It is finished (fulfilled)!”
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Rom 10:4).
The ending of the old system meant the beginning of a new system, in which we believers are now living.”
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts (believes) will never be dismayed (Isa 28:4).
What is new under the new system is that we no longer need to try to be righteous by keeping the law with the drive of our soul, but by believing (accepting) the spiritual reality of God’s word and being led by God’s spirit through our spirit, the requirements of the law (the will of God) are fulfilled in them (Rom 8:4, 14). The foundation on which this new system has been established is called “the distinction stone (ha’eben habbedil)” in Zech 4:10.
Who despises the day of small things? Men (They) will rejoice when they see the plumb line (distinction stone) in the hand of Zerubbabel. " These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range throughout the earth (Zech 4:10).
For the time of Zerubbabel, this “distinction stone” would be the stone called “shetiyyah” that was actually placed in the Most Holy Place in lieu of the Ark of the Covenant. Concerning the Ark, Jeremiah had already prophesied as follows:
“In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “men will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made (Jer 3:16).”
It was by God’s plan that the Ark was lost, and the new stone was placed in the Second Temple. This stone is really Jesus Christ himself who has seven eyes—seven springs welling up with living water, and seven lamps lighting up with golden oil.