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Zadok. Distant son of Levi, and High Priest who was faithful to King David when the latter's son Absalom led a revolt against his own father (2 Sam. 15:24-29). Zadok was again faithful to David when David's son Adonijah had himself anointed King of Israel in contempt of David's plan to select Solomon as his successor (1 Kings 1:26-45). Abiathar was the priest who defected to Adonijah (1 Kings 1:7, 19, 25). The Zadokite priests will be rewarded for their distant father's faithfulness to the Davidic line by being authorized to offer sacrifices in the Millennial Temple (Ezek. 40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11). Zedekiah. The last King of Judah. See Constable's Table of the Last Five Kings of Judah.
After the untimely death (humanly speaking) of good King Josiah (2
Kings 23:29-30), the people of the land made Jehoahaz, son of Josiah,
King (2 Kings 23:30). Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, was an evil king, and
Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him after only three months (2 Kings 23:31-33).
Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim, son of Josiah King, and changed his name to
Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:34). Jehoiakim was an evil king (2 Kings 23:37)
who reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years (2 Kings 23:36), first as a
vassal to Pharaoh Neco (2 Kings 23:35). King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
conquered Judah. Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, then
rebelled against him (2 Kings 24:1). After Jehoiakim's death (2 Kings
24:6), his son Jehoiachin became King of Judah for three years (2 Kings
24:8). He was evil (2 Kings 24:9), and King Nebuchadnezzar laid siege
to Jerusalem. Jehoiakim surrendered and was taken captive to Babylon (2
Kings 24:10-16). Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiakim's uncle, Mattaniah, as
a puppet King, changing his name to Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17). He was an
evil king (2 Kings 24:18-19). Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar
(2 Kings 24:20). In the ninth year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar besieged
Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-2). Zedekiah tried to escape, but was captured
(2 Kings 25:3-6). The Babylonians killed Zedekiah's son, then gouged
out his eyes and transported him to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7).
Nebuchadnezzar then came to Jerusalem, burned the temple, the king's
house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and tore down the walls of
Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8-10). Most of the survivors were carried captive
to Babylon (2 Kings 25:11). There has been on King in Jerusalem since,
except for Messiah Jesus, whom the people of Israel repudiated,
crucifying Him instead. Jesus will return as conquering King (Zechariah
14:1-5). He will reign as King not only over Israel, but over the
entire earth (Zech. 14:9). See an off-site article on King Zedekiah. Zerubbabel.
The grandson of King Jehoiachin of Judah (1 Chron. 3:17) and so a
descendant of David. The prophet Haggai identified Zerubbabel as the
governor of Judah after the exile (Hag. 1:1; 2:2, 21). Zerubabbel is
identified in Ezra 2:2 as one of the leaders who led the returning
exiles from Persia back to Jerusalem and Judah (Ezra 2:1) in response
to the Decree of Cyrus in 538 BC to build God a house in Jerusalem
(Ezra 1:1-4). It is possible, though not certain beyond all doubt, that
Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah (Ezra 1:8), was Zerubbabel's
Babylonian name (so RSB). Yahweh of Troops
has chosen Zerubbabel and will resurrect him and assign him a place of
honor in the coming overthrow of the nations and establishment of Christ's Millennial Kingdom (Hag. 2:23). Zion. The fortified city within
Jerusalem containing
the residence of the king and the Mount on which it was situated; also
known as
the City of David and even the City of God. King David and his men
captured the
fortified city of Zion, the city of the Jebusites. Once he had
conquered it, he
called it the City of David, and made it his official residence (2
Sam. 5:6-9; 1 Chron. 11:4-9).
The name Zion means “fortification.” The Old
Testament refers to Zion on several levels: 1) It refers to a mountain,
Mount Zion,
2537 feet in elevation (Dictionary
of the Bible
by William Smith, Horatio Balch Hackett, Ezra Abbot, pp.
1276-1277) (Psalm
2:6; 48:1-2, 11; 74:2; 78:68; 87:1-2; 125:1). 2) It refers to a city,
Jerusalem (Psalm
48:2, 12-13; 51:18; 69:35; 87:2-3, 5; 102:21; 128:5; 135:21; 147:12). 3) It
refers to the dwelling place of God. Though the Temple Mount is
actually on
Mount Moriah, to the east and lower than Mount Zion, the general area
and
Jerusalem are said to be the city of God and His dwelling place (Psalm
9:11; 20:2-3; 74:2-3; 76:2; 78:68-69; 84:7; 87:2-3; 132:13-14; 134:1-3;
135:21).
4) In an even broader sense, Zion refers to the tribe of Judah (Psalm
48:11; 69:35; 78:68)
and even the nation of Israel as a whole (Isa.
60:14; Zech. 9:13).
5) In its ultimate sense, according to the New
Testament, Zion refers to the city of New
Jerusalem,
presently
located in heaven (Heb.
12:22-23; Rev. 14:1),
but in eternity, the capital city which comes down
out of heaven to New
Earth (Rev.
3:12; 21:2, 10).
It is my belief that New Jerusalem is so high (Rev.
21:16)
because it contains heavenly Mount Zion. For a further discussion of
Zion, see the article, Is
God a Zionist? (See the Glossary entry Zionism, Zionist.) Zionism, Zionist.
Zionism is the belief in the right of and perhaps even duty of Jewish
people to return to the land of Israel, and the right of Israel to
control its own destiny in its own land without interference from
so-called "Palestinians" or the United Nations or any assortment of its
mortal enemies, Arab and otherwise. A Zionist is one who adheres to
Zionism. In all candor, Zionists can be divided into at least three
camps. (1) Secular Jews who see no religious overtones in the nation of Israel. (2) Religious,
but non-Christian Jews who believe Israel exists at the behest of
Almighty God, and long to re-establish an Israeli Temple on the Temple
Mount. These Jews, through religious, repudiate Jesus as the Jewish
Messiah. (3) Christians who
interpret the OT Scriptures literally enough to believe that God made
irreversible promises to and covenants with Israel that guarantee
Israeli sovereignty in the land God bequeathed eternally to Abraham and
his descendants through Abraham's son Isaac and his grandson, Jacob and
his twelve sons, the Sons of Israel. Most of this third group are
Christians from among the nations of the world (also known as
"Gentiles"), while a very small but growing number are Messianic Jews.
I, the author of WordExplain firmly place myself in this third camp. I
believe Israeli sovereignty in the land was renewed by God Himself with
the assistance of the United Nations on May 14, 1948. But God does not
need the United Nations to legitimize His people in their land. Though
many trials and persecutions await Israeli people, one day they will
tearfully acknowledge that Jesus of Nazareth is their King when He
returns to this earth (Zech. 12:10-13:1). He will set up His Kingdom in
Jerusalem, Israel, and will rule over the entire land God has allocated
to Israel. Muslim mosques and shrines will be obliterated, and Jesus
will authorize the design and construction of a New Temple as described
in Ezekiel 40:1-48:35. Jesus will reign as King over Israel and King
over the entire globe (Zech. 14:9). Universal peace will ensue (Isa.
2:1-4), and Israel will enter its Golden Age of Glory as described, for example, in Isaiah 60:1-22. (See the Glossary entry, Zion.)
Updated May 10, 2022
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