DANIEL, CYRUS AND ZERUBBABEL
(week 26/12)
OLUBI JOHNSON
The Old Testament scriptures contain symbolic, prophetic shadows of realities we can and should now experience in Christ in the New Testament:
Colossians 2:16-17 AMP: Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath. (17) Such [things] are only the shadow of things that are to come, and they have only a symbolic value. But the reality (the substance, the solid fact of what is foreshadowed, the body of it) belongs to Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV: Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 KJV: And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
In particular, God’s purpose in returning Israel from Babylonian/Persian captivity to the promised land and rebuilding temple is a shadow of what God is presently doing in the church in taking us from spiritual Babylonian captivity into the promised land of the perfection and fulness of Christ and so build and finish the corporate temple of the perfect church that will manifest the glory of God in this end time.
This truth is revealed in
Ephesians 4:12-13 KJV: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Ephesians 4:15 KJV: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians 5:27 KJV: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Furthermore it is also typified in
Isaiah 2:2-3 KJV: And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. (3) And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Daniel, Cyrus and Zerubbabel typify three stages in a prophetic panorama that the Church must go through to arrive at the experience of a perfect church individually and collectively that will manifest the glory of God and so disciple the nations and close the age (Mt. 24.14).
In fact some of those who are destined to be of the first fruits of the perfect Church experienced the “Daniel stage” from about 1990-2000; the “Cyrus stage” from about 2000-2010 and will now be experiencing the “Zerubbabel stage” from about 2010, which is now (2012 at the time of this writing) and onwards: blazing a trail the rest of the Church can follow individually and collectively.
In our article next week will see the “Daniel stage” in more detail.
