Haggai 2:20-23 Zerubbabel Chosen
God renews the government for the remnant that returned from captivity. Zerubbabel is chosen as its head.
Before reading Haggai, I did not realize that Zerubbabel was in the line of David. My bible helps pointed this out for me. Zerubbabel is included in the lineage of Jesus. Apparently, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to his name in the “begats” section.
God putting Zerubbabel in charge of the people re-established David’s line of authority. I have NO idea if David’s line continued to serve as leaders for the rest of the time before the Romans came in. Regardless of which man was in charge, God was the ultimate King of Israel. He ruled through whomever sat in that position.
God STILL rules this whole world through whomever man puts his trust in. God has a plan for this world and He CAN and WILL see that it is carried out. He uses those in authority as His agents for good. It isn’t always ‘good’ things that these rulers do, but their actions ultimately work for the furtherance of His plan. He used Pharoah, Nebuchadnezzar, and Cyrus. He can CERTAINLY use whoever is in power today!
Another blessing that God promised Israel that day was the removal of their enemies. Israel wouldn’t have to raise a finger to accomplish this. The nations around her would wipe one another out. This would not be the case forever. There is MUCH fighting in that region today and Israel is a substantial part of it. All I can say is that God is STILL in control. HE is moving nations and raising up whom HE decides. He is NOT CAUSING the wars and fighting. He us allowing man to use his own free will for those decisions. But He IS working with their own natural desires to bring about His will. And He will continue to do this until the final Judgement Day for the whole earth.
Father God, KNOWING that You are in control of ALL gives me peace. My nation is embroiled in another election season. No matter which way the election goes, there will be conflict. I KNOW that You KNOW what You are doing and WILL bring about YOUR will in this troubled time. And if it is YOUR will for my nation to fracture and fall, it WILL happen. If it is YOUR will for my nation to unite, You will see that that happens instead. I leave it ALL in YOUR hands. I trust YOU with ALL my heart.