“Then rose up Zerubbabel …”(Ezra 5:2, AMP)
The characteristics of the mantle or spirit of Zerubbabel have already been widely discussed – we’ve covered fourteen aspects of it thus far. The fifteenth characteristic of this corporate mantle is highlighted in Ezra 5:2: “So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up …”
When Scripture states that someone arises, or there is an imperative that he/she should arise, it often points to not only a change of position from sitting or lying to standing. It is often a call for the person to arise within their calling and purpose.
In 1 Kings 10 this is pointed out in symbolic terms. This section concerns the queen of Sheba, who heard about the astounding wisdom of God that could be found in this man, and that is demonstrated to her at the hand of a number of matters: “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. Then she said to the king: ‘It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!’”
Each of the seven things that she notices of his wisdom (= the Christ – 1 Cor. 1:25) leaves her without spirit! One could offer a typological pendant for each of these, but stand, as it is used in this Scripture, obviously refers to much more than just a position one takes up in material terms. It also points to the way in which the servants of Solomon arose within their calling and purpose! This is what amazed the queen of Sheba above else.
But this happens throughout Scripture – when God addresses you and asks you to arise, it almost always implies arising within your calling and purpose. Look at the following examples of people to whom it is said:
- Hagar: “Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” (Gen. 21:18)
- Balak: “Then he took up his oracle and said: ‘Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!’” (Num. 23:18)
- Moses: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, begin your journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.’” (Deut. 10:11)
- Joshua: “Get up, sanctify the people …” (Jos. 7:13)
- Barak: “Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, o son of Abinoam!” (Judg. 5:12)
- Gideon: “It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, ‘Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.’” (Judg. 7:9)
- Elijah: “Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’” (1 Kings 19:5)
- Ezra: “Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it.” (Ezra 10:4)
- Ezekiel: “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you’. And He said to me: ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel’” (Ezek. 2:1 &3)
- Daniel: “And he said to me, ‘O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.’ While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.” (Dan. 10:11)
- Peter: “And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’” (Acts 10:13)
- Paul: “But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:16-18)
- John: “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.’” (Rev. 11:1).
In the poetic book Song of Solomon, Solomon represents the Bridegroom, and the Bride is most likely represented through this royal Shulamite woman (Song. 6:13). In Song. 2:10 she is addressed as follows: “My beloved spoke, and said to me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.’” This is thus a call to all believers, as it is also proclaimed in Isa. 60:1: “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.”
The specific action of rising up is most probably invoked to address the believer still living in the carnal confines of his secular life, sleeping within his Adamic state, as Paul captures it in Eph. 5:14: “Therefore He says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’”
It is concerning these believers who have not yet arisen within their calling and purpose, that Dan. 12:2 then prophesies: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth … It is to these people that the urgent call to arise rings out.
More on this verse in the next teaching.
- Selah: Have you arisen within your calling and purpose? Why do you say that?
- Read: 19-22; Prov. 27-28
- Memorise: 27:17
