Metaphysical meaning of Zedekiah (mbd)
Zedekiah (in A. V., Neh. 10 :1, Zidkijah j ah), zed–e–ki'–ah (Heb.)--uprightness of Jehovah; righteousness of Jehovah; justice of Jah; Jah is innocent; justification of Jehovah; Jah vindicates.
a A false prophet. He made horns of iron and said to King Ahab of Israel: "Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed" (I Kings 22:11). b The last king of Judah before the Babylonian captivity. This king's name was Mattaniah, but was changed to Zedekiah by the king of Babylon, who placed him on the throne of Judah in place of Jehoiachin (II Kings 24:17). c A son of Hananiah, a prince of Judah (Jer. 36 :12).
Meta. Zedekiah the false prophet symbolizes a belief in the uprightness and power of the Christ Truth, but with no understanding of the necessity for conforming to divine law in order to realize the victories that come to one when Jehovah fights one's battles.
Zedekiah, king of Judah, is the ruling thought of the spiritual consciousness at a certain phase of man's unfoldment. In the Bible story of Zedekiah we have an illustration of the relation that the will (king) bears to divine justice (one definition of Zedekiah is justice of Jah).
Back of physical man is an idea. This idea is in God–Mind. God created man in His own image and likeness, a perfect spiritual being. The perfect–man idea is held in the mind of God, much as an idea is held in a human mind. The man idea found expression in physical man, who has freedom of will and freedom of thought.
God continually holds the perfect ideal before every man, but every man is not discerning enough to see this ideal. Every man feels the divine urge, however, and, whether he realizes it or not, he is continually striving to copy the divine ideal. The small boy in school tries to copy the perfect letters formed by the writing master, and makes crude characters that in some respects resemble the original copy. Thus do men try to copy the perfect man.
Man is also a creator. His thoughts are the pattern by which he shapes his character, his body, and his affairs. As he realizes the nature of his true sonship he becomes more Godlike; his realization of sonship shows forth in greater love, more life, harmony, happiness, and wisdom.
Man seems to have a dual nature. Part of the time he thinks of himself as a child of God, and part of the time he thinks of himself as a child of the flesh. When he turns his mind Godward he knows the reality of Spirit; then he masters mere things by the spiritual law, which transcends materiality. When he acts upon the idea that he is a physical being apart from God, he becomes involved in the labyrinth of appearances, and subject to discordant ideas, which he calls evil. The false and the true states of consciousness are continually warring against each other. The Bible, in symbols, tells of this struggle.
In II Kings 25 :1–12 we find a warning of what may happen to the spiritual ideals that we have cultivated, if we allow our attention to become wholly taken up with the intellectual, the psychical, and the physical.
Jerusalem means dwelling place of peace; Judah, praise; Zedekiah, justice of Jehovah; Jericho, fragrance. Here we have a group of spiritual ideals. Contrast them with the group that overcame them: Babylon means confusion; Nebuchadnezzar means may Nebo protect. Nebo was a god of learning. Nebuzaradan means whom Nebo favors. The Chaldeans were the wise men, astrologers, magicians, of that time. Outside of Israel, the true, they refer to the psychic realm in man.
The king of Judah represents the will, although his name, Zedekiah, means uprightness of Jehovah, or justice of Jah. He turned his life away from God and directed it into the maze of selfish living and thinking. He trusted in the wisdom of men and in the idols made by men. He put his trust in Egypt for his deliverance, instead of putting his trust in God. He had terrible reverses because he was not loyal to Principle. He knew the divine law but he did not depend on it for his defense. He made an alliance with Egypt (darkness), which weakened his hold on spiritual resources.
When faith is placed in the power of material things the finer spiritual ideals of the mind are destroyed. Spiritual consciousness is necessary to the wellbeing and happiness of the race.
Many people today are suffering all kinds of sorrow and inharmony because they are trying to build a foundation upon the changing things that appear, instead of building upon unchanging Principle. Man is not happy unless he is making progress. The only true progress is the putting on of the perfect, spiritual ideal.
When our thoughts and acts do not conform to the law of Spirit, the judgment, or the exact result of our thoughts, is finally expressed in disaster of some kind. The siege and the final destruction of Jerusalem symbolize the various movements that sense consciousness (Babylon) makes in battering down the walls of spiritual consciousness (Jerusalem) when the will (King Zedekiah) has not called on God for protection.
When the will no longer perceives the Truth (puts out the eyes of the king) its spiritual dominion is ended (is bound in fetters and is carried to Babylon). This does not, however, represent the end of spiritual consciousness (the Jews and Jerusalem). History tells of the return, after seventy years, of a remnant of the Children of Israel, and of the slow rehabilitation of Jerusalem. The superior faculties (the priests and the prophets), which are loyal to the principles of justice and righteousness, restore the rule of Spirit (the priests inspired the people to return to Judah).
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Preceding Entry: Zedad
Following Entry: Zeeb
