Zechariah 3

John Waddey Commentary On Zechariah 3 CHAPTER III The Trial and Acquittal of Joshua the High Priest (Zechariah 3:1-10)“ And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary” (Zechariah 3:1). The previous visions had predicted that God would exercise his power among the nations to reestablish his people in their land. This one is telling the Hebrews that in order for God to do the other there must first be spiritual reform in the priesthood and the nation.

“ Joshua the high priest” was properly descended from the priestly family. His grandfather Seriah was taken captive by the Babylonians and slain at Rivlah (2 Kings 25:18-21). Jehozadak, Joshua’ s father, was taken to Babylon (1 Chronicles 6:15). Joshua was likely bom during the captivity. The problem was that he and the whole priesthood had not yet been properly cleansed and purified after their long years in a heathen environment. Hence they were not properly prepared to lead the nation in divine service.

In the vision, Zechariah sees Satan accusing Joshua on this very point. His uncleanness is symbolized by his “ filthy garments.” When approaching God, the high priest was to “ put on the holy linen coat.. .the linen breeches upon his flesh and… the linen girdle, and…the linen mitre…they are holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water…” (Leviticus 16:4). Joshua’ s condition was representative of the nation. Verse 9 says “ I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” Satan is seen standing at Joshua’ s right hand accusing him as he attempted to minister before the Lord for the people. The very name Satan means “ accuser.” He likewise accused Job (Job 1:6-12 Job 2:1-6). In Revelation 12:10, John calls him “ the accuser of our brethren.” Satan was determined to defeat God’ s purpose for Israel even if it meant he must appeal to God’ s law to do so.

He sought to neutralize God’ s appointed system for forgiveness by discrediting the priesthood and thus nullifying their functions.

“ And Jehovah said unto Satan” (i.e., the Angel of Jehovah who was communicating with Zechariah) (Zechariah 1:12). “ Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee…” (Zechariah 3:2 a). At God’ s powerful rebuke, his enemies flee (Is. 17:13). In this rebuke, Jehovah rejects Satan’ s charge on the basis that He had chosen or elected Israel to be his people and He would see that their sins were purged and their deficiencies supplied. Paul uses the same line of reasoning on behalf of Christians in Romans 8:31-34.

“ Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2 b). Joshua was like a piece of wood plucked out of the fire just in time to keep it from being consumed. Amos used a similar phrase (Amos 4:11). Also a brand plucked from the fire would be charred and covered with soot. The fire was the Babylonian exile. Joshua and his fellow priests could well have been consumed there. By the grace of God they had been salvaged.

To symbolize the purifying of Joshua so that he might function acceptably, the angel orders those who stand by to remove his filthy garments that he might clothe him with rich apparel. The meaning is clear; “ I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee” (Zechariah 3:4). The “ mitre” was the sacred hat worn by the priest when ministering at the temple (Exodus 29:6).

“ The angel of Jehovah” (Zechariah 3:6) was directing the procedure to make sure that Satan did not reassert himself and interfere. Joshua is warned by the angel of Jehovah that if he is to judge God’ s house and keep his courts, he must “ walk in (God’ s) ways” and “ keep (his) charge” (Zechariah 3:7). While their salvation from captivity had been a matter of grace, to maintain their standing would be conditioned upon their faithfulness to God’ s word.

“ Hear now O Joshua….thou and thy fellows that sit before me….” (Zechariah 3:8 a). Not only did Joshua need to be purified, but so did all of his fellow priests.

“ For they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch” (vs. 8b). The fact that God saved and restored the priesthood (i.e., Joshua and his fellow-priests) was a sign or symbolic of the fact that he would one day bring Christ the “ high priest of the good things to come…" (Hebrews 9:11). Christ is frequently called “ my servant” (Compare Isaiah 42:1 Isaiah 49:6 Isaiah 52:13). God’ s servant is also called “ Branch” which means a shoot or sprout that springs from the roots of a tree. It is symbolic of the beginning of renewed life for the tree. Isaiah calls Messiah Branch in Isaiah 4:2 and Isaiah 11:1, as does Jeremiah in Jeremiah 23:5 and Jeremiah 33:15 of his book.

The picture painted by the word “ branch” is that of David’ s dynasty which was cut down like a tree at the time of the Babylonian domination (See Jeremiah 22:28-30). After many years, Christ, like a sprout from the roots of the fallen tree, appears and restores the dynasty of David according to the divine promise (2 Samuel 7:12-16). At first, David and his heirs ruled over a worldly political kingdom in Palestine, now Christ is seated at God’ s right hand ruling over his spiritual kingdom, the church (Acts 2:32-36; Ephesians 1:20-22).

“ For behold the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes…” (Zechariah 3:9 a). The stone to which the angel alludes is the “ top stone” or cap stone of the temple, i.e., the final stone to be set in place in the finished building (see Zechariah 4:7).

The “ seven eyes” are explained as “ the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro through the whole world” (Zechariah 4:10). This speaks of God’ s providential agents at work in the world to assure that his will be done. In Chapter 4:10a he is told “ these seven (eyes) shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubabbel.” He is describing the laying of the final stone and thus the completion of the temple restoration project. The number “ seven” stands for completion and/or perfection. The idea of “ seven eyes” also suggests God’ s omniscience. All is known to him, including Israel’ s future. Probably the cap stone was to be actually engraved with the seven eyes.

“ And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day” (Zechariah 3:9 b). Given the immediate context, the day when iniquity shall be removed will be when the temple is completed, the priesthood properly purified and dedicated and the Day of Atonement observed (Leviticus 16:21 Leviticus 16:30 Leviticus 16:34). Most commentators regard the stone as Messiah’ s kingdom and the iniquity to be removed, his atonement at Calvary (See Pusey’ s Notes). The present author agrees with Henderson that it refers to the completion of the temple in Zachariah’ s day. The expression “ in one day” may speak of the swiftness with which Jehovah will accomplish this deed. “ In that day shall ye invite every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig-tree” (Zechariah 3:10). This, is a Hebrew idiom for a peaceful period in history (See 1 Kings 4:25). They have been through hard and dangerous times. Now that they are complying with God’ s will, peace will be enjoyed. Zechariah Chapter Three Verse 1 This remarkable vision (Zechariah 3:1-10) was shown to the prophet by God Himself; and it is primarily concerned with the status of Israel after the captivity. God had rejected and destroyed, but not totally, the entire nation of the Jews, including both their wicked states: Ephraim and Judah. This near-total destruction of the once-chosen people followed the corruption and apostasy of the whole people from the loving God who had delivered them from Egyptian slavery, with the terminal result that the people had become debauched, merely a new generation of Canaanites, just as wicked and idolatrous as the old Canaanites whom God had driven out to make room for the posterity of Abraham. Their kings were the scandal of ancient history; their priesthood was polluted with sins, even stooping to murder. Anyone familiar with the 9th chapter of Hosea could only be surprised that God waited as long as he did to destroy the corrupt states of Israel (Ephraim) and Judah. But at the time of Zechariah, a remnant of the people had returned to Judaea under the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel; and the future of that remnant unfolds in the vision of this chapter. By God’s acceptance of a returning remnant, the Father indicated that the ancient promises to Abraham, Moses and David were still valid. A Saviour who would yet “bless all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3) would in time be delivered to the world through that struggling little band that returned from captivity. Why would God do this? Simply because he had promised to do it. Did this rescue and return of the remnant signify that God was then satisfied with the righteousness of his people?

No! Did this return mean that the secular Israel was again re-married to Almighty God as his wife and chosen people? No indeed! The new status of Israel would be that of God’s servant not his wife, as indicated by Hosea 3. (See extensive comment on this in my commentary on the minor prophets, vol. 2, pp. 57-65.) The location of this vision should be accurately understood as situated on earth. Scholars have expressed radically different opinions about it, the most erroneous being that of placing it “in heaven.” Leupold designated such opinions as “not important”;[1] but we view the misunderstanding of a heavenly placement of this vision as extremely important, due to the false deduction flowing out of it to the effect that this passage, along with Job 1:6-12, indicates that, “Satan is a regular attender in the divine presence,"[2] or that Satan is actually still in “heaven!” It should be understood as certain that the vision here took place, “on earth, and, indeed, in or near Jerusalem."[3] The fact of the participants in the vision “standing before” the angel of the Lord does not contradict this, because “The angel of the Lord is God’s earthly representative."[4]The earth is the place of Satan’s activities, that evil being having been cast out of heaven before the Adamic creation appeared (See the notes in my commentary on Revelation, pp. 273-278). A proper understanding of this is absolutely necessary to the proper understanding of Revelation 12; John 12:31; and Luke 10:18. Zechariah 3:1“And he showed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.““He showed me …” This refers to God. The interpreting angel did not introduce visions, his function being that of explaining them. “Joshua the High Priest …” That this Joshua held the office of High Priest when Zechariah prophesied is apparent from Haggai 1:1; Ezra 5:2; and from Zechariah 6:11, in which passage he appears again. “Before the angel of Jehovah …” Keil’s analysis of the persons appearing here appears to be correct: “He” in Zechariah 3:1 is Jehovah, and not the mediating angel, for his work was to explain the visions to the prophet, and not to introduce them; nor the angel of Jehovah, because he appears in the course of the vision, although in these visions he is sometimes identified with Jehovah, and sometimes distinguished from him.[5]This prophetic identification of the angel of the Lord with God Himself, yet distinguishing him from the Father, is part of the extensive Old Testament witness to the fact of God’s being a compound unity, not an absolute unity. God is one ([‘echad]); the people are one ([‘echad]). These are definite foreshadowings of the truth more explicitly stated in the New Testament. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!” (John 1:1). “And Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary …” Schools of criticism which have attempted to make the doctrine of Satan a very late development have moved to destroy the witness of this verse to the contrary. Mitchell, for example, while candidly admitting that the appearance of “Satan” in this passage as a proper name for the evil one, is actually “a literal transcript of the original,” nevertheless asserted that, “The Adversary of this vision is certainly not the malicious person just described (Satan)."[7]Of course, such assertions are without authority and are totally unacceptable. As for the malicious character of Satan revealed here, it was fully in keeping with every other reference to Satan in the whole Bible. In his appearance as an “adversary” of the people of God (represented by Joshua in the vision), the satanic purpose was to oppose the bringing of a Redeemer into the world, dooming the whole human race to ultimate eternal death in the lake of fire, along with the devil himself. Was this malicious? Verse 2 “And Jehovah said unto Satan, Jehovah rebuke thee, O Satan; yea, Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?“This double rebuke of Satan by God Himself dramatically demonstrates the conception that Satan is indeed a powerful, superhuman enemy of mankind, full of the utmost and most malicious wickedness. Details of Satan’s charges against Israel (as represented by Joshua) were not given in the vision; for there was no need to do so. God’s prophets themselves had spelled out in the most vehement language the gross sins and vile wickedness of God’s people which resulted at last in their near-total destruction. God did not need Satan to point out their sins, which were evident enough in the filthy garments in which Joshua appeared in the vision. The occasion of Satan’s opposition was strategic, coming precisely at the point in history when it appeared that Israel would indeed not perish, but that God would go right on with his longstanding intention of bringing into the world the Holy Redeemer through his now-disciplined people. Satan’s opposition was squarely against that. Satan’s arguments were not heard; they were not refuted; they were not allowed for a moment to interfere with the plans of the eternal God. God merely hurled against him the devastating double-rebuke of this verse; and, immediately, Satan was vanquished, and he appeared no more in the vision. “Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem …” It was not as if God were considering whether or not he would go on with thc plan of redeeming humanity; ah, no! In ages long previous to the times of the vision, it was an immutable fact that “God had chosen Jerusalem”; and the rebuke of Satan emphasized it, “Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire …?” The impact of this was directed against Satan’s objections, as if God had said: Look, Satan, I have already rescued Israel from what you along with the whole world thought was their final doom. They were in the process of being burned up forever, but I have pulled them out of the fire and have no intention of altering the plan of human salvation. As Gill put it: “The ten northern tribes were gone; the generation that went into Babylon was dead; and those who returned were but a handful compared to the ones who remained in Babylon. Unless God had plucked them as a brand from the fire, they would no longer have been a people."[8]This whole vision should be understood exactly for what it is, a vision, an enacted metaphor of reality. The law-court scene in which Satan appears as prosecutor and the angel of God as defender of God’s people is an enacted figure of speech, one that is carried over into the New Testament, where Jesus Christ our Lord is represented as our “Advocate” (1 John 2:1). Dean’s opinion of this vision does not agree that Satan was an “accuser” in this situation, but “an adversary,” one who opposed God Himself and any action of Joshua’s that might have conformed to God’s will.[9] We actually find no fault with that view, for in Satan’s function as an “adversary” he naturally “accused” also; and there were plenty of things to accuse with reference to Israel. Verse 3 “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him the said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel.““Filthy garments …” Some have advanced the notion that the filthy garments here indicate penitence and mourning on the part of Joshua; but the mention of “iniquity” in Zechariah 3:4 confirms the view that they stand for the scandalous sins of Israel, the whole nation, the sins of their kings, judges, priests and the people generally. They are represented, moreover, as being still filthy, even after their being plucked out of the fire, indicating that not even God’s punishments had made them righteous in God’s sight. It is safe to conclude that the prophet in this vision intended to represent Judah as still, in spite of penalties endured, guilty before God, and so evidently guilty … that a successful defense is impossible.[10]“Take the filthy garments from off him …” That not merely Joshua the individual is meant here becomes plain in the light of Zec 3:9, where taking off the filthy garments becomes, “Remove the iniquity of the land; therefore, Joshua represents the land."[11]“I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee …” This does not refer to something then and there accomplished. The prophetic tense in which the past perfect stands for the future is definitely used here, as definitely proved by Zechariah 3:9. God indeed would, in time, remove the guilt of all men “in Christ”; an event that would occur in “one day” (Zechariah 3:9), and would include the removal of the guilt of all who are to be saved eternally. The great error of the old Israel was in their false assumption that God would cleanse them, regardless of their deeds, solely upon the premise of their being literal descendants of Abraham. The strong Messianic impact of this vision will be made immediately apparent in the reference to the BRANCH and the STONE. It is our conviction that they are in error who affirm from the past tense in this verse (which is actually the prophetic tense) that God decided to cleanse Israel then and there “independently of any sacrifice or offering whatever."[12] Such a view is contrary to all that the Bible teaches. Before any sins of any man could really be blotted out, the blood of Christ would need to be poured out in Calvary’s great atonement. Men who would like nothing more than to remove the very principle of sacrifice from holy religion are quick to seize any opportunity to attempt it. Zechariah 3:9 shows conclusively that the actual forgiveness of Israel was an event to take place after the appearance of the BRANCH and the LIVING STONE. Verse 5 “And I said, let them set a clean mitre upon his head. So they set a clean mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the angel of Jehovah was standing by.““And I said …” Our version (ASV) indicates that Zechariah himself at this point interjected himself into the proceedings of the vision with a prayer “Let them,” a prayer immediately answered through full compliance with his request. “And I said …” Upon the basis of these brief words being omitted from the LXX, Thomas declared that, “They should be deleted."[13] But there is no evidence whatever that the Septuagint (LXX) is superior to the the Hebrew text of the O.T. either in this passage, or any other. This re-investiture of Joshua as the representative of the people of God signified the ultimate, not the immediate, true cleansing of the Israel of God (both old and new); but not only that, it would also appear in the very next verse that even the ultimate forgiveness of human transgressions was invariably and always contingent upon human fulfillment of certain conditions. Verse 6 “And the angel of Jehovah protested unto Joshua, saying, thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou also shalt judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee a place of access among these that stand by.“The use of the word “access” here is most significant. The only access to God on the part of mankind that was ever opened up was through the blood of Jesus Christ. Concerning both the ancient Israel and the new Israel, Paul declared that, “Through Christ we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). Furthermore, this was not any kind of temporary or emergency arrangement. The apostle stated plainly that such access through Christ was “according to the eternal purpose” of God (Ephesians 3:11-12). Thus, this whole passage has in view the ultimate access that would be available to the old Israel and to all the Gentiles as well, “In Christ Jesus our Lord.” This word, like everything else in the chapter points squarely to the New Covenant and the kingdom of God in Christ.

Moreover, this is not to deny that there were tangential implications of the vision that pertained particularly to the secular Israel just returned from Babylon. As God knew they would do, the Israelites fully understood those implications. It meant that the priesthood was cleansed and made acceptable for service? It meant that judicial authority in all matters concerned with the Temple, which in former days had been executed by the monarch, is now transferred to Joshua and those who succeeded him.[15]It also meant that God would bless the restored people sufficiently to the achivement of his holy purpose of bringing in the Messiah through them. This promise was treasured by the Jews; and, in all of the disasters that threatened, it was customary for the High Priest to comfort the people by saying, “The Messiah has not yet come, so we are safe.” They even made such appeals to the people prior to the final destruction by the Romans in 70 A.D., having overlooked the truth that indeed, their Messiah had already come, and they recognized him not. “If thou wilt walk in my ways …” Not only was the promised forgiveness as indicated by the clean garments dependent upon the ultimate appearance of the Christ to “give his life a ransom for all”; but it was also contingent upon Israel’s walking in the ways of the Lord, one of the invariable, universal, and perpetual preconditions of redemption for all men. Verse 8 “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, Behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.““Men that are a sign …” Joshua himself was evidently included as being in the company of men that “were for a sign,” indicating the typical nature of the Old Testament high priesthood as it pointed toward the Messiah. “The words for they should be omitted. Joshua and his fellow priests are the men” that are a sign.[16]“O Joshua …” This name is actually the equivalent of “Jesus”; and, in fact, it appears in the Apocrypha a number of times simply as “Jesus."[17] Therefore we must add to the extensive witness, present throughout the vision, of the coming Christ the significant fact that the principal figure in it actually bore the name of the blessed Messiah. The entry into Canaan also came under another Joshua. “Behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch …” The prophets of God identify this character as the Messiah: “In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious for the escaped of Israel (Isaiah 4:2). There shall come forth a rod out of the stump of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots (Isaiah 11:1). Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch; and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth, and this is the name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5-6). In those days and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David, and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land (Jeremiah 23:15).” “My servant the Branch …” The dramatic announcement of the bringing in of the Messiah was the signal that all of the actual cleansing, forgiveness, and righteousness indicated as accruing to Israel (as portrayed by the rich, dean garments for Joshua) actually depended upon the emergence upon the stage of history, of the Branch, God’s true servant, who would indeed accomplish the removal of iniquity “in one day” (Zechariah 3:9). “Branch is a technical term in the prophets to portray the coming Davidic Prince … who would rise to become the builder of the Temple, and combine in himself the offices of priest and king. Joshua knew that he could not be the Branch because he was not of the Davidic line; and Zerubbabel, the head, was not present, neither was he a priest, so he did not qualify for the office."[18]In the light of this, how inexplicable is a comment by Mitchell to the effect that, “For Zechariah, the Shoot (Branch) is Zerubbabel."[19] Such a view is impossible to support; because both Zechariah and Joshua understood perfectly the qualifications of the Branch that made it absolutely impossible for Zerubbabel to be eligible as a candidate to fulfill the prophecy. “My servant …” The use of this title as descriptive of the Branch identifies him with “The Suffering Servant” of Isaiah’s prophecy.[20] “Both Servant and Branch are designations in the Old Testament for the Messiah."[21]Verse 9 “For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes: Behold, I will engrave the graying thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.“Joshua (Jesus), the Branch, and My Servant, all in the previous verse, point squarely to the approaching Messiah; and there is no need to suppose that the stone which appears here is anything except another metaphor of the Son of God. The fact of the stone’s having “seven eyes” seals the matter; for anything with eyes is alive; and that identifies this stone as “the living Stone,” hailed by the apostles as Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:6-9; Romans 9:32-33). (For extensive discussion of Christ as the Living Stone, see my commentary on Romans, pp. 352-357.) Some have read the word “eyes” as “facets,” alleging that the verse should read, “a single stone with seven facets."[22] From this, some would identify the stone as, “The stone prepared to be the headstone of the Temple."[23] This, however, would still make it mean Jesus Christ; because, our Lord himself said to the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner” (Matthew 21:42), a manifest reference to himself. Still another deduction would make it a precious gem stone for an ornament of the dress of the High Priest; but even an unlikely “guess” of that kind cannot take away its identity with Christ for he is indeed the “precious stone” (1 Peter 2:6)! These and a great many other considerations bring us to full agreement with Clarke who wrote, “This (stone) means Christ and none other."[24] Feinberg also agreed that this is a third name for Messiah in this passage: “The allusion is to all the graces, beauties, and gifts of the Messiah."[25]Failing to understand the quite Obvious metaphor of Christ the Living Stone in this passage, the critical scholars have emended, changed, rearranged, and perverted the text here in many ways in vain attempts to find a meaning they can comprehend; but as Baldwin said: “In the absence of textual evidence for such changes, and therefore of objective criteria to act as a control, these changes reflect only the personal judgment of one or more scholars."[26]We might add that none of the rearrangements, changes, and “improvements” that we have seen affords any clearer meaning or is any more easily understood than the text as it has come down to us. “I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day …” Hailey, following C. F. Keil, understood the “stone” of this passage to mean the kingdom of God, or the Church; but those interpretations also leave the identity squarely resting upon our Lord, for the Church, or kingdom, is his spiritual body. Keil has this great word regarding the “one day”: This one day is the day of Golgotha."[27] Amen! It was the day of the great Atonement when Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Verse 10 “In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, shall ye invite every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.““In that day …” positively identifies this whole passage as Messianic. The thing prophesied here is the peace, tranquility, and happiness of the children of God in the kingdom of Christ. We have already seen this agricultural prosperity used repeatedly in the minor prophets as a metaphor for the blessings of God’s children in the Messianic age. Bible Study Questions From Zechariah Chapter Three Vision of Renewal (Zechariah 3:1 to Zechariah 4:14) Key Idea: The Lord will make us acceptable in His sight and for His service and promises to strengthen us for the task.

1. Using Zechariah 3:1-7 in the next vision what was Satan doing to Joshua (Zechariah 3:1) and what did God do about it (Zechariah 3:2-5)? What was His “ premise” and “ promise” to Joshua (Zechariah 3:6-7)? Apply. Satan was standing at Joshua’ s right hand to accuse him (this is what he always does) before the angel of the Lord. In verse 2 He is referred to as the Lord, so this is Angel of the Lord is God (probably the 2nd person of the Trinity, Jesus pre-incarnate, as in other places in the Old Testament). The Lord rebuked Satan for this accusation because he had plucked Joshua from the fire of His judgment, just as He had plucked Israel from Babylon and brought them back to Jerusalem. Furthermore, He commanded those who were standing before Him to remove Joshua’ s filthy (the strongest word for filth in the Hebrew) garments and to clothe him with festal (these were white) robes and to place a clean turban (the high priest’ s turban said “ holy to the Lord” on it) on his head. These actions were symbolic of the Lord’ s removal of Joshua’ s (and Israel’ s) iniquity and His replacing of them with righteousness, and thus acceptance in His presence. Although they were accepted, God’ s promise of free access to His presence and the privilege of governing His house (the temple) and having charge of His courts would be according to the premise that they would walk in His ways and perform His service.

This is the way it works in the Christian life as well – we are forgiven and receive the righteousness of Christ, but the only way we continue to have fellowship with the Lord and minister for Him to the world is by walking in His ways and performing His service. When self gets in charge again we no longer have that fellowship with Him, but if we confess He will restore us to fellowship. 2. Read Zechariah 3:8-10. Who did God promise to bring to Israel one day (Zechariah 3:8)? What were His two names (Zechariah 3:8-9) and what do they symbolize? What would He do for them (Zechariah 3:9-10)? Joshua and those sitting in front of him were symbols of God’ s plans for Israel’ s future – they symbolized the coming reign of His servant the “ Branch” , both designations of their coming Messiah. Several references in Isaiah 42-53 spoke of Him as “ the Servant” , and several places spoke of Him as “ the Branch” (Isaiah 4:2, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 33:15, Zechariah 6:12-13). Jesus fulfilled this Messianic prophecy as He was both the Servant of the Lord and the Branch through whom He would bear His fruit. Another messianic designation is in Zechariah 3:9 which refers to the “ stone” with seven eyes that the Lord had set before Zechariah. The seven eyes indicated His omniscience, meaning no injustice or sin would escape His judgment. This stone (Jesus is called the stone of stumbling and the rock of offense, 1 Peter 2:7-8) would be engraved, just as a cornerstone was, showing that He would be the Cornerstone.

The only way a building stands is with a cornerstone tying both walls together, and the only way a person or nation stands is by the removal of iniquity. So, in a sense, the engraving on the stone symbolized the removal of sin and the eternal security of the people of God. That is why the promise is made that one day everyone will invite their neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree – symbols of prosperity and peace. The inevitable result of the removal of the presence of sin is peace and prosperity because there is nothing to bring about God’ s discipline (or conflict with one another). Jesus is our peace and when sin is removed in His kingdom it will be a true life of abundance. More Questions From Zechariah Chapter Three1) What title is attributed to Joshua in the opening scene of this vision? (Zechariah 3:1) 2) Before whom is Joshua standing in this vision? (Zechariah 3:1) 3) What was Satan’ s intention? (Zechariah 3:1) 4) When the Lord rebukes Satan, what phrase does He use to describe Himself? (Zechariah 3:2) 5) What figure does the Lord use to describe Joshua? What might be the significance of this metaphor? (Zechariah 3:2). See also Amos 4:11. 6) What does the angel of the Lord say he has taken away from Joshua? (Zechariah 3:4) 7) What admonishment does the angel of the Lord give to Joshua? (Zechariah 3:7) 8) Who is the Lord going to bring in? (Zechariah 3:8). To whom does this refer? For further study, see also, Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15; Zechariah 6-12. 9) What will the Lord remove in one day? (Zechariah 3:9) 10) What will be the result for Israel at that time? (Zechariah 3:10)

Zechariah 3:1

Zechariah 3:1. He means the angel who has been talking with Zechariah (Zechariah 2:3 Zechariah 4:1). This angel continues the vision for the information of the prophet, in which he sees a scene that pertains to the service of the Mosaic system, and in this scene is another angel of the Lord. Satan is from the Hebrew word SATAN and Strong defines it, “ An opponent: especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the archenemy of Good.” The first term of the definition is its general meaning, for the original word is used in a number o£ other places where it cannot mean the devil as that word Is commonly used. The thought of this verse, however, regardless of the personal identity of the Satan mentioned, is that some being stood there to oppose the services of the high priest. The vision represents conditions as they were to be just after the return from the captivity. The entire altar and other services of the Jewish church had been corrupted by the mixture with heathenism, and it could have been truly said that the priesthood was unfit to participate in that profession.

Zechariah 3:2

Zechariah 3:2. Even though the situation was as described in the preceding paragraph, it was not appropriate for this adversary to be criticizing it, for it was none of his business. Not with-standing, the Lord (in the person of the angel Michael, Jude 1:9) did not rail out against him. He merely appealed to a “higher court” by saying, “The Lord [in heaven] rebuke thee.” A brand plucked out of the fire. The people of God had been salvaged from the captivity as a brand of a body that was burning but was snatched out before it was completely destroyed. This brand is the remnant that is revealed in Ezra 2:64 that came back from the captivity.

Zechariah 3:3

Zechariah 3:3. It was true that the service had been corrupted by the mixture with heathenism, and the priests had been guilty of the abomination.

Zechariah 3:4

Zechariah 3:4. The captivity, however, had cured the nation of idolatry and now the people are to be permitted to resume the former services. Hence this verse shows that the filthy garments of the priest were to be replaced with a change of raiment.

Zechariah 3:5

Zechariah 3:5. The mitre and garments represent the attire that was worn by the priests under the Mosaic system (Exodus 28). These were to be used again after the body of the service had been reconsecrated.

Zechariah 3:6

Zechariah 3:6. Protested unto Joshua means he admonished him.

Zechariah 3:7

Zechariah 3:7. The admonition was for the priest to walk in the ways of the Lord. On this condition he was given the promise that he would have the divine favor. Give thee places denotes that if the priest would walk consistently with his high office, then he would have a good standing among the people of the city and nation.

Zechariah 3:8

Zechariah 3:8. This and the following two verses evidently have a twofold bearing, first on the restored condition of fleshly Israel, then on the established system under Christ. Branch is from the same Hebrew word so rendered in Zechariah 6:12; Jeremiah 23:5 Jeremiah 23:33 Jeremiah 15, where the context shows beyond any doubt that it means Christ.

Zechariah 3:9

Zechariah 3:9. The rebuilding of the temple required the use of literal stones, likewise the temple of Christ used “lively stones” built upon the chief stone who was Christ. (See Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:5.) Seven eyes were upon one stone. Seven Is a complete number in figurative language and this denotes that the complete, all-seeing eyes of the Lord would be on the new building (1 Peter 3:12). Remove the iniquity in one day was fulfilled first by causing Israel to be cured of idolatry in one period of captivity. It was fulfilled next by giving the Gospel on the day of Pentecost which is recorded in Acts 2.

Zechariah 3:10

Zechariah 3:10. Under the vine and under the fig tree is explained by the comments on Micah 4:4 and needs not be repeated here.