Vision of the High Priest and The Branch
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Introduction
Introduction
If I were to ask you what the greatest problem facing the world today what would you say? Maybe poverty, dictators, threat of world war or nuclear war, globalism, food scarcity, politics, racial tensions? Actually the greatest problem facing the world today and all men alike is the problem of sin. The greatest need then would be the appeasement, atonement or forgiveness of that sin. The world is literally starved to know the forgiveness of sin, though their soul knows it their heart wont admit it or ignores it.
Others have come to know the forgiveness of God through the promise of forgiveness of Jesus Christ. They know what it is to be made right with the maker of heaven and earth.
There is a story told that has its origins traced many places but one of which is Spain. The story is of a father and his teenage son with whom their was a falling out and a resulting strained relationship. The son ran away from home. It was not long before the father began a journey searching for his rebellious son. It was in Madrid that he came to his last ditch effort to find him, the father chose to put an ad in the paper. The ad read “Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.” The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office 800 “Pacos” showed up. All seeking forgiveness and love from their fathers. James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 218.
Maybe you are here and maybe you believe in God’s forgiveness but you think that God has no desire to use you or cannot use you. It like you have been working on the underneath of the car and covered in grime and grease and your help is needed to fold the white sheets. How can you possibly help? What started as a hypothetical situation is actually the picture of a serious matter facing the returned exiles in Jerusalem. The question in their mind and maybe the question on you mind is “How can filthy sinner like me serve a holy God?” Have you ever had your past haunt you as you seek to serve God?
“Who do you think you are to teach others the Bible?” “How can you share the love of Christ - you fail Him” so many begin to say “Some day when I am holy enough I may serve God, but I cannot right now” “How could a sinner like me serve God - surely He wants better people.”
This fourth vision that we are going to look at this morning answers that question. Symbolically the first three visions picture Israel’s external deliverance from exile and captivity, her expansion and possession of the land. The fourth vision shows Israel’s internal cleansing from sin and reinstatement into her priestly office and functions. This vision like the ones before is given with the intent purpose of God to give hope and encouragement and reassurance to God’s people. While we can apply this text individually we must see it also at naturally national for Israel in prophetic scope. The ultimate final fulfillment of this still awaits Messiah’s second coming. The vision has however an immediate application to the people who were rebuilding the temple, to show them that they were not laboring in vain. Now it also applies to us who are seeking to build God’s living temple, the church (Eph. 2:20-22). How can we as sinners serve a holy God?
1 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 So the angel of the Lord spoke to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then he said to him, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with festive robes.”
5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him in garments while the angel of the Lord was standing nearby. 6 Then the angel of the Lord charged Joshua,
7 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you walk in my ways and keep my mandates, you will both rule my house and take care of my courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here. 8 “Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch.
9 Notice the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“and I will take away the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.” This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.
Condemned Before The LORD
Condemned Before The LORD
1 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.
Zechariah’s vision begins with being shown the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD. Standing before the angel of the LORD - this phrase gives idea to the priestly service. Joshua was standing before the LORD in priestly service a ministering priest before the LORD. While serving as a priest before the LORD the vision continues to pan the scene and Satan is in view standing at his right side to accuse him. Satan hates this whole scene - he always has! Satan hates when God’s people come into the presence of the LORD to minister or serve unto the LORD.
The bible teaches that Satan is a fallen angel, fallen because he rebelled against God and tempted Eve in the garden. The bible also teaches a mystery to us that Satan would have access to the throne of God.
6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” “From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered him, “and walking around on it.”
1 One day the sons of God came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” “From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered him, “and walking around on it.”
Satan is known as the adversary or the opponent and that is what Satan literally means. He stands against us and against those who are the LORD’s.
8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.
Satan is also known as the accuser for He accuses God’s people.
9 So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down.
It is important to know Satan’s tactics. Satan has to lie to us about God, but when talking to God about us he doesnt have to lie. God’s throne is a throne of justice and God is a righteous Judge. Satan is here accusing and pointing out Joshua’s defilement. Declaring him unfit to stand before the LORD in office as high priest. The defilement of the high priest symbolized the defilement of the nation as a whole and it seemed like an airtight case - open and shut slam dunk - look at verse 3 — Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes before the Holy One.
The LORD at this point speaks to Satan a rebuke of the accusation. A rebuke in the LORD (spoken by the angel of the LORD Jesus - so this is a rebuke in the name of the Father). May the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isnt this man a burning stick snatched from the fire? A man saved from the fire - in the fire ready to be consumed yet pulled from it. You see the case was airtight except for one thing - the grace of God. The grace of God is greater than all our sin and is able to pluck us from the fire! The angel of the LORD rebuked Satan and proceded to aquit Joshua, not because the accusations are false - they are most definitely true, it is purely because of God’s gracious love for His people.
The rebuke comes in the right time. Satan accuses and Christ defends a present help in a time of trouble.
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
Cleansed and Clothed By The LORD
Cleansed and Clothed By The LORD
4 So the angel of the Lord spoke to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then he said to him, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with festive robes.” 5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him in garments while the angel of the Lord was standing nearby.
As Joshua was standing there in the vision standing in the filthy clothes the angel of the LORD spoke to those standing before him and said take off his filthy clothes. Now the high priest does not wear filthy clothes as they perform their duties. They are clothed in linen breeches for the undergarment, linen white coat, blue robe, ephod woven with blue, purple, scarlet, white linen and gold, a girdle same as ephod, the breast plate same colors as ephod, with 12 precious stones set in gold, mitre - white linen with gold plate and ribbon of blue. The people would not think that Joshua’s garments and clothes were filthy. They probably seemed, beautiful, ornate, and significant. Of course all things are revealed for what they are in the presence of the LORD.
In His presence high priestly robes are filthy garments and ornate is defiled rags. Isaiah gives the answer to the question of why.
6 All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
All of our efforts at being religious, generous and good makes us seem like good people. The presence of the LORD reveals our motives and heart and all our supposed righteousness becomes as rottenness and filthy clothing.
I wonder if Joshua was tempted by the desire to cleanse himself in that situation. I know I am tempted to believe that somehow I must cleanse myself before I can pray, worship or even serve God. Notice though that in the vision Joshua continued to remain standing there passively - realizing and agreeing even that his clothes were filthy but the angel of the LORD commands that his clothes be removed and then the meaning — see I have removed your iniquity from you. He also claims I WILL CLOTHE YOU. Jesus removes the iniquity and clothes us.
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord, I exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Salvation is not us cleansing ourselves - it is allowing Jesus to remove our iniquity and clothe us in His righteousness!
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This removal of and putting on of clothing deeply signified the complete forgiveness and restoration of Israel as a priestly nation. Even to the putting on of the new turban to signify the return to service. The front plate has an inscription HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
The LORD in grace removes our sin and appropriately covers us. He has been doing this since the garden of Eden and promises to all the way up to the end.
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” Then he told me: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
7 Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself. 8 She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.
It is not a lifelong process of God infusing enough righteousness into us that eventually we qualify for heaven, as the Roman Catholic Church teaches. Rather, it is a judicial decision on God’s part that takes place in an instant, as the clothing of Joshua here pictures. God justifies the guilty sinner by grace alone through Christ alone, received by faith alone. Our good deeds have nothing at all to do with it.
Conditions From The LORD
Conditions From The LORD
6 Then the angel of the Lord charged Joshua, 7 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you walk in my ways and keep my mandates, you will both rule my house and take care of my courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here.
The angel of the LORD then charged Joseph - not with a crime or accusation - no this is a charge of service a commissioning. If you walk in my ways and keep my mandates then you will both rule my house and care for my courts (the temple). I will also grant us access among those standing here — access among those who have access to the throne room of heaven! A stick plucked from the fire - the only reason to rescue a stick is that you see a purpose a further use for it. God has saved His people for a purpose, and He saves the church for a purpose as well.
There is a requirement for this service though. Joshua is commissioned and charged to walk in His ways, and to keep His mandates. Cleansing and restoration by LORD involve responsibility to the LORD. It is important to see that Joshua wasnt put on probationary period here he was absolutely cleansed and restored to service, the continued service did not rely on a perfect past but going forward in faithfulness to the LORD and His Word.
The reward or result of this service however is the privilege of access to God and blessing on His people. God pours out His abundant blessing for those who walk in His ways and who minister as priests before Him in worship and prayer. Everyone in Christ - cleansed by Him He has made a royal priest.
4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God—5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Covenant Of The LORD
Covenant Of The LORD
8 “Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 Notice the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“and I will take away the iniquity of this land in a single day.
10 On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.” This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.
The LORD continues and says Listen High Priest Joshua you and your colleagues sitting before you. These men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant the Branch. The high priest serve as a sign that the LORD will bring His servant — the High Priest of Israel — the Messiah. The High priest represents Israel and makes sacrifice for Israel to remove sins and to lead in worship. The high priest must sacrifice every year on Yom Kippur for Israel’s sins - every year because the sacrifice they make is insufficient.
1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, purified once and for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
3 But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Therefore, as he was coming into the world, he said: You did not desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me. 6 You did not delight in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. 7 Then I said, “See— it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, God.”
8 After he says above, You did not desire or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings (which are offered according to the law), 9 he then says, See, I have come to do your will. He takes away the first to establish the second.
10 By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins.
12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. 13 He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Notice the stone I have set before Joshua on that stone are seven eyes — seven indicating perfection or completion — the complete vision. I will take away the iniquities of this land in a single day. On that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit among the vine and fig tree. A sign of peace and tranquility. Hebrews shows us the fulfillment for us today - Joshua received the promise - the full vision.
The key message of this difficult verse is the removal of Israel’s sins in one day. This miracle of grace is described in Zechariah 5 and 12:10–13:1, and will be considered in later chapters. At the Second Advent, when Israel beholds the One whom they pierced (12:10), they will repent and be cleansed.
8 Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her sons.
Conclusion
Conclusion
How is it possible for filthy sinners ever to stand acceptably in the presence of the holy God? We have no righteousness of our own, but there is a righteousness that can be ours. It is what Martin Luther called an ‘alien righteousness’, that is, a righteousness that comes to us from outside. This is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God cleanses sinners on the basis of His sovereign grace, not on the basis of their merit.
God cleanses sinners on the basis of His sovereign grace, not on the basis of their merit.
We need to be careful to distinguish between Satan’s accusations and the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction
We need to be careful to distinguish between Satan’s accusations and the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction
We cannot defend ourselves against Satan’s accusations by pointing to our own merit, but only by letting the Lord defend us
We cannot defend ourselves against Satan’s accusations by pointing to our own merit, but only by letting the Lord defend us
God cleanses guilty sinners through Christ, the Messiah.
God cleanses guilty sinners through Christ, the Messiah.
God not only removes our sin, but also clothes us with clean garments
God not only removes our sin, but also clothes us with clean garments
God wants to use cleansed sinners to serve Him as they walk in His ways.
God wants to use cleansed sinners to serve Him as they walk in His ways.
When John Wesley was only six years old, he was trapped in a burning house and was only rescued when one neighbor climbed on another’s shoulders and pulled him out of window. A picture of the scene was drawn for Wesley and he kept the drawing until he died, and wrote under it Zechariah 3:2: Is this not a brand plucked from the burning?
If God has not rescued you from your sins, you must let go of your good works and allow God to cleanse you by His sovereign grace through Christ alone.
The Christian message in a nutshell is that Jesus provided the righteousness we need and took the penalty we deserve. If we will come to him in the filth of our sin, he will clothe us in his righteousness.
If He has rescued you, it is so that you can now serve Him AS you walk in His ways. Remembering that our service to God is not acceptable because we are perfect but rather because we are clothed in the rich robe of the perfect righteousness of Christ.