Zechariah 3

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. Zechariah 3:1

Joshua the high priest mentioned here is also known as Jeshua in Ezra 2:2; 3:2 and Nehemiah 12:7-8; 12:10. Of course, there is no “J” sound in the Hebrew language, so it should be rendered as Yeshua. Many know that Yeshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus. Joshua or Yeshua mentioned here was the son of Jehozadak (1 Chr. 6:14015), who was a member of the priestly order.

Joshua is standing before the angel of the Lord, who is likely representing the pre-incarnate Jesus. At Joshua’s right side stands Satan accusing him. Accusing believers is one of the devil’s main roles as we see from Revelation 12:10. We need to understand that there was not a clear understanding of Satan as a person in the Old Testament. In this passage, the Hebrew reads ha-satan (the satan) or the adversary. [1] The understanding of Satan as a person came gradually, and then was at last clearly revealed by the Lord Jesus.

Today as Christians we have a similar role as that of Joshua. God is once again restoring and renewing Israel as well as the church. While Jesus is our high priest, we believers stand as ministering priests with him. In fact, Peter tells us that we are a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9). Also, like Joshua, we can be sure that Satan is often at our side condemning us (Rev. 12:10). As 1 John 2:1 tells us, we have an Advocate or a defense counsel who is pleading our cause with the Father in Heaven (cf. Rom. 8:31, 34). [2] That Advocate or counsel is Jesus.

“The LORD said to Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?’” (3:2). Coffman says of this verse: “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.” [3] It seems that God’s choice always involves Jerusalem. It was true throughout past ages and will be expressly true at the end of this age.

We may have here a reference to the purging fires of Jerusalem’s fall in 586 BC or perhaps also the refining fires of captivity in Babylon. The priest Joshua was like a temple stick recovered from the fire, scorched but still of use to God (cf. Amos 4:11). Jacobus Nande in his article puts a beautiful spin on Joshua’s situation. He says, “…the figure in Amos 4:11 and Zech. 3:2 suggests that Israel as a nation had been rescued from the furnace of Babylon to become a torch to enlighten the nations.” [4]

It is reported that when the great evangelist John Wesley was but six years old he found himself trapped in a burning house. He was rescued when a couple of neighbors pulled him out of a window. Someone made a drawing of this rescue and Wesley kept it until he died. He considered himself but a brand pulled from the burning, and even wrote under the drawing, “Zechariah 3:2.” [5]

Cleansing The Priesthood

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. Zechariah 3:3

The corruption of Israel’s priesthood began early with the house of Eli and his two wicked sons (1 Sam. 2:12-36). Because of these two degenerate priests, Israel was defeated in battle and became subjected to the Philistines. The prophets give us abundant evidence of the corruption of the pre-exilic priesthood. Isaiah charged them with stumbling because of beer (Isa. 28:7). Jeremiah made many charges such as abusing their power (5:31); practicing deceit (6:23); being godless, even doing evil in the temple (23:11). Jeremiah in Lamentations 4:13, charged them with the responsibility for Israel’s destruction. Ezekiel noted that they could not distinguish between the holy and the profane (Eze. 22:26); they were like a gang of robbers (Hos. 6:9), and they took bribes and ruled for profit (Mic. 3:11).

The prophet Malachi, who ministered over a century later than Joshua, reported that such abuses were continuing. The priests were showing contempt for the Lord by placing defiled sacrifices on the altar (Mal. 1:6-8). They had violated the covenant with Levi and shown partiality regarding the law (Mal. 2:8-9). We can understand how important it was to begin the restoration with a godly priesthood, because the centrifugal force of evil in time affects even the priesthood, pulling them from the path of holiness.

We might need to pause and consider how all this affects God’s holy priesthood today. Do we stand for God’s truth or Google’s truth? Google’s truth is a truth by consensus. It is ephemeral and constantly undergoing change while God’s truth stands forever (Isa. 40:8). With consensus truth, when 51 percent of people believe a thing is true it becomes “truth.” We see how this has happened with things like abortion, fornication, adultery, gender change and homosexuality. A few decades ago these things were generally considered wrong or even unthinkable because they were against the Law of God. Now they are all suddenly right. How fallen humanity loves to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil instead of the Tree of Life. The priest of God must stand for the truth. Malachi 2:7 says: “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.”

Joshua or Yeshua was dressed in filthy clothes like many other priests in his day. The Hebrew word for filthy is tso’im. According to the NET Bible comments, the word can even mean excrement. [6] Joshua, and the whole priesthood as well, were all totally polluted and unqualified for the task before them. Isaiah speaks of our human condition saying: “ We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind ” (Isa. 64:6 NET).

The Book of Zechariah continues: “The angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ Then he said to Joshua, ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you’” (3:4). In many places, the Bible speaks of the new clothing God desires that we put on. There is the garment of praise in Isaiah 61:3; the garments of salvation and robes of righteousness of Isaiah 61:10; the new self of Ephesians 4:24; the armor of God in Ephesians 6:11 and the garments of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience in Colossians 3:12. In Psalm 132:16, God promises to his servants: “I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.”

“Then I said, ‘Put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by” (3:5). We need to go to Exodus 28:36-38 and 29:6 to get the original picture of this turban. We see in the first passage that there was a plate of pure gold attached to the front of the turban. The seal was engraved with the words “HOLY TO THE LORD.”

It is important that we get this picture. The true priesthood then and now must be holy. It is significant that the turban and the gold plate were attached to the head. The symbolism is clear. The mind, thoughts and meditations must be pure. This is especially important today when so many millions of minds are constantly invaded by internet porn. The researcher Nancy Pearcey reports: “About two-thirds of Christian men watch pornography at least monthly, the same rate as men who do not claim to be Christian. In one survey, 54 percent of pastors said they viewed porn within the past year.” [7] Here it would be good to remember the words of Philippians 4:8: “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.”

Heaven’s Charge And Promise To Joshua

The angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.’” Zechariah 3:6-7

Matthew Henry comments: “All whom God calls to any office he finds fit, or makes so.” [8] It is evident throughout the scripture that God’s covenant promises and our obedience are things that must go hand in hand. The Jewish people call it in Hebrew, ha-lak-hah or “walk.” Obviously, there is a Christian walk as well (e.g. Eph. 4:1; 5:2; Col. 1:10, all in ESV, NASB, NKJV). Pett sadly comments, “Later generations would seek to retain the authority without the obedience. Thus it became a meaningless formality.” [9]

It is clear in the next verse that those sitting were his associates. However, those standing could well include angels and probably even the angel of the Lord or the pre-incarnate Christ. We see by this that if God’s priests will but obey, God will give them a high place.

“Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch” (3:8). Clearly, Joshua was a sign and symbol of good things to come. It is not unusual in the Bible for people to be used as symbols and signs for things to come (cf. Isa. 8:18). It seems clear here that Joshua was such a symbol, and his name itself suggests that. God is spirit, but it can be extremely difficult for us to understand spiritual things. For instance, it would be quite difficult for us to explain a modern computer to a backward tribesman. It would only be possible to do it by using pictures and symbolism. We are in a similar state with God.

It was not possible for Joshua to actually be the Branch since he was not of the Davidic line. [10] The word Branch is a title for the Messiah of Israel (Isa. 4:2-6; 11:1; Jer. 23:3-5; 33:15; Zech. 6:9-15).

There is an interesting connection with “Branch” and “Nazareth,” that we should bring out here. Through the centuries scholars have wondered if Nazareth was spelled with a “tz” or a “z.” That question was solved by a 1962 archaeological discovery in favor of “tz.” The root of the city’s name would be netzer, meaning shoot or branch, and aligning the city with the prophecy of Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch [ Heb. Netzer] will bear fruit.” Until this discovery scholars had wondered about the verse in Matthew 2:23 which read, “ and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.” It was never possible for scholars to find the prophecy mentioned in this verse. Now they could easily connect it with Isaiah 11:1. [11]

“‘See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day’” (3:9). Once more the story is being told to us by spiritual symbols. The symbol of the stone was a very popular one for early Christians (cf. Acts 4:11; Rom. 9:32-33; 1 Pet. 2:4-8). The stone in scripture was a clear picture of Christ who was the foundation stone. Here the precious stone is pictured with seven eyes. The symbolism of seven most likely speaks of the fullness of the Lord’s wisdom and knowledge. [12]. Coffman says that anything that has eyes is living, so this is the living stone. [13]

Now, let us consider the matter of removing the sin of Israel in a single day. Every Christian knows that this happened on that dark day when Christ hung upon the Calvary cross. Through his holy, shed blood our sins were forgiven and that forgiveness happened in a single day. Obviously, this picture is designed to continue to the future when sins are forgiven instantly to all those who believe in the Messiah.

“‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (3:10). What we have here is no doubt a cultural idiom representing family security and prosperity (cf. 1 Ki. 4:25; Mic. 4:4). [14] It is a picture of peace for those who have believed and obeyed the Lord. This is a quick glimpse of the Millennial Age and the ages of righteousness to come.

Footnotes

1. Pett, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, v. 3:1.

2. Friberg Analytical Greek Lexicon on 1 Jn. 2:1, Bible Works 10.

3. Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, v. 3:2.

4. Quoted in Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 3:2.

5. Guzik, Enduring Word, Zechariah, vs, 3:1-3.

6. New English Translation, notes on Zech. 3:3, Bible Works 10.

7. Nancy R. Pearcey, Love Thy Body, Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2018), p. 11

8. Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Commentary vs. 3:6-10.

9. Pett, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, v. 3:6-7.

10. Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary, p. 791.

11. Bargil Pixner, With Jesus Through The Galilee According to the Fifth Gospel (Rosh Pinna, Israel: Corazin Publishing, 1992), p. 15.

12. Guzik, Enduring Word, Zechariah, vs. 3:8-10.

13. Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, v. 3:9.

14. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 3:10.