December 23
Zech 4:1-5:11 | PS 142:1-7 | Prov 30:21-23 | Rev 14:1-20
Here in Zechariah 3 is one of the most beautiful presentations of the gospel message in the Old Testament. Most who want to point to the Person and ministry of Jesus from the Old Testament like to point out Isaiah 52:13-53:12, but this passage would also be a strong contender and should not be missed. They say that the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. We start in Zechariah 3:1-2, "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" Though we like to elevate ourselves and our goodness, and our nation and our things, notice that the high priest, Joshua, was seen as nothing special in and of himself, being called a worthless ""brand plucked from the fire". In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, we read that Jerusalem was also nothing special, "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you,...". Likewise, those of us in Christ were not chosen because we were good or special, as we read in Ephesians 1:4, "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,".
Notice how Joshua appeared before the Angel of the Lord, in Zechariah 3:3, "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel." Realize "The Angel of the Lord" is Jesus or a Christophany or an Old Testament appearance of Jesus. In Scripture, one's garments represent one's righteousness. To the people, Joshua's garments as high priest would appear righteous, ornate and beautiful. But before a holy and perfect God, they appear filthy. In Isaiah 64:6, the prophet said the same thing about himself, "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags:...". Likewise, we make a mistake if we believe that we can be righteous in our own efforts. God knows our hearts, our motives, and everything that we do in secret and knows us for the unrighteous individuals that we all are.
Notice what happens next in Zechariah 3:4-5, "Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by." Notice, that the one who was active in making the high priest clean and righteous was the Angel of the Lord. Joshua, the high priest, remained passive throughout the process. Isaiah realized this same thing, stating in 61:10, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in My God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,...". Likewise, in us salvation is not accomplished through our own efforts, our hard work, or by our trying to clean up our act. For us to be saved we must be 100% perfect before a perfect God, and this is humanly impossible. This truth is beautifully stated by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Though Joshua was disobedient for 16 years in not rebuilding the temple as he was supposed to, in Zechariah 3:6-7, Joshua was not reminded of his past sins and failures, but was encouraged to now live out this new life clothed in His righteousness to the glory of God. Paul, who often called himself the least of the apostles, realized this as he said in Philippians 3:13-14, "...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
This beautiful passage ends with the promise of the coming and the mission of our Savior. We read in Zechariah 3:8, "...For behold, I am bringing forth My servant the Branch." This Branch is a reference to the future Messiah, Jesus, as also stated in Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Isaiah 11:1-10. Notice in Zechariah 3:9, what this Branch will accomplish, "...And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day." We all know now that "one day" was the day that our Savior offered Himself as a sacrifice for us when he suffered and died for the sins of humanity on the cross of Calvary. This, and this alone is where we must all put our hope and our trust. Jesus, the perfect, sinless Lamb of God, accomplished what no else ever could. Without Him we are without hope and stand in our filthy garments before a Holy and Righteous God. But with Him and in Him we shout hallelujah as we remember what Isaiah said in Isaiah 1:18, "...Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool."
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: