The fourth (of eight) vision Zechariah receives concerns the high priest, Joshua, the spiritual leader of the returned exiles. Joshua served alongside Zerubbabel to start of the rebuilding project on the Temple (Ezra 5:2; Hag 1:1). In tH vision, Zechariah sees Joshua standing “before the angel of the Lord, clothed with filthy garments” (3:1, 3). At his right hand stands Satan, the Adversary, who speaks words of accusation against Joshua (3:1). At this moment, Zechariah hears the voice of the Lord ring out: “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” (3:2).
Then the “angel of the Lord” speaks to “those who were standing before him” (3:4). The angel commands them to “Remove the filthy garments from him” (3:4). To Joshua, the angel of the Lord says, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments” (3:4). Zechariah, who is watching all this, now speaks up: “And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head’” (3:5). As Zechariah watches, Joshua is clothed with new garments and a clean turban (3:5).
Having been given clean vestments, Joshua hears the angel of the Lord speak words of assurance from the Lord: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here” (3:7). That’s not all. The Lord goes on to tell Joshua, “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign” (3:8). Evidently, others are present in this vision; along with Joshua, the angel of the Lord, and Satan, there are other angels standing nearby (3:4, 7), and friends of Joshua sitting before him (3:8).
The Lord says the men seated before Joshua, who are friends of his, are “a sign” (3:8). The sign concerns one called “the Branch” whom the Lord will send: “behold, I will bring my servant the Branch” (3:8). In addition to bringing this servant to His people, the Lord will also engrave an inscription on a “single stone” that He has set before Joshua (3:9). This unique stone, having “seven eyes”, will carry a message from the Lord Himself. (3:9). The message seems to relate to God’s promise to deal with sin in a definitive, dramatic way: “I will remove the iniquity of the land in a single day” (3:9). When that happens, the Lord of hosts declares, “every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree” (3:10). The idea of sitting under one’s vine and fig tree is used in the Old Testament to speak of a time of unity, safety, and blessing (Micah 4:4). In this hope-filled vision, Zechariah sees and hears God’s promise to cleanse and bless His people; the nation will experience God’s true shalom.
Knowing God: Understanding His Person and Ways
The Lord rebukes Satan and defends His servants. In this vision, Zechariah hears Satan bringing accusations against Joshua, seemingly with good reason. Joshua is wearing filthy garments, a symbol of uncleanness (3:1-3). Even so, the Lord “rebukes” Satan for his accusations. Joshua, the Lord points out, is a “brand plucked from the fire” (3:2). Though God sees Joshua’s unclean apparel, He also views Joshua as one rescued from destruction. So the angel of the Lord has Joshua’s soiled clothes replaced with “pure vestments” (3:4). In a similar way, God still rebukes Satan (the “accuser of our brothers”—Rev 12:10). He does this not because Satan is completely wrong about us (we are unclean in God’s sight), but because God has chosen to rescue us from destruction (the fires of hell) and take our iniquity away through the blood of His Son, Jesus (3:4; Rev 7:14).
The Lord promises to send His Servant, the Branch, and to remove sin in a single day. Joshua’s friends who are seated before him are called a “sign” (3:8). They point to a coming servant called “the Branch” (3:8). This coming servant is linked to a “single stone with seven eyes” (3:9). The coming of the Branch and the engraving of this special stone will lead to a dramatic cleansing: “and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day” (3:9). These encouraging words were cryptic in Zechariah’s day; they shine with greater clarity in ours. The Lord of hosts did send His Son, Jesus, who was “a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots” (Isa 11:1). Jesus grew up before the Lord “like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground” (Isa 53:2). Jesus is also the “stone that the builders rejected” who has “become the cornerstone” (Ps 118:22). Jesus came “full of the Spirit” (seven eyes speak of the Spirit’s fullness—Rev 5:6) and, by His death, removed sin in a single day (2 Cor 5:21).
Joining God: Moving with God on Mission
Even the best of spiritual leaders stands guilty before God and in need of His cleansing. Although Joshua was Israel’s chief spiritual leader, he still stood guilty before God, open to Satan’s accusations because of his “filthy garments” (3:1, 4). The Lord rescues him (“a brand plucked from the fire”—3:2), removes his “filthy garments”, and reclothes him with “pure vestments” (3:4). All this symbolizes the removal of Joshua’s sins: “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you” (3:4). Having been cleansed, Joshua is called to serve the Lord by walking in His ways and keeping His charge (3:6). Here is a reminder that even the best of God’s servants stand guilty before Him. However, God provides forgiveness and cleansing for His leaders through the work of the Branch, the Lord Jesus.
Long-term, God-honouring ministry requires a holy life. When Zechariah receives this vision, Joshua is already serving as Israel’s high priest. He, along with Zerubbabel, had been instrumental in starting (and restarting) the rebuilding of the Temple. Yet all was not well. Zechariah sees Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord in filthy garments (3:3). He needs the cleansing from God that he graciously receives (3:4). Once cleansed, Joshua is called by God to “walk in my ways and keep my charge” (3:6). If he does so, he is promised a place of spiritual leadership among God’s people (“you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts”—3:7). Given pure garments by grace, Joshua is now required to live according to God’s will and ways. Here is a reminder for all spiritual leaders: to remain pleasing to God and fruitful in ministry, we must be cleansed by grace and live a holy life. In God’s service, cleansing and character have higher value than capabilities and competency.
Rick and Linda Reed 