Examining The Scripture CL: Clean Garments For The High Priest

In Zechariah 3, Zechariah is having another vision and this one is either at the Temple or a court of some kind and we see Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. I believe after having read this that Joshua and his sinful condition is representative of Judah at-large and her spiritual condition. Ominously, Satan is standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord is rebuking Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan!” The Lord that chose Jerusalem rebuked him. Joshua is dressed in filthy clothes which represent his dirty, sinful condition. He is told to remove his clothes. The Lord then says to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin and will put rich garments on you”. As we get to this point in the chapter we sense that this is more of a judicial court setting as Joshua/Judah has just been deemed righteous or his sins have been removed which is a form of judgment on God’s behalf. The Lord has to deem whether or not something is sinless (remove sins) or holy(ier) as He is the ultimate and final judge of such things.

The Lord then tells Joshua to "Put a clean turban on his head" which gets done. This seem as though it is a re-commissioning to the office of priest of God. Then it is made quite clear in a condition clause that “If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house (judge my house) and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.” We are talking total commitment here, not half-hearted, half-baked actions but total faithfulness to duty. Joshua/Judah will judge and will have direct access to the Lord in the presence “among those standing here”. In this entire vision we see the fingerprints of Jesus Christ all over it. The high priest of the Old Testament (Joshua; in this case Judah too) is nothing more than the perfect high priest that is to come, The Branch (messianic title) Jesus Christ. The Old Testamental sacrificial system was but a shadow of the only sacrifice worthy and suitable for human redemption. Jesus.

More importantly we now arrive at a parallel in Christ's later work that also directly relates back to the ceremonial Levitical system for priests. Not only did Christ pay the ransom to redeem us He also acted as the priest that entered the most holy place (Heaven/the Father's right hand) when he died offering His blood. All previously symbolically carried out by the priests in the Old Testament now carried out for real by Jesus in a once-and-for-all sacrifice that truly removed the sins of men.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

A future promise is alluded to now. We arrive at the final portion of this chapter in the last two verses. There is an abrupt change in metaphor from The Branch to a stone. My first impression is that this is a stone for/from the Temple but it says there are seven eyes [facets] on it and the Lord will engrave and inscription on it also. Additionally, He will remove the sin of this land in a single day and in that day “each of you [in Judah] will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.” The setting of the stone before Joshua implies that it is not a building stone but nor does it sound like a jewel. In a single day denotes that something will happen quickly at a single point in time or a decisive point in history. Neighbors inviting neighbors under a fig tree is an image of peace and prosperity and dare I say harmony (considering the time this is written). The Stone is another Messianic title and parallels other teachings of Christ being some form of stone, a cornerstone, a stumbling block, a rejected stone, a smitten stone, etc. I am guessing the seven eyes allude to God’s omniscience or omnipresence.

Baldwin, Joyce G.. "The High Priest Reinstated." Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction & Commentary (The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1981. 112-118. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "God And His Leaders" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 451-452. Print.