Zechariah 3
COMMENTARY:
: 1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (7853 “resist” [satan] means to be or act as an adversary, oppose, withstand, or accuse with hostility.)
DEVOTION: Here is a picture of what is going on in heaven when we stand before the LORD for our final invitation into heaven. The actors in this verse are: 1. Joshua- who represents Jerusalem, Israel and all the people; 2. Angel of the LORD – Jesus Christ; 3. Satan – Accuser of the brethren. These three individuals interact with the Father used as the one to rebuke Satan. An angel is present, as well as, Zechariah witnessing this vision.
Satan is there to accuse the high priest of sin. The high priest comes before the LORD with filthy garments which represent the fact that he is a sinner. However, Jesus Christ tells an angel to give Joshua a change of raiment. Praise the LORD! This change of raiment symbolizes the forgiveness of sin. Once Joshua’s sins are forgiven the LORD gives him instructions to walk in HIS ways and keep HIS charge or commandments.
This forgiveness is spoken of as taking someone out of the fire. Israel is going in the wrong direction. Their high priest stands before the LORD accused of sin, of which, he is guilt. Satan wants Joshua. The LORD says NO!!! This chapter represents Jesus Christ as a Servant, a Branch and a Stone. We have observed that HE also comes in the Old Testament as the “Angel of the LORD.”
We realize that we have an adversary that stands before the LORD accusing us of all our sins. Here is Satan accusing Joshua the high priest of being a filthy sinner. The Angel of the LORD, which is a theophany or a visible appearing of Deity in the Old Testament, is the one defending Joshua against Satan. HE is Christ. HE forgives his sins. HE gives Joshua a change of garments. Once we have chosen to follow the LORD, we receive a change of clothing. We are no longer wearing our righteousness (compared to filthy rags) but the righteousness of Christ.
Satan is a fallen angel who had a position of power in heaven but chose to fall away from the LORD. He is not omnipresent like the LORD but is only in one place at a time. He does have other angels that fell with him who are called demons in the New Testament. They are the ones who give us problems during our lifetime. They are defeated by the SERVANT/ BRANCH/ STONE who is Christ. Praise the LORD. Our adversary has no power over us because Christ is our lawyer and defender. That is GREAT NEWS. Remember that those who have chosen to follow Christ have a changed live. We don’t live in sin but commit sin. We live in the Spirit.
CHALLENGE: Run from the temptation of Satan. We have the ability given to us by the LORD to have victory each day.
: 4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (6674 “filthy” [tsow’] means befouled, or soiled.)
DEVOTION: Transition is necessary for us to move from one family to another. We were born into Satan’s family. We were conceived in sin from our mother’s womb. We live our life outside of the family of God until a point when we acknowledge our sin and commit our life to Jesus Christ. This was established before the foundation of the earth. HE knew our decision because HE knows all. We don’t know it until we make it.
It is like wearing old worn clothing to an event where they give us new clothing. We are no longer covered with sin. The LORD has washed us clean through the blood of Jesus Christ. Our whole life is transformed into one of hope and blessing.
Who has done this great thing? Have we earned it by our good works? Do we deserve it because of the family we come from? Is it because we go to the right church? The answer to all is NO!! Christ did it all. This chapter is dedicated to the actions of Christ. The words used tell us of HIS great work. It is still future from the time this book was written but it is going to happen. God promised it.
Israel has been chosen by the LORD. Those who make up the true church are chosen by the LORD.
When HE looks at us HE sees us though HIS Son Jesus Christ as without iniquity. Christ paid for our redemption. HE was our substitute. We are declared FREE.
CHALLENGE: We need to realize these truths as we live our life today. HE has given us the law of liberty. We don’t have to be legalistic or act with license. Our balance in the Christian life is necessary.
: 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you; for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. (6780 “BRANCH” [tsemach] means title of a future king from the lineage tree of David, sprouting, a shoot, bud, that which grew, Messiah from Davidic tree, or metaph. of Messianic king.)
DEVOTION: The Branch of the LORD is a main topic in Isaiah 40- 55. When you study this passage you find that the Messiah Jesus Christ is taught. HE is the servant of the LORD that is going to suffer at HIS first coming for the sins of the world.
In Isaiah 53 we have a description of the death of Christ on the cross for our sins. We are the ones who need cleansing and HIS death does the cleansing.
Zechariah relays the message from the LORD regarding what is going to happen and they are to listen to what HE has to say.
The New Testament name Jesus is the same as the Old Testament name Joshua. Jesus at HIS second coming is going to manifest HIMSELF as our prophet, priest and KING.
These are things to come. God sends HIS truth to HIS servants the prophets to inform us that HE is working. HE wants the people of Jerusalem to know that HE is working.
We need to be ready for the return of the LORD. Four hundred years passed between the Old Testament ending and the New Testament begins to testify of the first coming of Christ. It was a long time to wait. We have waited longer but we have to always remember that one day with the LORD is like a thousand years. HE is in no hurry. We are!!
CHALLENGE: Understanding the future hope of all believers is important. Christ is coming again and we need to be ready!!!)
: 10 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. (7452 “neighbor” [rea‘] means friend, fellow, companion, fellow-citizen, a person who lives near another, or comrade.)
DEVOTION: Future is hard for us to imagine. There are many books about the future. In high school I had to read the book “1984.” It told of the government being in control of everyone’s life. There was nothing approved by the government that didn’t control people’s lives. They controlled what you could eat, who you could marry and so on. They had cameras everywhere. Now the truth of the matter is that it didn’t all happen by the year 1984 but it is happening now more than ever. Control is the name of the game today.
Our future in this world might seem bleak but that is not what the Bible teaches. We might face persecution in the near future but that is happening to Christians around the world now.
For those who are followers of the LORD there will be a time period of PEACE on earth that it has not seen since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve could walk in the garden with no worries. The LORD met them there. There was perfect peace until they disobeyed the LORD.
That peace is going to return in the future during the reign of Christ. It is a time period when everyone will be inviting their neighbor to join them for a time of fun and fellowship. That is not happening as much today.
There will be an environment that relaxes people to the point of being able to communicate without worrying about gossip or other problems with neighbors. Can we comprehend this type of peace today? No really! We have children shooting parents. We have cameras everywhere to see what we are doing. We have people who are monitoring our every move.
There is a television program called “Person of Interest” where there is a machine that tracks everyone’s moves, and in the program, tells when someone is going to be killed. This type of tracking is taking place in most of the countries of the world.
It shouldn’t cause us to worry but it can cause us not to have peace.
CHALLENGE: God wants us to have peace in the storms of life because HE is right by our side to help us. Trust in HIM.
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.