Zechariah 03
Zechariah 03:1 Next I saw Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
Zechariah recorded his fourth vision. According to the Book of Haggai, Joshua was the High Priest of Israel. He is standing in front of the Angel of the Lord in a divine courtroom. The Angel of the Lord is the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is accusing Joshua of some kind of sin.
2 The Lord said to Satan, “May the Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn’t this man like a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
Jehovah rebukes Satan for accusing Joshua of sin. Jehovah reminded Satan that Jerusalem was the chosen city of God. Joshua was a man who was burning in the fire, but God pulled him out of the fire so that He could still use him for the Kingdom of God.
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood there before the angel.
Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes because he represented the nation of Israel. At this time, Israel was in a state of filthiness.
4 The angel spoke up to those standing all around, “Remove his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “I have freely forgiven your iniquity and will dress you in fine clothing.”
The Angel of the Lord is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus died for the sins of Joshua, so Satan cannot accuse him of sin. Jesus commanded that the filthy clothes be removed from Joshua. Instead, Joshua was to receive fine clothing.
5 Then I spoke up, “Let a clean turban be put on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood nearby.
The turban was the official hat of the High Priest. On the turban was an engraved golden plate which read “Holy unto the Lord.”
6 Then the angel of the Lord exhorted Joshua solemnly:
The Lord Jesus Christ gave Joshua an emphatic message.
7 “The Lord who rules over all says, ‘If you live and work according to my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you.
The Lord Jesus Christ gave Joshua two personal duties. First, Joshua was to keep charge of his official duties according to the Mosaic Law. Second, God would allow Joshua free access to attend the angelic court.
8 Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.
The priests were a symbol of the Branch to come.
9 As for the stone I have set before Joshua—on the one stone there are seven eyes. I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
The branch is a stone. In Isaiah 28, Psalms 118, and Daniel 2, the stone is a symbol of the Messiah. The stone possesses seven eyes, meaning that the Messiah is omniscient and omnipresent. He sees and knows everything. The Messiah will remove the iniquity of Israel in one day. On the last day of the Great Tribulation, Israel will confess their national sin of rejecting their Messiah. The entire nation will be regenerated in one day.
10 In that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will live safely, securely, and in great prosperity.