Bible Study Notes on Zechariah 3 – 20170907 – Black & White with Shades of Gray

Zechariah 3:1 “…Joshua the high priest…”
Commentaries say Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai, they prophesied at the same time. Haggai 1:1 tells us that Joshua was the high priest at that time.

1 “…Angel of the LORD…”
Reference to pre-incarnate Christ.

1 “…Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him”
Per Revelation 12, he is the accuser of the brethren. But God does not. God convicts us of sin. After we have confessed it and He has forgiven us, He remembers it no more. If we feel accused after that, it is from satan, not God.

2 “…the LORD said to Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke you…'”
Identifying the Angel of the LORD as God Himself. In this case, Jesus saying God the Father rebuke you.

2 “…Is this not a brand plucked from the fire”
Satan stood to accuse Joshua, and by representation, all of Israel that had returned from captivity. Commentaries suggest, like a brand plucked from the fire, Israel has been pulled from the fires of trials and tribulation of captivity. She has served her time.

3 “…Joshua was clothed with filthy garments…”
Representative of sin.

4-5 “…He answered…Take away the filthy garments from him…I have removed your iniquity from you…And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head’…they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him…the Angel of the LORD stood by”
God cleanses Joshua of his sin and restores Him. Even Zechariah jumps in with a suggestion. Not out of order or by any authority he had, but like praying for God’s will as our prayers should be. If we are in tune with Him, our prayers will reflect what He already desires. Commentaries suggest Jesus had been sitting as judge and now stands to see that all is done. Makes sense. Nothing is said about Him sitting, but that fits the scene. It does say Joshua standing before Him, not beside. A courtroom scene.

6 “Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua…”
Joshua has been cleansed and now Christ gives him his instructions.

6 “…If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command…”
What God says to all of us. He desires relationship and fellowship with us. If we obey Him, He will cleanse us of our sin and restore that fellowship. Continuing to obey Him keeps that fellowship open.

8 “…your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign…”
Obviously other priests, the others who serve in the temple. Not sure about the wondrous sign part. Commentaries aren’t clear. Couple of suggestions. One, they represent the offering of bulls and goats for cleansing of sin, but one is coming who is the ultimate sacrifice for sin and can actually remove it. Another, that Joshua as high priest represents Christ and the other priests as being able to share the priesthood of the Messiah. So then when Christ comes, those who believe in Him, His companions, will share in His reign. Either seems to work as Christ is announced in the next sentence.

8 “…behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH”
Reference to Christ. He was a root or branch from the tree of David’s line.

9 “…Upon the stone are seven eyes…I will engrave its inscription…I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day”
Commentaries can’t decide whether this means the stone has many eyes denoting great vision and intelligence or if it means the eyes of many are looking to this stone. Apparently some allusion to this being a cornerstone of the temple set before Joshua to see. Something for the spiritual temple to be built upon. Combine that with God saying He will engrave its inscription and that He will remove the iniquity of that land in one day, it sounds like He is saying He is setting Christ before Joshua to be viewed as the cornerstone of the spiritual temple, He will dictate what happens to the stone, what it will mean, and that through it He will cleanse all from sin, which is what Jesus did. My view of what this sounds like.

10 “…Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree”
In that day when He removes iniquity, all will be at peace. Could be the point of the Cross which made spiritual peace for all men who choose it. Could also be the final day when sin itself through our sin natures will be removed to trouble us no more. Total peace and freedom. Something to look forward to.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word. May it accomplish what He desires. Please feel free to comment or post questions. Thanks for reading!