Zechariah is having a busy night.
Fourth vision:
“Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”
Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”
Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by.
Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.
“Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.
“And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”
(Zechariah 3:1-10 NLT)
We were first introduced to Jeshua back in Ezra. We learned he is the son of the high priest Jehozadak and served as the priest for our exiles, offering sacrifices and intercession on behalf of the people. God shows Zechariah a vision of him being accused and in filthy clothes, as the nation was when in exile. But, because of His faithfulness, God is removing the filth and preparing his people to again worship in the Temple.
As with anything in the Old Covenant, we get to see how Jesus perfectly fulfilled it in the New.
Jesus is our Great High Priest. Any other priests were symbols of what was to come.
Only One Savior can make our scarlet stains white as snow.
Only One Branch can remove the sins of a land in a single day.
And only One Shepherd can give us peace in our hearts and with our neighbors.
