Fourth Vision: High Priest and Branch
1 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua x standing before the angel of the LORD, y with Satan ,z standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! May the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire? ” a
3 Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes b as he stood before the angel. c 4 So the angel of the LORD spoke to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes! ” Then he said to him, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, d and I will clothe you with festive robes.”
5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban e on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him in garments while the angel of the LORD was standing nearby.
6 Then the angel of the LORD charged Joshua: 7 “This is what the LORD of Armies says: If you walk in my ways and keep my mandates, you will both rule my house and take care of my courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here.
8 “Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch. f 9 Notice the stone g I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. h I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies—“and I will take away the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.” i This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies.
3:1. Joshua the high priest here serves as the representative of Israel. His cleansing symbolizes the future cleansing of Israel. God has called them to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6). Joshua is standing before the angel of the Lord, ministering before God as high priest (Dt 10:8; Ezk 44:15). But the temple is here invested with the characteristics of a courtroom.
3:2–4. God himself intervenes on behalf of Joshua and his people. God silences Satan with a double rebuke, as he also gives a twofold affirmation of support for Israel (3:2). The burning stick taken out of a fire refers to Israel’s recent deliverance from Babylon and God’s continued preservation of his people.
3:5. Zechariah seems to be so emotionally involved in the scene that he anticipates what is to come next, the putting on of the turban to complete the high priest’s attire. The high-priestly “turban” in the Pentateuch had attached to it a plate engraved with the words “Holy to the LORD” (Ex 28:36–37). The term is used in only two other passages, in figurative contexts (see Jb 29:14; Is 62:3). Here the turban gives public testimony to Joshua’s new state of righteousness before God.
3:6–8. In 3:6–7 Joshua/Israel receives a twofold charge and a threefold promise. If he will now live a life of obedience and total commitment to God, consistent with his new righteous standing, he will have the privilege of an unhindered priestly ministry. As God’s representative on earth, he will govern and have charge over the temple. He will also have unhindered access to God.
3:9–10. The stone of 3:9 also refers to the Messiah (cf. Ps 118:22; Is 28:16). The only validity for Israel’s position as a royal priestly nation is through the cleansing ministry of the Messiah; and only as Joshua and Zerubbabel’s work of rebuilding the kingdom of Israel is founded on the stone that God has given can there be lasting results.