Zechariah 3:8
Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Zechariah 3:1-10
The high priest during Zechariah’s ministry was Joshua. We don’t know much about Joshua except that he was born in Babylon during the captivity and returned to Jerusalem with Nehemiah and Zerubbabel (Neh 7:6-7). Joshua was the spiritual leader of Jerusalem upon their return and was instrumental in the rebuilding of the temple.
Zechariah is given a vision of Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan is standing beside Joshua to accuse him before the Lord. The scene resembles a modern-day courtroom sentencing with Joshua the accused standing before the judge and Satan providing the prosecution’s case.
The problem with Joshua is that he was dressed in filthy clothes. Everyone knows that on this very important day in court that you should dress in the best clothes. But Joshua shows up filthy. The clothes are symbolic of Joshua’s sin in Zechariah’s vision. The Hebrew word for “filthy” is ṣō’î which is the word used to express the vilest form of uncleanness. It’s akin to human excrement. Joshua was standing before God clothed in feces. Joshua was guilty and everyone present could smell it.
So the angel orders for Joshua’s clothes to be changed. Not only does God take off Joshua’s filthy clothes but he gives him “fine garments.” The Hebrew word used is maḥᵃlāṣôt which describes an outer garment of special quality. This word is only used two times in Scripture. These new garments are reserved for festivals and are symbolic of royalty.
So God stripped Joshua’s sin away and made him clean. God’s request in return is that Joshua walk in obedience to Him and keep His requirements. If Joshua could do that, he would be given a place among those standing before God in heaven.
This is the same access we have to God now that our sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus:
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb 4:16).
Joshua is then told about Jesus – the Branch – who will “remove the sin of this land in a single day.” We have studied other prophecies that call Jesus the Branch:
- “In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel” (Isa 4:2).
- “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isa 11:1). - “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord,
‘when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land’” (Jer 23:5). - “In those days and at that time
I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;
he will do what is just and right in the land” (Jer 33:15).
Jesus in fact paid for all of our sin in a single day. God then says:
“‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty” (Zech 3:10).
This expression has been used before in Scripture:
“During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree” (1 Kings 4:25).
“This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern” (2 Kings 18:31).
The expression to sit under your vine and fig tree is symbolic with peace and safety. We again have a prophecy with dual fulfillments. Spiritually speaking, today we live in spiritual peace and safety because Jesus fulfilled this prophecy on the cross:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
“We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them (1 John 5:18).
We have peace and safety in Christ because our sins are forgiven and our place in heaven is safe. Not even Satan himself can take away our peace and safety. However, this is not literally true – yet. Jesus will bring physical peace and safety when he returns again:
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away Rev 21:3-4).
Christ in the Old Testament 
Leave a comment