Bible Commentaries
Zechariah 3

Verses 1-10

1. Intro:
   1. Announcements:
   2. Q: This book is quoted how many times in the NT? 71
      1. 22 times in the gospels; & 31 times in the Rev.
   3. Chapter 3 deals with their religious leader, Joshua the high priest. Chapter 4 deals with their political leader, Zerubbabel the high priest.
2. 4^th VISION, THE HIGH PRIEST! (Ch.3)
   1. A PRIEST PURIFIED! (1-7)
   2. Here we have one of the clearest portrayals of God’s gracious gift of salvation!
   3. This Joshua retuned from Babylon w/Zechariah.
   4. [1] Cleansed! (1-4a)
   5. (2) The Lord rebuke you Satan – (Let’s leave that for the Lord to do).
      1. We have this phrase here & in Jude 1:9 (w/Michael the archangel).
      2. I know of “NO” place in scripture where it tells us to do this.
      3. “When Satan talks to us about God, he lies; But when he talks to God about us, he tells the truth!” (Warren Wiersbe; pg.98)
   6. (2b) Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?
      1. When John Wesley was only 6 years old he & his family awoke to there family’s old rectory on fire. Everyone else in his family was dragged to safety, but somehow he was forgotten. At the very last moment, just before the roof crashed in, a neighbor climbed on the shoulders of another & pulled the terrified child from a window.
      2. Later the scene was drawn for Wesley, & he kept it until the day of his death. He wrote under it this verse “is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
      3. All of God’s people experience being rescued from the fires of hell!
   7. (3) Q: How can one conduct service for God unless he or she is in the right condition?
      1. God cleanses his people for service!
      2. Joshua stood in garments spattered with excrement. (Heb.)
      3. If you “step in Doggy do”…You don’t go walking into your own house do you?…So all the more…would you in Gods?
   8. [2] Clothed! (4b,5)
   9. (4) Isaiah said, “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.” (64:6)
   10. (5) Turban – Q: What did it say on the front of the high priest’s turban?
       1. Ex.28:36,37
       2. Job said, “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.” (29:14)
       3. Adam & Eve tried to hide their guilt under garments of their own making. God killed animals & clothed them w/skins.
   11. So when God works salvation: He rebukes our adversary(2); then plucks us from the pit(2b); removes our dirty sins(4); the clothes us with rich robes of righteousness(4b); then crowns our head with a turban of holiness(5).
       1. We not only receive the gracious gift to stand before Him, but also to serve Him.
   12. [3] Commissioned! (6,7)
   13. God cleanses His people for service!
       1. With forgiveness comes responsibility!
       2. Like Joshua, we are expected to follow the Lord’s commands & lead by example!
   14. Remember, Joshua = Jehovah is salvation.
   15. THE BRANCH! (8-10)
   16. (8) Even though the tree trunk of David’s dynasty appeared to have been felled, out of the stump of that tree emerged a sprout – the Branch.
   17. (9) The Stone – Another title for Christ!
       1. To the Church – He is the “foundation” & “chief cornerstone.” [Eph2:20]
       2. To the Jews at His 1^st Coming – He was the “stumbling stone.” [Rom.9:32,33]
       3. To the Israel at the 2^nd Coming – He is the “capstone.” [Zech.4:7]
       4. To the Gentile Powers – He is the “striking stone.” [Dan.2:34]
       5. To the Divine Purpose – He is the “great mountain that will fill the whole earth”. “the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” [Dan.2:35]
       6. To the unbeliever – He is the “crushing stone.” [mt.21:44 “And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."]
   18. And so we are to share the message of being: Cleansed; Clothed; & then Commissioned.