Bible Commentaries
Zechariah 3

Verses 1-10

Joshua the High Priest - As Joshua the son of Nun was a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour to lead us forth into the Promised Land, so is Joshua the high priest a figure of the office of Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest. In Zechariah 3:1-10, the angel of the Lord rebuked Satan and declared this high priest worthy to serve in this capacity by clothing him with the garments, or mantle, of this ministry. The Lord then declares that this high priest would remove the iniquity of the land in one day, referring to the time when Jesus Christ our High Priest will enter into the heavenly tabernacle once and for all with His blood to obtain eternal redemption for His people.

Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Zechariah 3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

Zechariah 3:2 “The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan” Comments - Note this same statement in Jude 1:9 when Michael the archangel contended with Satan over the body of Moses.

Jude 1:9, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

In addition, the Lord will rebuke the devourer off of those who give the Lord tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:11).

Malachi 3:11, “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Zechariah 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

Zechariah 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

Zechariah 3:4 Comments - These filthy garments are figurative of the fact that Jesus Christ, our High Priest, partook of flesh and blood and became sin for us. Jesus Christ humbled himself and took upon Himself the stained garments of our humanity.

Zechariah 3:5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

Zechariah 3:5 Comments - The mitre and garments are the clothing of the High Priest. These garments thus represent the office and the anointing, or mantle, needed to fulfill such an office.

Zechariah 3:6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,

Zechariah 3:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Zechariah 3:7 “and will give thee places to walk among these that stand by” - Comments - God will give him a place to stand before God’s throne.

Zechariah 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Zechariah 3:8 Word Study on “Joshua” - The name Joshua means “Jehovah is salvation” ( BDB), and the name becomes “Jesus” in the Greek New Testament.

Comments - Joshua and his servants represent Jesus and His servants.

Zechariah 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Zechariah 3:9 “upon one stone shall be seven eyes” Scripture References - Note:

Revelation 1:4, “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;”

Revelation 3:1, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars ; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”

Revelation 5:6, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth .”

Revelation 8:2, “And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.”

Zechariah 3:9 “and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day” Comments - The office of the high priest was to go into the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement and remove the sins of the people on that day. Therefore, this phrase refers to the time when Jesus Christ will enter into the heavenly tabernacle once and for all with His blood to obtain eternal redemption for His people (Hebrews 9:11-12).

Hebrews 9:11-12, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Zechariah 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

Zechariah 3:10 “every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree” - Comments - This phrase came to mean a time of peace and prosperity (1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4).

1 Kings 4:25, “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree , from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.”

Micah 4:4, “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree ; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.”

Zechariah 3:10 Comments - The world seeks to settle in a home peaceably where they can invite friends and neighbours to sit under the shade trees and talk. God promises this for His people.