Zechariah 3 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Zechariah 3

A Vision of Joshua the High Priest

3:1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan¹ standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand² plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by.

6 And the angel of the LORD solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes,³ I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Footnotes

[1] 3:1 Hebrew the Accuser or the Adversary
[2] 3:2 That is, a burning stick
[3] 3:9 Or facets

Commentary

v1: The vision of Joshua the high priest, with Satan, the accuser, seeking to destroy the Lord's people. Here are developments behind the scenes, unseen from the earth, unknown by the people. Elsewhere, Satan is called the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12.11); this is one of his most powerful weapons against the people of God.

v2: The Lord has chosen Jerusalem, and no enemy accusation can change that. The Angel has no power of himself to rebuke Satan, but the Lord has. Ultimately, Satan cannot stop God's will being fulfilled. Joshua is a firebrand, compare Amos 4.11.

v3-5: Joshua has no goodness in himself. Here is justification by grace, the removal of the filth of the natural man, and the imputing of righteousness; this is totally the work of God.

Joshua spoke no words to Satan, his accuser. He had no words, no argument. He rested in the promises of God, to freely justify him.

v6-7: Joshua has been made righteous, and now has the responsibility to walk in obedience.

v8-9: Joshua and his companions, symbolic of things to come, pointing to the Branch, even Christ. He will remove the iniquity of the land, just as He has removed Joshua's iniquity; Ezek 36.25; Joel 3.21; Zeph 3.11.

v10: Peace in the Lord's reign, previously experienced in 1 Kings 4.25; prophesied also in Mic 4.4; and sought by Nathaniel in John 1.48-50.