Zechariah 3

Advocate

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 3:1–2

Satan stands as accuser, but the angel of the LORD, here speaking as the LORD, rebukes him and calls Joshua a burning stick rescued from the fire. It pictures Christ as our Advocate, defending repentant sinners against the accuser.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alluded to by Jude 1:9 — Michael says to the devil, 'The Lord rebuke thee.'
• alludes to Amos 4:11 — 'Ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning.'
• the same title in Zechariah 1:11-12 — The angel of the LORD interceding for Jerusalem.

Atonement

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. Zechariah 3:3–5

Joshua's filthy clothes are removed and replaced with clean garments and a fair mitre, and the LORD says, 'I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee.' This is a picture of what Christ's Atonement does: He takes away our sin and clothes us in His righteousness.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Isaiah 61:10 — 'He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.'
• alluded to by Jude 1:23 — 'Pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.'

The Branch

Branch — the new shoot from David's cut-down family tree; the Messiah

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

The LORD of hosts promises to bring forth 'my servant the BRANCH,' a messianic title for Jesus Christ, the righteous shoot who springs from David's line and serves the Father perfectly.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in Zechariah 6:12 — 'Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH.'
• the same title in Jeremiah 23:5 — 'I will raise unto David a righteous Branch.'
• the same title in Isaiah 11:1 — 'A Branch shall grow out of his roots.'
• the same title in Isaiah 42:1 — 'Behold my servant, whom I uphold.'

High Priest (Joshua as sign)

Joshua — 'Jehovah saves'; the Hebrew form of the name Jesus

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

Joshua and his fellow priests are 'men wondered at' (Hebrew: men of a sign), meaning they are living symbols of something to come, which the next words name: the BRANCH. Joshua the high priest, bearing the same name as Jesus, foreshadows Jesus the great High Priest.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• interpreted by Zechariah 6:11-12 — Joshua is crowned and told, 'Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH.'
• a type of what is in Hebrews 4:14 — 'We have a great high priest... Jesus the Son of God.'

The Stone

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

Right after naming the BRANCH, the LORD points to a stone He has laid, with seven eyes (perfect sight). Scripture calls Christ the stone laid in Zion, and John saw the Lamb with seven eyes.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• the same title in Isaiah 28:16 — 'I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone.'
• the same title in Psalm 118:22 — 'The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.'
• alluded to by Revelation 5:6 — 'A Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes.'

Atonement

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

The LORD promises to take away the land's sin in a single day. Christians see the day Jesus completed His Atonement and died on the cross, one offering for sins for ever.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• fulfilled by Hebrews 10:12 — 'He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever' (traditional reading of the 'one day').

Millennial Reign

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

When the BRANCH comes and iniquity is removed, neighbors will share peace and plenty under vine and fig tree. It is the peace of Christ's reign.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Micah 4:4 — 'They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid.'