Zechariah 3:3-10 - Joshua gets a makeover

Joshua was indeed dressed in filthy rags. The high priest was guilty. So how could he possibly help Israel approach God? Or to ask a related question: how can we possibly approach God? For we are all priests now ( 1 Peter 2:9). The answer is that God has taken away our sin. More than that He is giving us new clothes. There are obvious prophecies of the work of Christ here, and the vital two parts of salvation. We are forgiven, but we are not just forgiven, we are given new clothes. Paul may well have this verse in mind when speaks in Ephesians and Colossians about us taking off the old clothes and putting on the new.

Zechariah then asks the angel to give Joshua a turban as well. Why does he do this? A turban was part of the priestly garments and signified acceptance in the court of the heavenly court. Zechariah wanted to be sure that Joshua was accepted.

So Joshua is cleansed and dressed in new garments. Just as we are forgiven and filled with the Holy Spirit. This does not absolve us of responsibility. The notion that because of the cross we can do what we like and get away with it is completely alien to the Bible. We have a new responsibility, we are now able to follow the ways of The Lord.

When we do this we can walk in God's presence, along with the other heavenly beings. We are now part of the kingdom of God. As Paul says in Ephesians we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph 2:6). We need to appreciate the new role and status that we now have.

Then it states clearly that Joshua is a precursor of what is to come, so we are justified in applying these verses to ourselves, for the priesthood of all believers is a fundamental part of the gospel. There is also a pointing forward to Christ. He is the real servant of God, the one who would bring all things to fulfilment. The Branch is also a messianic term used in Jeremiah. This is fitting for the return from Babylon was seen as a fulfilment if prophecies given by Jeremiah.

The meaning of the stone in v9 is uncertain. Some see it as a foundation stone, others as a precious stone, and some as a reference to the rock which Moses struck.

The ingraving of an inscription is probably an allusion to the names of the twelve tribes being engraved upon a stone. However, the most important thing is that the sins of the land will be taken away in a single day. This is what happened at Calvary.

Then we see what the fruit of this action will be. We will enjoy peace and prosperity and share that with our neighbours. It has always being a principle in the Bible that the goodness we receive from God is something to be shared with others (Matt 10:8).