AMAZING GRACE!
Opening Prayer
Lord, wash and keep me clean.
Read ZECHARIAH 3
Clean Garments for the High Priest
3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”
5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.
8 “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes[b] on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Footnotes:
a Zechariah 3:1 Hebrew satan means adversary.
b Zechariah 3:9 Or facets
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
God knows the worst about me but still loves me and accepts me in Christ, freeing me from feelings of condemnation and guilt. Amazing grace!
Zechariah now sees a court scene. The Hebrew text says he sees “the Satan” (1). This is not a name but a title, “the accuser,” or “the counsel for the prosecution.” Joshua the high priest, who represents the nation before God, stands in the dock before “the angel of the LORD,” who acts with God’s authority as the judge.
The accusation is not spelled out, but the context suggests that the issue is the moral and spiritual state of returned exiles. Joshua’s clothes are “filthy” (3) – a strong word, implying not just dirty but also ritually impure. The prophets made clear that the Exile was punishment for the nation’s unfaithfulness to God, evidenced by covenant-breaking. Has anything really changed? Why should God accept them now? Such questions must torment some of the returned exiles who still experience guilt. God rejects Satan’s accusation in the strongest terms and declares Joshua along with the nation cleansed, symbolized by the change to rich clothing. No justification is given for this other than God’s choice of his people. The stone with seven “eyes/facets” (see verse 9) possibly echoes the golden plate on Aaron’s turban, which was inscribed “HOLY TO THE LORD” (Exodus 28:36–38). There is a conditional element to this restoration (6, 7): Joshua, and therefore the people, must keep God’s covenant.
God adds a promise. The restoration of Joshua and community leaders points to the coming of “my servant, the Branch” (8). This repeats Jeremiah’s prophecy of a future righteous descendant of David (Jeremiah 23:5, 6; 33:15, 16). Jesus was this “Branch” (Romans 1:2–4). His atoning sacrifice on the cross is the basis on which God could forgive sins in the past and does so today (Romans 3:21–26).
Apply
Thank God for the amazing grace of forgiveness through faith in Christ. Seek the Spirit’s help to clothe yourself with kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love (Colossians 3:12–14).
Closing prayer
God, we thank You for sending Jesus to justify and purify a people unto You, a people who will keep the terms of Your covenant.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.