View Zechariah 3 in the note window.
Joshua accused, cleared, and clothed with clean and fair apparel,
ver. 1 - 5.
A promise made to him, ver. 6, 7.
A prophesy of Christ, the Branch, ver. 8 - 10.
1: And he - The Lord represented to me in a vision.
Standing - Ministering in his office. The angel - Christ.
2: The Lord - Christ, as a mediator, rather chuses to rebuke him in
his father's name, than in his own. Is not this - Joshua.
3: With filthy garments - The emblem of a poor or sinful state.
The angel - Christ.
4: And he - Christ. Unto those - Ministerial angels.
I have caused - What angels could not take away, Christ did;
he removed the filth of sin, the guilt and stain of it.
With change of raiment - Clean and rich, the emblem of holiness.
5: I said - Zechariah takes the boldness to desire that for
Joshua, which might add to his authority, and he asks the thing of
Christ. A fair mitre - The proper ornament for the head of the
high - priest. With garments - All the garments which appertained to
the high priest. The angel - Christ.
6: Protested - Solemnly declared.
7: My charge - The special charge and office of the high - priest.
Judge - Be ruler in the temple, and in the things that pertain to the
worship of God there. Keep - Not as a servant, but as the chief, on
whom others wait, and at last thou shalt have place among my angels.
8: Thy fellows - Thy associates in the priestly office.
That sit - As assessors in a council. Wondered at - The unbelieving
Jews wonder at them; at their labour and expense in attempting to
build such a house. Bring forth - God the Father will bring forth
a much more wonderful work. The Branch - The Messiah.
9: Behold - Behold (pointing to a particular stone) that stone which
I have laid in the sight of Joshua. Upon one stone - On that stone are
seven eyes, probably so placed, that they may look many ways; so it was
a more exact emblem of Christ, and of his perfect knowledge and wisdom.
I have removed - I have pardoned the iniquity of this land at once.
The temple, founded on such a corner - stone, guarded and watched over by
all - seeing Providence, is the blessing and honour of that people, whose
sins are all forgiven.
10: In that day - Of removing the sins of my people.
Shall ye call - Ye shall invite one another to refresh yourselves with
the sweet fruit of the vine and fig - tree. When iniquity is taken away,
we receive precious benefits from our justification, more precious than
the fruits of the vine or fig - tree. And we repose ourselves in sweet
tranquillity, being quiet from the fear of evil.
