The Branch. The Priest. The King. The Temple.

The Crown and the Temple- Part 1

This event serves as a climax to the Eight Visions.  It is found in Zechariah 6:9-15.  God tells Zechariah to have three men who have just come back from Babylon (Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah)to make a crown of silver and gold and put it on the head of Joshua the high priest.

"Joshua is to be crowned as a symbol of the reality to come, the Branch, a reference to Jeremiah 33:15. Zechariah reiterates Jeremiah’s promise of a coming king who will flourish and branch out and build the temple of the LORD and will bear royal honor, reflecting the authority and legitimacy of the king’s rule." [1]   "... Joshua, who was never a priest-king, was a type of the messianic Branch ... the Branch would be a priest on his throne." [2]    “It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’” (Zechariah 6:13, NIV).

The Zechariah is told that a group "those who are far away" will come and help build the Temple. Who are they?  Some think this is about returning Jews, but most would see that God is speaking about the Gentiles, "a common expression used for Gentiles who were viewed as being far off from God." [3] "Zechariah’s oracle addresses the immediate situation of the exiles while also looking ahead to Yahweh’s ultimate eschatological fulfillment through the Messiah and the inauguration of His earthly kingdom." [4]

This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.”” (Zechariah 6:15b, NIV).  This is not to suggest that the coming inauguration of the Priest/King is conditional.  It is conditional upon obedience of individuals if they want to share in the blessings of the new Temple. It will not commence until people obey. " In the new covenant (Jer 31:33-34; Ezek 36:26-27), God personally guarantees that the people will ultimately obey; his Spirit will enable them to do so." [5]

In Acts 15, the Church debated the inclusion of the Gentiles within the People of God. The Apostle James stood and spoke: “The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’—” (Acts 15:15–17, NIV)

Clearly Joshua the high priest is a type of Christ.  The ultimate Temple in view is the Church that will be made up of Jews and Gentiles -- all in one Body.  The Branch, the Priest/King is a significant designation to Christ which I will discuss in the next Blog.

"The early church was well aware of its role in extending the reign of God. They saw themselves as God’s temple (1 Cor. 3: 16– 17; Eph. 2: 22), bringing God’s rule into everyday life. As they met opposition, they equated it with opposition against the reign of God and his Messiah described in Psalm 2 (Acts 4: 23– 31)." [6]  It is as we participate in the Biblical vision and mandate of Christ's Church that His reign is manifest.

Father, Your Son is my Priest and my King, united in rule and intercession. Father Jesus is building His Temple, and as I participate in the preaching and the life of the Gospel, the Kingdom of God, now inaugurated day-by-day finds it's fulfillment in the hearts of men and women. Grant faithfulness today to Your call.  I bow before the Branch, the Priest-King, who reigns and rules.  Your Church is being built.  Your Church is being established.  Your Name is being honored.  May it be so in my life today.  Amen.

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1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (1758–1759). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/III. The Symbolic Crowning of Joshua the High Priest (6:9-15), Book Version: 4.0.2.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1815). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Zec 6:15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

5. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/III. The Symbolic Crowning of Joshua the High Priest (6:9-15), Book Version: 4.0.2

6. Boda, Mark J. (2009-05-26). Haggai, Zechariah (The NIV Application Commentary) (Kindle Locations 6793-6797). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.