BeHold The Man! BeHold Your King!

Zechariah symbolically places a royal crown on Joshua, the High Priest's head.  This event is found in Zechariah 6:9-15.  The points to the promise of a coming king who will flourish and branch out and build the temple of the LORD.  The details are commented on in this Blog.  But in this article we want to examine further this notion of the Branch.  In Zechariah 6:12 (NIV), we read:

¹² Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.

These words spoken to Joshua cause our eyes to look away beyond him, to a coming "Man" whose name is "The Branch".  It is He who will build the Temple.  

1. The Branch appears as Joshua's antitype. (v12).  So immediately we are looking beyond Joshua and beyond this time frame.
2. He will have a humble and lowly beginning but "branch out" with great significance. (cf: Micah 5:2).
3. He will build the final Temple.  “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body.” (John 2:19–21, NIV).  (cf: Matthew 16:18)
4. He will come in majesty & glory. “and he will be clothed with majesty.” (Zechariah 6:13, NIV).  “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NIV).
5. He will be king. “It is he who ... will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne.” (Zechariah 6:13, NIV). "At the present He sits at the right hand of the Father’s throne (cf. Ps 110:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; Rev 3:21), but then He will be installed by the Father upon His own throne; and He will be a King-Priest forever, in keeping with the promise made earlier to David (cf. 2 Sam 7:8–16)." [1]
6. He will combine two offices: priest and king. “And there will be harmony between the two.’” (Zechariah 6:13, NIV)  "Except for Melchizedek (cf. Gen 14:18), the concept of a King-Priest was unknown in Israel and the Old Testament." [1]
7. The Branch will unite both Jew and Gentile. “Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord” (Zechariah 6:15, NIV). In Romans 15:12, Paul connects Jesus descending from Jesse to the hope of the Gentiles: "And again, Isaiah [11:10] says: 'There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.'"
8. It is the obedient who will share in the blessings of the Branch's priestly reign. “This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.”” (Zechariah 6:15, NIV).
9. The Branch is human. ““ ‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 33:15, NIV). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1, NIV) 

A form of Christian thought and theory known as "premillenialism" considers the kingdom of this Branch, the Priest-King futuristically. The Bible disputes that.  The New Testament passages quoted above show its fulfillment -- its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  Paul referencing Isaiah 10 in Romans 15 shows that he believed it was fulfilled in Christ.  The peace described in Isaiah 11:6ff is shown complete in Ephesians 2:14-16.  The Gospel that went to the Gentiles is also seen as evidence of fulfillment in Acts 15:15-17.  The Branch, the Priest-King sits today on the Throne of David and is building His Temple and all nations are coming to bow before Him.

• Psalm 2:7–8 (NIV), ⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. ⁸ Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.  
• Psalm 110:1–2 (NIV) ¹ The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ² The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”
• Revelation 3:21 (NIV) ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Father, Your Son and my Savior, Redeemer is at Your right hand.  He reigns today.  His kingdom is inaugurated.  His rule is sure.  He is building His Church and nothing can stop Him.  He brings intercession and  peace to all who love and obey Him.  Thank You for such grace.  I thank You that Jesus reigns in glory and power-- even in the midst of His enemies.  You set before us a table of grace and mercy -- even in the midst of His enemies.  You are indescribable in Your beauty and incomprehensible in your mercy.   How great is our God.  Rule today in my life.  Bring peace and harmony to my relationships.  And Lord I ask for this not for my own selfish pleasure, but that others might see You, in me.   Amen. 

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1. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1814–1815). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.