Behold Your Christ: Servant, Branch & Stone

A Vision of Joshua the High Priest - Part 2

Previously we started to look at Zechariah 3  where the prophet observed a sinful priest named Joshua. In spite of Satanic accusation, we see that God intends to solve the problem through the cleansing work of Christ, the Messiah.

One would guess that this event took place while the High Priest was going about his priestly duties. It seems ironic that right along side of him was none other than God's nemesis, Satan. And all this is taking place in the midst of the Word of God, the Second Person of the holy Trinity. Satan's purpose was to accuse. "The Hebrew text has a beautiful play on words which, if translated literally, would be something like, And Satan standing at his right hand for the purpose of satanizing him." [1]

As we noticed previously, God's answer prefigured His judicial act called justification, whereby He declared the sinner justified, guiltless.  Paul repeats this fact in his great letter to Rome: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:33–34, NIV).

Christ is prefigured in three ways in this vision: A Servant, a Branch and a Stone with seven eyes (“‘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. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes 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.” (Zechariah 3:8–9, NIV)).

What do these things mean?

The Servant 

We see the servant motif clearly revealed in Isaiah 42-53.  The latter chapter being so vivid.  This is the One that would come and take upon Himself the sin of many and by doing so justify many. “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed . . . Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:4-5, 12, NIV)

The Branch.  

The idea of the Branch comes from both prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah.  They develop the expectation of an ideal Davidic ruler, who is identified as “the Branch” and will reign over an eternal kingdom.  “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1, NIV).   In Romans 15:12, Paul connects Jesus descending from Jesse to the hope of the Gentiles, too.  

The Stone

This is not any "stone."  It probably is a foundation stone for the temple. “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.” (Isaiah 28:16, NIV).  "To the Jews at his first advent, the Messiah (Christ) was the stumbling stone and rock of offense (Isa 8:13-15; cf. Ps 118:22-23; Matt 21:42; 1 Peter 2:7-8). But to those who trusted in him, he was a never-failing refuge (Isa 28:16; 1 Peter 2:6)." [3]

 Zechariah sees this cornerstone of Zion, of God's people, as a stone with seven eyes. Seven being perfection; and eyes showing sight and knowledge, indicates this is the omniscient foundation for the Church.  Isaiah 11:2 (NIV), clarifies this:

² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

This vision includes but goes much wider and longer than the notion of an ethnic Israel restored to Palestine.  It certainly was designed to motivate the people to get back to work on the Temple in Jerusalem.  But the closing events parachute the reader in an eschatology trajectory that foresees the removal of the curse and divine blessing abounding, everywhere. ““And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”” (Zechariah 3:10, NLT).

Father what condescension, what grace it is that You would reveal Your Son to us in such earthy illustrations, that we might truly know Him and honor Him as God.  Today I come to my Servant.  Yes He willing disrobed and washed the disciples feet, but even more profound than that, He disrobed, was executed as blood poured down His own feet.  He did that because of my sin.  He had none. What mercy! Today I come to the Branch, who is not a sprout, but a sovereign. He is the obedient son of Jesse who will reign for ever and ever.  Today I come to the Seven-eyed, Seven-spirited, glorious Rock who is the cornerstone of the Church. He is a "stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.” (1 Peter 2:8, NIV).  But He is also the cornerstone for those who believe, as the Scripture says, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”” (1 Peter 2:6, NIV).  Lord, today I put my trust in You.  Today I again receive the assurance of Your pardon.  Today I bow before You as my King and my God.  Lead on Oh King Eternal.  Grant by Your Spirit a willing and obedient heart in me, today.  Amen.

 

 

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1. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1804). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
2. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Zec 3:8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
3. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/II. A Series of Eight Night Visions (1:7-6:8)/D. The Fourth Vision: The Cleansing and Restoration of Israel (3:1-10), Book Version: 4.0.2

Are You A Pugnacious Pastor or Church Leader?

3 John 9–10 (NIV),

⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. ¹⁰ So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

This letter of Paul's that he references is not known to us.  Diotrephes appears to be a church leader in the same church as Gaius, or at least a church near and known to Gaius. Apparently he is a man that loves first place.  He is a man that is spreading false rumors. He refuses to to welcome true believers. When people do extend a welcome to others, he puts them out of the church.  

John promises to deal with him when he comes to visit.  Who is this guy?  Obviously this was a man of some prominence and influence.  Was he a fellow elder?  We are not sure.  If John wrote a letter on hospitality and Diotrephes ditched the letter, then this might make perfect sense.  The point is that he was opposed to Apostolic authority and acting as an authority unto himself.  

All we can be certain of is this: Diotrephes loves himself more than anyone else.  He loves to have first place, preeminence.  The Greek word philoprōteuō means literally, “to love first place.” He is unwilling to submit to others.  Every church can have such an individual.  "Diotrephes was clearly abusing his position of authority. For some reason he was jealous of the apostles and refused to allow them in his church. Instead of following the command for a pastor to be hospitable and “not quarrelsome” (2 Timothy 3:2–3), Diotrephes was inhospitable and pugnacious. Instead of seeking to be the servant of all (Mark 9:35), Diotrephes loved to be in charge." [1]

If Diotrephes was a fellow-elder then the exhortation of Peter is very relevant.  “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2–3, NIV).

Father I am reminded that he who wants to be great must be a servant to all.  Keep me free from self-centered, selfish ambition that runs steam-roller over others.  Keep me from wanting to have the last word.  Keep me from conversation that I twist and turn so that it's all about me.  Keep me from the spirit of Diotrephes.  What a cancer in the body of Christ?   Oh Father that we would all put the interests of others before ourselves. Father that we would see others as more important than ourselves.  Our Savior gave up His rightful place and entered into humanity as a servant.  He served me by taking my sin on Himself.  He gave me, freely, His righteousness.  He died so that I would no longer live to myself, but for Him.  Grant, by the Holy Spirit, the will and the power to serve and not be served, Father.  Forgive me, for deep within my soul is a desire to be liked; a desire to be honored; and a desire to be affirmed.  Kill it with Your Spirit's power, this day.  For the sake of Jesus.  Amen.

 

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1. Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Diotrephes-in-the-Bible.html#ixzz3GyZIkKsX

The Road to Thanksgiving (An Exposition of Psalm 116) - The Destination

The personal psalm of thanksgiving, now adopted by the worshiping congregation instructs us about genuine expressions of gratitude.  When we are thankful we bring to mind the circumstance that becomes our story.  We contemplate its impact in our lives; and lastly we commit to live differently because of the Lord's help. The second half (like the first) reflects this pattern.  Today we want to look more closely at how the psalmist determined to live because of the Lord's mercy to him.

Psalm 116:13–19 (NIV),

¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. ¹⁴ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. ¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. ¹⁶ Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. ¹⁷ I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. ¹⁸ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, ¹⁹ in the courts of the house of the Lord— in your midst, Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

As an expression of his thanksgiving, the psalmist brings "a thank offering" (v.17) together with a drink offering (cf. Num 28:7), which he calls "the cup of salvation" (v.13). In other words, the answer is "public worship".  "A public display of gratitude meant to bolster God’s reputation." [1]

In a public testimony the writer acknowledges the Lord's great love for his saints.  They are precious to Him; and their adversity and even their death is not treated lightly by our Lord. 

Freed men and women respond to the Lord in gratitude with humble service to Him.  

The paying of vows likely reflects the custom "of making promises to God in gratitude or making a promise to repay in return for divine help." [1]

"Note, Those whose hearts are truly thankful will express their gratitude in thank-offerings. We must first give our ownselves to God as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1, 2 Co. 8:5), and then lay out of what we have for his honour in works of piety and charity. Doing good and communicating are sacrifices with which God is well pleased (Heb. 13:15, 16) and this must accompany our giving thanks to his name."[2] 

The writer teaches us that true gratitude is expressed publicly in worship, service and obedience to the Lord.  He is not suggesting that gratitude is the motivation.  He is suggesting that the natural follow-through of gratitude reflects these expressions.  Gratitude ought to be the ground for all we do.

Father, thank you for Your Word.  Thank you for Your mercies -- even the very breath I have this morning.  Thank You for the Lord Jesus Christ in whom we pray; and who continually intercedes for us.   Today I offer myself as a living sacrifice.  May my life be a public display of worship.  May it be always in service to You.  May the commitments of my heart find complete fulfillment according to Your will.  May gratitude be the ground of all that I do.   For the sake of Christ, 

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1. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ps 116:14). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

2. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (911). Peabody: Hendrickson.