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

Faith Receives Due To The Promise.

Paul has just reminded the reader that to fail to obey the Law is to stand cursed before God.  "He therefore that will avoid the curse, must lay hold upon the promise of blessing, or upon the faith of Abraham, or else he shall remain under the curse." [1]

Galatians 3:11–14 (NIV),

¹¹ Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” ¹² The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” ¹⁴ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Paul now appeals to another prophet, Habakkuk. If one is called to live by faith, then obviously it cannot be that we are live by the Law.  The two things are different.  "It is impossible therefore that faith should be of the law. For faith only resteth in the promise, it only apprehendeth and knoweth God, and standeth only in receiving good things of God. Contrariwise the law and works consist in doing, and in giving unto God . . . But faith requireth no works of us, or that we should give anything unto God, but that we believing the promise of God, should receive of him. Therefore the office of the law is to work, as the office of faith is to assent unto the promises. For faith is the faith of the promise, and the work is the work of the law." [1]

To seek to follow the Law, one must follow it fully.  "This expresses the principle of the law. Men are not commanded to believe the Old Testament law, but to do it. Failure to render absolute obedience is fatal."[2]  And now the Apostle reminds us that Christ took that curse of disobedience for us.  "For he saith not that Christ was made a curse for Himself, but for us. Therefore all the weight of the matter standeth in this word 'for us' . . . But Christ took our sins upon Him, and for them died upon the Cross; therefore it behoveth that He should become a transgressor, and (as Isaiah saith, chapter liii.) “be reckoned among the transgressors.” [3]

We note that all the blessings of the Gospel, the substitutionary life and death of Christ Jesus, come to us through Christ -- not Abraham, not of ethnic origin -- but Christ.  And this is so  “we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith . . . and this liberty and gift of the Spirit we receive not by any other merit than by faith alone. [3] "Paul began his argument in this section (vv. 2–3) by asking the Galatians how they received the Spirit. It was through faith. Given this, the Galatians have already experienced the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham." [4]

This promise of the Spirit (Acts 2:33; [Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Joel 2:28; John 7:39; Eph. 1:13]) is that work of the Spirit baptizing believers into Christ.

Without faith, Father, it is impossible to please You.  Faith is required from beginning to end. Faith is that which receives with an open hand from You.  Faith never gives. You give. I will forever be the beneficiary of Your grace.  Faith loves the words "for us."  Christ came for us.  Christ lived for us. Christ died for us.  Christ ever lives for us.  Apart from the "for us" there is nothing for us.  The promise of the Spirit is the promise of sovereign and free grace.  It is the promise of the New Covenant bought for and paid for by the Lamb of God and applied by the Spirit of God.  It's a promise of security and a promise of assurance.  This is my rock today, Father.  There is no other word that brings hope and security.  Thanks be unto God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 3:10). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2385). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
3. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 3:13). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
4. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 3:14). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.