Got this picture? You had better know right up front that if you are one of God's elect trying to do His will in this final generation that you have an ADVERSARY who will try to "resist" you. Of course God's elect know only too well what sinners they are in the flesh and old Satan the accuser will use every means he can to try and discredit them and accuse them.Zech. 3:1
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
Learn a great lesson from this "vision". Do NOT argue nor bargain with the adversary, Satan, the devil, because one simply does not negotiate nor make deals with murderers and terrorists and Satan is both, even the father of both. The LORD, the One with all power in both heaven and earth who is soon returning to the city He has chosen to reign in for all eternity, even Jerusalem, shall rebuke Satan. Again, the LORD, NOT you nor I, shall rebuke Him... and rebuke him He SHALL. "See" the vision and also know that even Michael the archangel does not discuss policy nor strategy nor even bring railing accusations against old slimeball slick Satan, but simply says "The Lord rebuke thee!" Be wise and "Do thou likewise!"Zech. 3:2
And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Then too, know and understand that Satan cannot "burn" God's elect for they are protected by the Gospel Armor (Eph. 6). Remember that Nebuchanezzar the king of Babylon, who was a type of the king of Babylon of the end times, tried to "burn" God's servants Shadrach, Meshach, and Abedneggo but it didn't work, did it? In fact, the "fire" did not even singe their hair, as in "not an hair of their heads perished" (Luke 21:18), nor did even the smell of smoke from the pit cling to their "garments"!Jude 1:9
Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
So let Satan try to resist and let him make all the accusations He wants. You know where he stands! And you also know where you stand with the Lord, don't you? You do if you are one of His elect chosen before the foundation of this world (Eph. 1:4). Here is what Paul says regarding those who have a destiny, a "job to do" in this final generation:
God's elect who have been predestinated to serve Him have been justified and glorified, even from the first earth age if you have the wisdom to know! Keep that thought in mind as we continue.Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
The Lord takes care of His own.[31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
If Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe, justifies someone who can override His decision? Answer: No one! God help those who come against and interfere and try to stop His children from doing His will in fulfilling His plan. Woe![32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?[33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Again, the Lord takes care of His own. Now let's continue with the vision Zechariah sees of the priesthood, i.e. God's elect.[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Yep, I'm sure that God's elect recognize this as a proper and fitting spiritual portrait of themselves! Of course it can be easily argued that these filthy garments are the transgressions of the people if one considers the duties of the high priest. Nevertheless, whether collectively or individually we do know that "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags".Zech. 3:3
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Now notice what happens next!Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Look at that! Did you "see" what just happened? Christ took away Joshua's filthy rags and caused his iniquity to go "bye bye"! Then He said He would clothe him with a "change of raiment" which you can be sure is clean and white just like a wedding garment! In other words, Christ took away Joshua's filthy garments and clothed him with salvation.Zech. 3:4
And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Note: It is important that one fully understands this verse, otherwise he or she could be in for some rough times in dealing not only with the adversary but with grappling over the sins of your flesh.
Notice what Joshua receives next!
To understand this verse one needs to know what a fair mitre is. Here is Dr. Smith's definition:Zech. 3:5
And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
Do you see the picture? Christ took Joshua, set him aside as a brand plucked from the fire, as one protected from the accusations of Satan, took away his filthy garments (his iniquity), clothed him in His righteousness, and set a mitre upon his head making "him a priest unto our God" (Rev. 5:10), even with His name written upon his forehead! Wow, what a picture of God's elect!Mitre(something rolled around the head), the turban or headdress of the high priest, made of fine linen cloth, eight yards long, folded around the head. On the front was a gold plate on which was inscribed Holiness to the Lord .(Smith's Bible Dictionary)
The word "protested" in this verse means to "solemnly testify", not to "protest" against something like we use it today. The LORD is simply giving His solemn word to Joshua that if he "stays in His ways", stays in His Word, and "keeps His charge", i.e. His commands, by doing the work of the priest which is to teach and build up the temple of the Lord, then he shall indeed judge and rule and have free reign in His house... even forever![6] And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,
Those who were standing by when Zechariah saw this vision were angels, weren't they?[7] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
Men who "are wondered at" are men who are for a "sign", even a "sign", a witness, to this generation who go before He brings forth the BRANCH, Jesus Christ, at the second advent![8] Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
The word "stone" used here is the same word translated "plummet" in the next chapter which we shall see (i.e. the plummet) "in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven". However, do not miss in this verse that the LORD of hosts has declared that He will remove the iniquity of the land. In other words, there shall be a great cleansing of the land, even of the whole earth, "in one day" on THE DAY when Jesus Christ returns to the city of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, in chapter 4 we are going to learn the details concerning the "plummet" and those "seven eyes"... so keep "your eyes" open![9] For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
"In that day", i.e. in the day that Jesus Christ cleanses the land, "you shall call" every "man" and his "neighbor" to the feast of the LORD, which is what the figure of speech "call under the vine and under the fig tree" means.[10] In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
To that end, when the days of the prophecies of Haggai
(feast) and Zechariah (Yahveh has remembered) are fulfilled it shall truly
be said that "Yahveh has remembered the feast"!