SHOWERS

Zechariah 6:9 – And the word of the Lord came to me:  

God had finally ceased pouring visions into the prophet Zechariah.  The visions themselves were far reaching; they spoke of the prosperity and enlargement of Israel as well as the doom of her enemies. 

The visions went thousands of years into the future, touching on the coming of the Messiah and the final battle between the kingdom of the antichrist and the kingdom of God.  God had provided a glimpse of his future plans for Israel and the world.    

I imagine the Jewish men (and women) discussed these visions at length, and spent a lot of time mulling them over in their minds (I know I would).  I bet they tried to work out some way in which God would bring these amazing events to pass.    

Considering human nature, I am equally sure they expected the visions to be fulfilled in a short amount of time – maybe even that very day or month! 

But the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months and the visions did not come to pass. 

The temple was finally rebuilt, but it fell far, far short of the glory of Solomon's temple.  For many, it was a great disappointment.  

Meanwhile, the struggles of daily life in Jerusalem continued:

• The enemies of the Jews continued to mock and oppose them.
• The Jews had to rid themselves of their foreign wives, and recommit themselves to the Lord (Ezra 10:10-12), which was a very painful exercise.
• The Jews missed the family and friends that they left in Babylon.
• They continued the difficult and seemingly endless task of taming the land they possessed, making it suitable for farming or grazing.

Let's be honest - although God promised that the kingdom of David would once again be made glorious, the Jews of that generation certainly were not experiencing it.    

I can understand how the Jews might feel that God's favor (allowing them to leave Babylon and come back to Jerusalem) might seem more like a curse than a blessing.  I can easily imagine the griping, complaining and doubting that ensued.

It isn't hard to imagine that as people endured the grind of daily life, the majesty and glory of the visions would fade.  Perhaps there were even some who doubted the visions that Zechariah claimed to have seen. 

So God, in his great mercy, speaks to Israel again. This time he did not speak through a vision seen solely by the prophet. Instead, he directs Zechariah to create a tangible token or sign of the glorious blessings that were coming.

Zechariah 6:10 - "Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah."

Here we learn of either the arrival or the gathering of three men, who are subsequently taken to the house of Josiah, son of Zephaniah.

There is a difference of opinion about these three men. 

Some say that the Jews who remained in Babylon had collected an offering of silver and gold for the new temple and these three high ranking men - Heldai (also known as Helem or Chelem - worldliness), Tobijah (the Lord is good) and Jedaiah (God knows/cares) were commissioned to visit Jerusalem to deliver the gift.  They were also to bring word back to Babylon regarding the temple and all that was happening in Jerusalem.

Others believe that these three men were indeed Jewish officials from Babylon, but they were not bringing an offering collected by the Jews.  They were delivering vessels of gold and silver that had been taken from Solomon's temple and put into storage after the death of Nebuchadnezzar.  These were to be delivered to the new temple by order of Cyrus, who had commissioned the work (Ezra chapter 1).  

A third theory claims that these three high ranking men had actually left Babylon permanently and were residing in Jerusalem. However, they were very weak in faith and did not believe the promises of God which had been revealed through the visions of Zechariah.

Worse yet, they were negatively affecting the other Jews, sowing seeds of doubt and unbelief.  Those who hold to this explanation believe that God commanded them to give an offering for this work as a reproof for their unbelief.  The idea is that because of this sacrifice and the subsequent sign it provided, they would cease spreading doubt and unbelief among their fellow Jews.

As for Josiah son of Zephaniah (also called Hem), he is clearly a resident of Jerusalem, because he has a house there.  He is either a craftsman who has the ability to work with gold and silver, or he is an official treasurer of the temple.

Here we find an underlying principle of the kingdom of heaven – did you catch it? 

Each one of us has a role to fulfill; the work of the kingdom is only complete when we all pitch in.

• Some are gifted to be pastors, teachers, or evangelists.
• Some people have a knack for organization and paperwork.
• Some specialize in children's ministry.
• Still others give of themselves by cleaning the church or maintaining the grounds.
• There are those who have a true heart for ministering to the needy or the shut-ins.
• There are those who can afford to be exceptionally generous to the work of the Lord.
• Many are gifted in praise and worship.

What role are you fulfilling in your local church?  

Next, we want to note that the command given to Zechariah reveals a clear sense of urgency.  There is to be no delay in carrying out the command of God; it is to happen immediately (the same day) as the men arrive in Jerusalem. 

If the three men are coming as visitors, they are to be taken to the house of Josiah immediately upon their arrival.  If they are residents of Jerusalem, then they are to accompany Zechariah to the house of Josiah the same day that God gave the prophet this command.   

Zechariah 6:11 – "Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest."

Interestingly, the original text does not specify if there was one crown or two.  Some feel that there were actually two crowns, one made of silver and one made of gold.  If this were the case, then both crowns were placed upon the head of the priest.

However, it would also make sense to think that there was only one crown made of a mixture of both materials.

In either case, what we find happening here is actually a coronation – Joshua the priest is crowned as if he were a king!

In a public ceremony, held at the site of the temple, this crown was to be placed on the head of Joshua, the high priest.  But, as you recall from our prior studies, the high priest already had a head covering – a miter. 

We discussed the importance of this head covering back in the fourth vision of Zechariah.  By way of review, we can say that the headdress of the high priest was a significant part of his official robes.  It had a golden plate fastened upon it which read "Holy to the Lord":

Exodus 28:36-38 - And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.  And upon the front of the turban it shall be.  And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

This engraved plate reflected the fact that the high priest (and ONLY the high priest) was called to bear the guilt of the children of Israel.  If anyone else tried to bear it, they would die because of their sin.

So the picture presented to us is that the new crown was placed on top of the miter that Joshua the high priest was already wearing.  In effect, he had two crowns on his head at once.  

This was astonishing to the Jews.  Such a thing had never taken place before in the history of Israel!  All priests came from the lineage of Aaron (tribe of Levi), while the kings came from the seed of David (tribe of Judah). 

Thus, there was always a distinction between kings and priests.  It would have been very strange to find a king from the tribe of Levi.  Likewise, it would have been contrary to God's appointed order to have a priest from the tribe of Judah.  

In the past, Melchizedek was the only man who had occupied both offices (Genesis 14:18).  But now God was showing that in the future, another would arise who would permanently hold both offices – the Branch, also known as the Messiah!  

Zechariah 6:12 – And say to him, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord."'

Picture the scene: The Jews have gathered at the temple where Zechariah, along with Josiah and the three dignitaries from Babylon, summon Joshua the son of Zephaniah.  When he appears wearing his high priestly garments, Zechariah unveils a royal crown, made of silver and gold, which he places upon the head of the priest, over the miter he already wore. 

The people were no doubt gasping in surprise.  They surely wanted to know the meaning of this unexpected event.  

At that point, Zechariah gives the Jews a message directly from God.  Joshua and his crowns were a symbol of the one who would be the Branch (mentioned in the fourth vision, Zechariah 3:8) or the Messiah.  When the Branch came, he would occupy the offices of both priest and king.   

The Lord was very specific that the Branch/Messiah will 'branch out from his place'. 

Branching out could refer to the literal place(s) where the Branch arose, namely the land of Judea, including Bethlehem, Galilee and Nazareth.  If so, it indicates that Jesus rose from humble obscurity to a place of fame and eminence.

Branching out may also refer to a Davidic king arising after Israel had been 'cut off' as a nation.  After the captivity, the line of David no longer had any ruling power.  It could be said that the royal line had been cut off, like a tree is cut down above ground, never to exist again.

But with God, all things are possible!  Though the line of David seemed to be dead, its root was still alive.  From that root God would raise a shoot or branch from of the lineage of David who would once again sit on the throne of royal power.  

Isaiah 11:10 - And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand as an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his place of rest shall be glorious.

Zechariah also adds that the Branch will 'build the temple of the Lord'.  Obviously, he was not referring to the current temple, as that was finished by Zerubbabel (Zechariah 4:9).  Therefore the prophet must be speaking of another temple.

This new temple would not be an earthly temple made with hands, but a spiritual temple – the church.  The Branch/Messiah would be the foundation of it:

Matthew 21:42 - Jesus said unto them, Did you never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?  

He would also be the master builder and head of it:

Colossians 1:18 - And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The glory of the new spiritual temple built by the Messiah would be so great, the temple of Solomon would pale in comparison (Haggai 2:6-9).  The Messiah will sit upon his throne as both King and Priest; a thing never before heard of or imagined by anyone.  Indeed, he himself was like no other person:   

• The Messiah was the true and eternal God; he was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-2).

• Yet he was also truly a man, of the lineage of David. He was the 'branch' of God (Isaiah 4:2), born into the flesh by a virgin through the power of Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

• The Messiah was both God and man, without any change of one nature into the other or confusion of one with the other.

• He was sent to be God's servant for the redemption of lost sinners. As such, he took upon himself the form of a servant; he came to minister not to be ministered to (Mark 10:45).

• However, one day he will be exalted as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, ruling and reigning as our Savior and King forever (Revelation 19:16).� Every knee will bow before him and every tongue will confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).

What could be more glorious or more precious than the Branch, the one who is both man and God, the one who perfectly balances justice and mercy?

Zechariah 6:13 – "'It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne.  And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'

Here Zechariah affirms once again that it would be the Branch/Messiah who builds the spiritual temple known as the church.  This would not be a temple built by human hands; God was planning to dwell within the hearts of his people!

As for his throne, it will be one of unmatched power, honor and glory:

Luke 1:32-33 - He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.  

In this passage, the Lord declares through Zechariah that Jesus will sit upon his throne, which implies security and permanence.  No one has the ability to take this throne/authority away from him; his kingdom will last forever:

Daniel 2:44 - And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Thus, the Branch/Messiah will forever rule from his throne.  As ruler, he will make laws, distribute rewards and punish offenders.

Not only that, the Messiah will sit upon his royal throne as a priest too:

Psalm 110:4 - The LORD has sworn, and will not relent, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Christ does not cease to be our mediator and high priest when he takes his place on his throne.  All power will be given to him in heaven and on earth but he will still 'ever live to make intercession' for the saints (Hebrews 7:25).

Indeed we are told that he makes intercession for us while sitting at the right hand of the Father, which indicates a position of authority (Hebrews 8:1).

We are also told that the Branch or Messiah will bear royal honor (your translation may say 'glory'). This means he will bear the weight of all the cares and concerns of his church and kingdom, both small and great; those of every individual, however important or insignificant.

Obviously, that kind of honor/glory is a burden that you and I could never manage.  But it's not too heavy for Jesus because he is the self-sufficient God who upholds all things by his power and might. 

In former times, the glory of the priesthood and the glory of royal power had been divided between the house of Aaron and the house of David.  Now Christ alone would bear the glory of both mantles. 

The glory of the nation of Israel had long been tarnished, but Jesus would eventually raise it up out of the dust as he was the Israelite in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed (Genesis 22:18, 26:4).    

Zechariah also states that the 'council of peace shall be between them both'.  Two main explanations have been given for this clause. 

The first says that the 'council' refers to the complete peace and unity which would occur between the High Priest and the King, when Jesus takes on both mantles of authority.  It points to the peace which ensues when the requirement of God's justice is fulfilled by the sacrifice of our great High Priest.   

The second explanation says that the 'council' refers to the peace between the Father and Son, as the salvation of man was both the will of the Father and the Son.

A third explanation says that says the 'council' refers to the gospel, which unites Jews and Gentiles together in peace and love into one united kingdom of God.

The combining of the offices of priest and king makes perfect sense to those of us living in the age of grace. However, it was an enormous shock to the men of Zechariah's day as nothing of the sort was even hinted at under the law. This was a completely new revelation for them.

Zechariah 6:14 – And the crown shall be in the temple of the Lord as a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.

Oddly, there does not appear to be any reason why 'Helem' is used instead of Heldai or why 'Hem' is used instead of Josiah in this verse, because they are obviously the same people.

At any rate, Joshua did not keep the new crown (or crowns).  It was subsequently placed in the temple, where it could be viewed by all of Israel.  The crown became a memorial, or a reminder of the promise of God.

When the Jews looked at their circumstances, they were tempted to think that God's promises were never going to come to pass. But instead of sinking into unbelief, all they needed to do was look at that crown and remember that God was in control. At the appointed time, he was going to bring forth the Branch/Messiah, who would sit on the throne of his Father David as both a king and priest.

Many commentators also see symbolism in the crown itself.  They believe the silver and gold represent the honor and glory of Christ as both King and Priest, as well as the unification of the Jews and Gentiles under Christ, who is head of the church.

Zechariah 6:15 – "And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord.  And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.  And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God."

Who are the people who will come from 'far off' to help build the temple of the Lord?

Primarily, these 'far off' people were Jews who were living in Babylon, Persia and other remote places of the world.  Some came to Jerusalem to help with the actual labor of building, while others sent monetary gifts to assist in the building and maintenance of the temple.

Once these gifts (labor and money) began to flow into Jerusalem, it was a sign to the men of that day that Zechariah's prophesy was indeed of the Lord.

However, there is another explanation as well.  'Far off' does not necessarily refer to those who are logistically far away.  It also points to men/women who are spiritually far away from God.  In this case, it refers to the Gentiles.

This is confirmed by the apostle Paul, who actually describes the Gentiles as being 'far off' from Christ:

Ephesians 2:13-14 - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

When the Branch/Messiah sacrificed himself for our sins, he took on the dual role of our High Priest and King.  The first thing he did was open up the kingdom of heaven to the Gentiles. 

Once they were admitted into the kingdom, the Gentiles assisted in the growth of the church by providing labor and wealth.  Even in our own generation, we see evidence of the Gentiles contributing to the building of the church through mission work, personal evangelism, printing and distribution of the scriptures, and countless other ministries.

And again this word from the Lord circles back to the fact that the Jews were disappointed by the new temple.  It's no wonder that God commanded them not to despise the day of small beginnings, for his glorious purposes and plans (creation of the church) were too awesome for them to even conceive. 

How could the Jews of Zechariah's day ever have imagined that the temple they built was the very place where Jesus the Branch/Messiah would later preach about the kingdom of heaven? (It's mind-boggling, isn't it?)

Zechariah assures the Jews they can believe the word he now delivers to them, because it (the coming of the Messiah) will be brought about by the Lord of Hosts, the one whose power is infinite. No person, power or thing can stand against the will of God, when it pleases him to take action.

Isaiah 46:9-10 - Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Notice that at the very last thing Zechariah tells the Jews is that 'this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God'. 

How are we to interpret this phrase?

We can be sure that the prophet is NOT saying that coming of the Messiah is in any way dependent upon the actions of man.  Even if all of Israel turned away from God, they could not stop the coming of the Messiah. They could in no way hinder him from taking on the dual mantles of King and Priest.

Rather, this phrase is to be taken as a warning; the promises mentioned here are conditional. The Jews' part in building up the spiritual kingdom of God and enjoying his blessings and favor was dependent upon their faithfulness to God and their willingness to receive the Messiah.

If they chose unbelief over faith in God's promises, they would deprive themselves of all the blessings and favor that God had in store for them.  Unfortunately, many refused to do so during the incarnation (John 8:47, John 18:37).  

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The Jews back in the day of Zechariah were stuck in unbelief.  Because the promises of God did not happen immediately, they began to think the promises would never come to pass.  If they continued in unbelief, they would forfeit the peace that God wanted them to have. 

Keep in mind that peace is not just the absence of turmoil.  It refers to the perfection of all the highest blessings of God, both temporal and spiritual.

God wants to bless you just as much as he did the children of Israel.  So I encourage you to stand firm in your faith, keeping a tight hold on the promises God has given to you.  Do not wallow in unbelief, but speak the Word over your situation until you see the answer come!

 

Let me offer you some relief:

As we saw in this passage of scripture, God used Zechariah to be his prophet, three ambassadors to bring a gift and a craftsman to make a crown.  It took the talents and efforts of all these men for God's will be done.

This indicates that each one of us has special gifts and talents that the Lord has given us.  No one gift is any more important than another; all are needed for the proper functioning of the church. 

What is your role? What talents has God given to you?  How has your role changed or evolved over time?  What are you doing for his kingdom today??

If you are busy comparing yourself to others, stop it!  Instead, diligently serve the Lord in whatever way he has opened up for you.  And remember - the best way to find new avenues of ministry is to be faithful in the ones you currently have!  

 

Let me offer you some strength:

As we look at today's post, I can't help but be reminded that there is no greater gift than salvation!  You and I live in a generation where we have seen the fulfillment of this incredible prophesy of Zechariah.  How amazing is that?! 

When we consider all that Jesus did in becoming both our High Priest and King, how can we not rejoice and be glad, regardless of what else we are facing?

Psalm 35:9 - And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.