RUSSELL SANDERS
2-26-2021
ZECHARIAH THE PROPHET – LESSON 6
THE BRANCH
Zechariah’s fourth vision of the night is given in chapter three. Although it had some instruction for the priesthood of that time, the main thrust is a foreshadow of Messiah, the eternal High Priest of God. Verse 1 shows Joshua (a variant form of Jesus’ name) “standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.” The Lord rebuked Satan for his resistance.
Verses 3-5 tell us that Joshua, the high priest, was clothed in filthy garments (representing sin). God took away the filthy garments, took away his iniquity, and clothed him with clean garments. He then put a “fair mitre” upon his head. This looks forward to the time of Jesus, our High Priest, when he took on all our sin (filthy garments), which were then “passed from” him (forgiven via His shed blood) and was clothed with garments of righteousness. Sitting “a fair mitre upon His head” is His heavenly crown as King of Kings.
Verse 7 goes on to say of Messiah (High Priest) that “thou shalt judge My House (end time judgments) and shalt also keep my courts (the courts of heaven) and…give thee places to walk (over all heaven and earth) …”.
Then, in verses 8-9, the earthly high priest, Joshua, is told “I will bring forth My servant the BRANCH.” This is a clear prophecy of the Messiah. Isaiah 4:2 also speaks of “the branch of the LORD.”
Verse 9 speaks of the stone laid by God. Jesus is that stone, the cornerstone that “will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” In one day, the blood sacrifice of the crucified BRANCH removed the curse of sin (iniquity) of mankind and the church was built upon that stone, the chief cornerstone.
Verse 10 says, “In that day (of fulfillment) …shall ye call every man his neighbor (brothers and sisters in Christ) under the vine (Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the Vine…”) and under the fig tree.”
The fig tree has two meanings. One is to show the prophetic seasons for Christ’s return. The second meaning is a place of meditation and communion with God and to “call every man” to join in that place of communion with Him. Nathaniel was in that place of meditation and communion in John 1:48, “under the fig tree” when Jesus “saw” him, then called him as one of His twelve disciples. It is a place for you and me (figuratively) to dwell in communion with Jesus, our Vine, in whom we, the branches, have our life and the fruit (figs) that we bear.
To truly grasp these deeper meanings from Zechariah brings such enrichment to our lives and to our spirits.
