Chapter Eight
A Brand
Plucked out of the Fire
Zechariah chapter three presents a
dualism in prophetic types. Joshua, “the
high priest,” represents the nation of Israel still under captivity but
released back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. We can also see by the description of
Joshua’s high priestly attire, that Israel is still defiled before the LORD. We know from history that God’s purpose in
this return of this remnant and rebuilding of the temple is that Messiah would
be the rejected stone. The point is that
God is building a living Temple of a New Genesis in which to dwell amongst His
redeem. The cornerstone (Luke 20:17) of that living Temple and that whole New Genesis
“in Christ” is the birth, death, burial, and resurrection/glorification of
Jesus Christ. There is no other
way!
Jesus had to die
for the sins of the people before He could be their kinsman Redeemer. The point of the text is not just that the
Jews killed their promised Messiah. The
point of the text is that every one of us necessitated the death of Jesus
because of our condemnation and sin (Romans 3:23, 5:12, and 6:23). It was my sins personally that necessitated
the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
It was our sins that nailed Him to the Cross and brought Him to give “up
the ghost” (John 19:30) for our sins. It
is only when we understand all of this that we can understand the words, “IT IS
FINISHED” (John 19:30). This means God’s
whole redemptive plan in Christ “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world” (Revelation 13:8) “is finished.”
Your eternal destiny can rest in a finished work of redemption.
Imagine yourself
standing in the judgment hall when Pilate asked the question, “What shall I do
then with Jesus which is called Christ (Matthew 27:22)? How
would you answer? You know from
Scripture that if Jesus does not die, you are damned to an eternal existence of
unimaginable torment prepared for fallen angels. You know from Scripture, that in the death of
Jesus, He will crush (Genesis 3:15) Satan’s death hold on humanity and redeem
all that will trust in what His death accomplishes. You also know from Scripture, that the grave
will not be able to hold Jesus and He will be resurrected and glorified to
reign forever on the throne of David. How would you answer Pilate’s
question? The very knowledge of the
word “Christ,” by which Pilate identifies Jesus, represents an understanding of
a Redeemer born to die for the sins of humanity. Knowing what you know, how
would you answer Pilate’s question?
Knowing what we know, we MUST say we would shamefully answer with the
crowd, “Let him be crucified.” We MUST answer,
“Let him be crucified,” because His crucifixion was the will of God! And, we MUST acknowledge that each of us
contributed to the necessity of our Saviour’s death. Weep oh sinner! Weep not for your sins, but for what your
sins have necessitated. Then, and only
then, will you understand what it means to repent.
“1 And
he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD {preincarnate Son of God}, and Satan {the adversary of redemption and all of
humanity} standing at his right hand to resist him {hinder humanity’s salvation}” (Zechariah 3:1).
The picture
before us in Zechariah chapter three is what God sees. We must always be cognizant of the reality
that how we see things is not always what God sees. God shows us three individuals involved in the
conflict of the Ages. The conflict is about who is in dominion and
who will ultimately possess dominion over this creation. We see Joshua representing the remnant of the
redeemed but still defiled and clothed in his defiled garments. We see Satan the fallen and defiled angel
whose purpose of existence since his fall is to keep humanity bound to his
destiny by the chains of sin and death resisting everything God does to
reconcile humanity to Him. Finally, we
see the “angel of the LORD,” or the Messenger of redemption in the Son of God
the promised Redeemer.
Although Satan is presently the “prince of the power of the
air” (Ephesians 2:2) and the “god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4), his
eternal destiny is sealed. Satan is
neither omnipotent (all-powerful) nor
omniscient (all-knowing). Although angels are superior in abilities to
humans, Satan is a still a created being with many limitations. Although Satan has taken humanity’s lordship
over the first creation, every individual human can still choose God to be Lord
over his soul, spirit, and body. This is
the opportunity of salvation offered by grace and received through faith. The point is that even though all of humanity
is fallen in sin and condemnation with Satan, we do not need to remain in that
fallen state. There is a “door” of
escape from the lordship of Satan in the Person of Jesus through His death
burial, and resurrection. We can choose another Lord and another
existence. The door of the prison is
opened, and the chains of sin are broken.
There is no need to stay in the prison living under your deserved
condemnation. Freedom is offered to
“whosoever will call upon the Name of the LORD” (Romans 10:13).
“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 {Joshua representing the remnant of Israel redeemed by grace through
faith} plucked out of the fire” (Zechariah 3:2)?
The emphasis
of this text is that although Satan is the “god of this world,” he is not God. Satan seeks to obfuscate the will of God and
the simplicity of redemption offered by grace and received through faith. Satan's adversity to God’s will of redemption is
rebuked and the will of God is brought into focus.
Joshua,
typical of all the redeemed, is the “brand plucked out of the fire.” The “brand” was another stick or poker used to
tinder the embers in a fire. The wooded
poker as it is used to tinder the embers would become dried and ready to burst
into flame itself at any further exposer to the fire. This is how we must see every soul. Every lost soul is like a brand kindled and ready to burst into
the fire of damnation at any moment.
Hell is inevitable and imminent for the lost.
The “fire” is the judgment and chastisement of God upon
national Israel. Satan thinks he has won
in the battle for dominion because Israel is in captivity. He may have won a momentary victory, but the
war is not over. The promise of
redemption in the promise of the coming Redeemer still looms upon the horizon
of eternity. The immutability of God’s
promise makes the event of redemption inevitable. What God says He will do, He will do!
God has chosen Israel to be His dominion nation from which
to rule the world. God has chosen
Jerusalem to be His dominion city from which to rule the world. Satan, the adversary, will be bound for the
whole Kingdom Age. This is Satan’s
rebuke sealed ultimately when he is cast into the “lake of fire” at the end of
the Kingdom Age. Satan’s eternal destiny,
and those refusing to repent and be “born again,” has been sealed by the death,
burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
“51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all {the redeemed} be changed {glorified}, 52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible
shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O
death, where is thy sting {poisonous
stinger}? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting {poisonous stinger} of death of is
sin {whose penalty is now removed};
and the strength of sin is the law {the
pronouncement of guilt being placed upon the substitute and borne vicariously
by Him}. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I
Corinthians 15:51-57).
Zechariah
3:2 is the ultimate rebuke of Satan, which is spoken by the LORD Jesus. Although the glorification of the
redeemed has not taken place yet in time, it is a sure thing. The redeemed are predestined “to be conformed to the
image of” of the glorified Jesus (Romans 8:29 and I John 3:2). Just as the restoration of national Israel has not taken
place in time yet, it is a sure thing. The
restoration of national Israel to be the nation through which Jesus will have
dominion over this world is predestined of God by prophecy and covenant. You
can count on it!
We must always remember that we do not see all the
participants in the eternal battle of the Ages.
The purpose of God’s revelation in Zechariah 3:2 is to reveal to
humanity His understanding of the major contributor to the corruption of
humanity and especially the fact that Satan has targeted the corruption of the
nation of Israel. Therefore, God is
longsuffering and patient with sinners in their struggle to live in any
semblance of righteousness. God
understands that humans are like little children under the influence of an evil
adversary who uses a network of evil to get them to defile one another before
God. Satan’s methods are subtle, and
covertly hidden in the dark secret lusts of men’s hearts. It is there in the shadows hidden from the
eyes of their parents and peers where Satan corrupts and inculcates the human
nature with the wicked filth of human licentiousness in pursuit of the
momentary pleasures of “sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:25). Satan and his devices need to be
understood. Therefore, it is the grace
of God in exposing him through prophecy and direct teaching of the Word of God. Learn Satan’s devices. But even more important, learn to use what
God has provided to defend against those devices.
“10 Finally, my brethren, be strong {be strengthen or spiritual enabled} in the Lord, and in the power {strength or dominion} of his might {this is the power or might of God that indwells the believer in the Person of
the Holy Spirit -enabling GRACE}.
11 Put on the whole armour of God {God’s enabling grace is define in the provision of the pieces of
spiritual armament provided to the believer by God. Putting on this spiritual armament is what defines putting “on the new man”; Ephesians
4:24 and Colossians 3:10}, that ye
may be able to stand {in spiritual
combat} against the wiles of the
devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood {The greatest resource of a wrestler is to
out-strength his opponent. In a battle
of two wrestlers of equal abilities, the one with the greatest strength will
overwhelm the resources of the other.}, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places
{This struggle cannot be won with human wit, or human strength}. 13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand {to stand against the constant barrage of satanic onslaught of evil
devices and weapons of temptation beyond human imagination} in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13).
Satan’s two
main devices against believers have been historical constants:
1. Divide with false doctrine and selfishness and conquer by creating
the necessity for doctrinal warfare and contending for the faith
2. Defile with sin and conquer when the power of God is lost
due to the breach of fellowship with God
“3 Now Joshua
was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 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. 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” (Zechariah 3:3-5).
Joshua as the
High Priest of Israel represents the nation of Israel trusting in the “works of
the Law” for their righteousness before the LORD. Joshua is clothed “with filthy garments” - excrement
covered and defiled. This is how God
sees our own efforts at self-righteousness.
The prophet Isaiah accurately reflects God’s view of man in
self-righteousness; “But we are all as
an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
{as menstrual rags}; and we all do
fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah
64:6). Paul, by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, expands upon God’s view of humanity striving
for their own righteousness before God.
This is how God sees all humanity, even the best of the best.
“9 What then? are we
better than they {those living in
blatant, licentious unbelief without any restraint upon their lusts}? No, in no wise: for we have before proved {previously charged and proven guilty} both Jews and Gentiles, that they are
all under sin {under bondage of
condemnation; death and eternal separation from God and capable of the most
heinous wickedness}; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none
that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They
are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is
none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open
sepulcher {If we were able to look inside
ourselves, we would see ourselves as God sees us; an open grave filled with a
rotting corpse}; {now God gives
examples of how the rot and decay in our souls manifests itself in our actions
and attitudes as corrupting tools of Satan} with their tongues they have
used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose
mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are
swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their
ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There
is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:9-18).
What would humanity become if left apart
from the restraints of the Word of God and the convicting of our consciences by
the Holy Spirit of God? We are only
beginning to see in our own day what the world must have been like just before
the great flood of Noah’s day. We are just
beginning to see what the cities and people of Sodom and Gomorrah must have
been like before God necessitated their destruction.
We are watching the warning of Christ about the social evolution where “iniquity shall
abound and the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12) before our very
eyes. Iniquity will fully develop to its
fullest extent once the Church (all true believers) is raptured from the face
of the earth at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation of God’s judgment
of the nations.
“1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at
hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall
not come, except there come a falling away {religious apostasy or revolt against the truth of God} first, and
that man of sin be revealed {the
embodiment of evil influences and corruption in the antichrist} , the son
of perdition {possessed of Satan}; 4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself
that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I
told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth {restrains or holds down} that he might
be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already
work: only he who now letteth {same word
translated ‘withholdeth’ in verse six; refers
to the Restrainer in the Person of Holy Spirit through His filling of indwelled
believers} will let, until he be taken out of the way {in the rapture of all Church Age believers}.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this
cause God shall send them {the Christ
rejecting antichrist unbelievers who are in rebellion against God and all of
God’s inspired truths} strong delusion, that they should believe a lie {that the antichrist is there new god, who will deliver to them the world of total
licentiousness that they want and demand}: 12 That they all
might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness”
(II Thessalonians 2:1-12).
“Now Joshua was clothed with
filthy garments, and stood before the angel” (Zechariah 3:3). The way things are can be changed by the Word
of the Creator. Most people have little
understanding of what the clothing of the High Priest of Israel
represents. The High Priest of Israel
represents the people of Israel to God.
Joshua, meaning everything he is and does is defiled by his filthy
garments in this text, is how God saw the nation of Israel represented in
Joshua.
“11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 12
If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch
bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the
priests answered and said, No. 13 Then said Haggai, If one that
is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the
priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. 14 Then answered
Haggai, and said, So is this
people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is
every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean”
(Haggai 2:11-14).
The picture
before us in Zechariah 3:3-5 is the miraculous work of God during the last half
of he seven-year Tribulation known as “Jacob’s trouble.” “Alas!
for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even
the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7). Revelation chapter seven gives us the details
of what God does to bring Israel to faith in Jesus during these last three and
a half years of Great Tribulation.
During these last years of “Jacob’s trouble,” God will miraculously turn the hearts of
Jews living on Earth to trust in Jesus as their Messiah and be “born again”
through the Blood of the Lamb. One
hundred and forty-four thousand glorified Jews living in Heaven will be sealed
in their foreheads with the Name of God.
They are returned to Earth to Israel to preach the Gospel to the Jews
during the last half of the Tribulation.
A new nation of “born again” Jews will be created.
“9 After this {the sealing of the 144,000} I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude,
which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and
tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice,
saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders
and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped
God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever
and ever. Amen. 1 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white
robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are
they which came out of great tribulation {no definite article, therefore this is not referring to the seven-year tribulation}, and have washed their robes, and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they
before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he
that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall
hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them,
nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne
shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God
shall wipe away all tears {remorse for
previously having rejected Jesus and blasphemed His Name} from their eyes”
(Revelation 7:9-17).
Clothing
Joshua with clean priestly garb and the turban of the High Priest shows the
restoration of the office of the High Priest.
However, the position of the High Priest will one day no longer be Old
Covenant, but a new Melchisedecan priesthood where Jesus will be the High
Priest (Hebrews chapters five and seven).
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua. Therefore, the transition is from the the
High Priesthood of Joshua under the Old Covenant to the High Priesthood of the
glorified Jesus under the New Covenant.
We see the transition from the imperfect shadows (types) of the Old
Covenant to the perfect reality fulfilled in Christ in the New Covenant. This is detailed in one of the most
remarkable texts in the Bible.
“7 Then said I {Jesus,
the Messiah}, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,)
to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering
and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither
hadst pleasure therein {the constant ritualistic Old Covenant repetitive
offerings}; which are offered by the
law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first {Mosaic Covenant and its priesthood}, that he may establish the second {the New Covenant and it new priesthood}.
10 By the which will {the
‘finished’ once forever offering of Jesus to fully propitiate the wrath of God}
we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And
every {Old Covenant} priest standeth
daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12
But this man {the incarnate Jehovah as
High Priest Jesus}, after he had
offered one sacrifice for sins for
ever, sat down {work of redemption was ‘finished’} on the right hand of God; 13
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14
For by one offering he hath perfected
for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy
Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16
This is the covenant {the New
Covenant} that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I
will put my laws into their hearts,
and in their minds will I write
them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more {under the New Covenant, sins are perfectly cleansed and removed as
far as East is from West, not just covered over as they were under the Old
Covenant}. 18 Now where
remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Hebrews
10:7-18).
Zechariah 3:6
begins a warning to the Mosaic Covenant Levitical priesthood of Israel
represented in Joshua, the present High Priest at the time of Zechariah. The admonition is a repetition of the “blessing and curse” of the Mosaic Covenant
applied particularly to the responsibilities of the priesthood under the Mosaic
Covenant. If the Mosaic Covenant remnant
priests remained faithful to God in their duties, God would retain their
priesthood for the time being. If they were
not faithful, God would replace their priesthood with another.
“6
And the angel of the LORD protested {a
duplication or repetition} unto Joshua, saying, 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 {probably the angels} that stand by” Zechariah 3:6-7).
Again, the longsuffering of God is
emphasized. Although most of the
priesthood of Israel had already failed in their “charge” to teach the Word of
God and administrate righteousness in the nation by judging the household of
God in their trespasses against God, Joshua represents the faithful remnant now
restored to their duties and are back in Jerusalem. Every new generation does not need to
continue in the consequences of failure from their preceding generation. God is the God of forgiveness and new
beginnings. Every believer can be
faithful to his commission regardless of failures of preceding
generations.
Every day
dawns anew with a freshness of opportunity before God if the believer wants it. Regardless of yesterday’s failures, each new
day can begin fresh when our hearts and minds are filled with repentance and a
new desire to serve God that day. Sins
and failures will bruise us and wound us spiritually leaving many scars to
remind us of our frailty in the struggle for righteousness before God. Yet, it is through our daily struggles,
failures, and revivals that we learn of our human and sinful frailties and
God’s omnipotent grace available to us. Only
then will we learn to cling to “the Rock that is higher” than ourselves (Psalm
61:2).
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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