Lesson #04

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Zechariah

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
ZECHARIAH 3
LESSON #04
MORAL CLEANSING

• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 11:1 OR PSALMS 118:22

• IN THE FIRST THREE VISIONS, ZECHARIAH DEALT WITH THE RESTORATION OF THE LAND, THE RESTORATION OF THE PEOPLE TO THE LAND, THE PUNISHMENT OF ISRAEL’S ENEMIES, AND THE RESTORATION OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE.
• NOW, IN ZEC 3, THE PROPHET CHANGES THE EMPHASIS FROM THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF RESTORATION TO MORE SPIRITUAL THINGS.
• READ ZEC 3:1-10 VISION #4 THE CLEANSING OF JOSHUA, THE HIGH PRIEST
• REMEMBER THAT ZECHARIAH WAS FROM A FAMILY OF PRIESTS. HE IS, THEREFORE, CONCERNED ABOUT THE TEMPLE AND THE PRIESTHOOD.
• REMEMBER THAT GOD PERMITTED ISRAEL TO BE OVERTAKEN BY BABYLON BECAUSE OF THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. THEY HAD TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR SINS IN BABYLON.
• NOW THAT THE CAPTIVITY WAS OVER AND PEOPLE WERE RETURN ING TO THE LAND, WERE THEY FORGIVEN IN THE EYES OF GOD?
• NOWHERE DOES THE BIBLE SAY THAT THE PEOPLE REPENTED OF THEIR PRE-CAPTIVITY SINS AND ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE THEM.
• THEREFORE, THEIR SINS MUST NOT HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
• HERE’S THE DILEMMA: HOW CAN A HOLY GOD RESTORE HIS PEOPLE, THEIR LAND, THEIR TEMPLE, THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO HIM, WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN THEIR SINS, WITHOUT VIOLATING HIS BASIC CHARACTER OF JUSTICE? HAVE NOT THE JEWS FORFEITED ANY FUTURE BLESSING AFTER REJECTING THEIR MESSIAH?
• THE VISION TELLS US THE ANSWERS.

• THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE FOURTH VISION:
• JOSHUA, THE HIGH PRIEST
• A MAN BY THE NAME OF JOSHUA WAS THE HIGH PRIEST AT THE TIME OF ZECHARIAH’S VISION.
• JOSHUA WAS A COMMON NAME. IT MEANS = JEHOVAH IS SALVATION. JOSHUA IS THE HEBREW NAME FOR JESUS.
• IN THIS VISION, JOSHUA IS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL HIS PEOPLE.
• SATAN
• SATAN IS THE ACCUSER. (REV 12:10)
• FILTHY GARMENTS
• ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE, SOILED GARMENTS ARE SYMBOLIC OF MORAL SIN.
• THE ACTUAL IDEA HERE IN THE HEBREW IS THAT THEY ARE REPULSIVELY SOILED WITH EXCREMENT. (ISA 64:6)

• THE HIGH PRIEST REPRESENTED THE PEOPLE BEFORE GOD. THEREFORE, THE SOILED GARMENTS ARE NOT JUST THE SINS OF THE PRIEST BUT REPRESENT ALL THE SINS OF ALL THE PEOPLE.

• THE SERVANT, THE BRANCH
• THE SERVANT:
• THE SERVANT IS A MESSIANIC TITLE FOR JESUS CHRIST BEST UNDERSTOOD IN ISA 53 AS THE SUFFERING SERVANT. (ISA 42:1)
• THE BRANCH:
• THIS, TOO, IS A MESSIANIC TITLE FOR JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE ROD OUT OF THE STEM OF JESSE. THE ROOT OUT OF THE DRY GROUND. (ISA 53:2)
• THERE ARE 4 ASPECTS TO THIS TITLE, THE BRANCH:
• JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, WHO IS THE IDEAL KING THAT RULES IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FULFILLS ALL THE PROMISES GOD MADE TO DAVID. (JER 23:5-6) == THE KING
• -WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW.
• JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, WHO IS A SERVANT UNTO DEATH FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. (ZEC 3:8) == THE SERVANT
• -WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF MARK.
• JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, WHO IS A MAN. (ZEC 6:12) == THE SON OF MAN
• -WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF LUKE.
• JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, WHO IS THE BRANCH OF JEHOVAH, BEAUTIFUL AND GLORIOUS. (ISA 4:2) == THE SON OF GOD
• -WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF JOHN.
• READ ISA 11:1-2
• THIS REFERS TO CHRIST AS COMING FROM THE FAMILY OF DAVID DURING A TIME OF SPIRITUAL DRYNESS. (400 YEARS OF SILENCE AFTER THE END OF THE BOOK OF MALACHI UNTIL JOHN THE BAPTIST.)
• THE STONE WITH SEVEN EYES
• THE STONE REFERS TO CHRIST AS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. (MAT 21:42 DAN 2:44-45 PSA 118:22 ISA 28:16 1COR 3:11 1PET 6:7) REMEMBER THEY ARE BUILDING THE TEMPLE USING AN ACTUAL CORNERSTONE. THE ACTUAL FOUNDATION STONE OF THIS TEMPLE HAD THE NAME JEHOVAH ENGRAVED ON IT.
• THE EYES REFER TO POSSESSING THE WISDOM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• THERE ARE 7 ASPECTS TO THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (REV 1:4 REV 5:6 ISA 11:2)
• SEVEN IS A SYMBOLIC NUMBER MEANING = COMPLETENESS OR PERFECTION.
• UNDER THE VINE AND THE FIG TREE (10)
• THESE ARE SYMBOLS FOR ISRAEL AND HER PEOPLE LIVING IN PEACE.

• THE IDENTIFICATION OF RELATED ACTIONS:
• THE HIGH PRIEST IN THE PRESENCE OF SATAN:
• SATAN ACCUSES THE HIGH PRIEST BECAUSE HIS PRIESTLY GARMENTS ARE SOILED.
• “A BRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE FIRE” (2) (AMO 4:11)
• THE HIGH PRIEST, AS WELL AS ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOW RETURN ED TO ISRAEL FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, SUFFERED IN THE SYMBOLIC FIRE OF THE CAPTIVITY FOR 70 YEARS. HOWEVER, GOD HAS PLUCKED THEM OUT OF THE FIRE OF THE CAPTIVITY TO RETURN THEM TO THEIR LAND TO KEEP THEM FROM TOTAL DESTRUCTION.
• FOUR THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY NINE PRIESTS RETURN ED TO ISRAEL WITH ZERUBBABEL AT THE END OF THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. (THE TOTAL POPULATION THAT RETURN ED WITH ZERUBBABEL WAS 49,697 PEOPLE 16 YEARS PREVIOUS TO THIS VISION.)
• WHAT WAS THE CONDITION OF THE PRIESTHOOD AFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY?
• AFTER 70 YEARS OF INACTIVITY, THE PRIESTHOOD WAS IGNORANT OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, DISOBEDIENT, AND CORRUPT. (EZE 22:26)
• READ MAL 2:5-9
• THE CHANGE OF GARMENTS (4-5) = JUSTIFICATION

• ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE CLEANSED OR WASHED CLOTHING REPRESENTS THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. (ISA 61:10 REV 7:14)
• THE MITRE ON HIS HEAD (5)
• IT WAS A SPECIAL TYPE OF HEADDRESS WORN BY THE HIGH PRIEST WITH A GOLD PLATE THAT SAID, “HOLINESS TO THE LORD”. (EXO 28:36-38)

• GOD SAYS HE WILL FORGIVE HIS PEOPLE OF THEIR SINS. (4)
• DURING THE TIME OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, NO SIN WAS EVER FORGIVEN. IT WAS ONLY COVERED OVER BY THE BLOOD OF ANIMALS.
• NO SIN WAS EVER FORGIVEN UNTIL THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST. THEREFORE, THE FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SIN IS PROPHETIC LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRIST’S FIRST COMING.
• GOD SAYS HE WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN IN ONE DAY. (9)
• READ ROM 5:18-19
• THEREFORE, SATAN HAS NO POWER OR AUTHORITY TO CONDEMN.
• READ ROM 8:33-34

• THE “PROTESTING” ANGEL OF THE LORD (6):
• THE HEBREW WORD, “PROTESTED” LITERALLY MEANS = “TO CALL GOD TO WITNESS”. IN OTHER WORDS, TO TESTIFY.
• THE IDEA IS TO EXPRESS TO JOSHUA THAT THE DECLARATION OF FORGIVEN SIN IS VERY IMPORTANT. THE HIGH PRIEST MUST PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO WALKING IN GOD’S WAYS. (7)
• “…THY FELLOWS THAT SIT BEFORE THEE…” (8) =
• THESE ARE ALL THE OTHER PRIESTS THAT JOSHUA IS REPRESENTATIVE OF IN THIS VISION.

• THE MESSAGE OF ZECHARIAH’S FOURTH VISION:
• THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PRIESTHOOD WILL BE REMOVED IN ONE DAY, THE DAY OF THE CRUCIFIXION, BY THE MESSIAH FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID. THEN THE MESSIAH WILL SERVE AS THE FINAL HIGH PRIEST FOREVER PLEADING THE CAUSE OF BELIEVERS IN OPPOSITION TO SATAN’S ACCUSATIONS.
• SPECIFIC DETAILS OF ZECHARIAH’S MESSAGE:
• THREE BLESSINGS ARE PROMISED TO AN OBEDIENT JOSHUA (7):
• JOSHUA WILL JUDGE GOD’S HOUSE =
• JOSHUA WILL JUDGE ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL IN MATTERS OF CONTROVERSY AMONG THE PEOPLE.
• JOSHUA WILL KEEP GOD’S COURTS =
• JOSHUA WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY OF ADMINISTRATION IN THE NEW TEMPLE WHEN IT IS COMPLETED. HE IS CHARGED TO KEEP THE TEMPLE PURE OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD COME INTO IT TO DEFILE IT.
• JOSHUA WILL HAVE PLACES TO WALK AMONG THOSE WHO STAND BY =
• IN ETERNITY JOSHUA WILL WALK AMONG ANGELS IN THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE HAVING DIRECT ACCESS AND CLOSE PROXIMITY TO GOD.
• READ HEB 4:15-16
• THE BELIEVER TODAY HAS DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WHO IS OUR HIGH PRIEST.
• THE CLEANSED AND OBEDIENT HIGH PRIEST IS A PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST. (8)
• THE PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT OF THE VISION:
• BY DIRECT PROPHECY AND PREFIGURE, THE VISION POINTS TO THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IN VARIOUS WAYS:
• THE MESSIAH WILL REMOVE SIN FROM HIS PEOPLE IN ONE DAY.
• THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST.
• HOWEVER, THE JEWS AS A NATION OF PEOPLE DID NOT AVAIL THEMSELVES OF CHRIST’S ATONING SACRIFICE AT CHRIST’S FIRST COMING. THEREFORE, THE COMPLETE FULFILLMENT FOR THE JEWS WILL BE AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WHEN THEY WILL REPENT OF THEIR SINS AND GOD WILL FORGIVE THEM.
• ZECHARIAH HAS MORE TO SAY ABOUT THIS LATER IN THE BOOK.
• THE MESSIAH WILL BE THE ULTIMATE HIGH PRIEST WHO WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY OF ADMINISTRATION IN THE TEMPLE IN THE MILLENNIUM. HE WILL RULE AND JUDGE THE PEOPLE IN HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN.
• HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN WILL FULFILL GOD’S PROMISES TO DAVID THAT THERE WILL BE A KING, A KINGDOM, AND A THRONE ON EARTH FROM DAVID’S LINEAGE.
• CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL KINGDOM WILL BRING PEACE FOR ISRAEL WITH GOD AND PEACE WITH ALL OTHER NATIONS.
• GOD ORIGINALLY CALLED THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO BE A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS. (EXO 19:5-6 ISA 61:6) THE JEWISH PEOPLE WILL FULFILL THIS CALLING IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AFTER THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.

• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• WE BEGAN OUR LESSON WITH TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
• HOW CAN A HOLY GOD RESTORE HIS PEOPLE, THEIR LAND, THEIR TEMPLE, THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO HIM, WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN THEIR SINS, WITHOUT VIOLATING HIS BASIC CHARACTER OF JUSTICE?
• THE ANSWER IS THAT GOD WILL NOT MAKE FULL RESTORATION OF HIS PEOPLE, THEIR LAND, OR THEIR TEMPLE UNTIL THEY REPENT OF THEIR SINS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FORGIVENESS PURCHASED FOR THEM BY CHRIST AT CHRIST’S FIRST COMING. THIS WILL OCCUR AT CHRIST’S SECOND COMING.
• HAVE NOT THE JEWS FORFEITED ANY FUTURE BLESSING AFTER REJECTING THEIR MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST, AT HIS FIRST COMING?
• THE ANSWER IS NO. (ROM 11:1 LEV 26:44) GOD IS PATIENT AND FORBEARING. AS LONG AS THEY SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR SIN THROUGH PERSECUTION, THEY REAP WHAT THEY SOW AND GOD’S JUSTICE IS PRESERVED. GOD’S MERCY IS PRESERVED AND FRUITFUL EVENTUALLY AT THE SECOND COMING.
• FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIAN, GOD’S LOVE AND MERCY IS THE SAME AS THAT FOR ISRAEL. WHEN WE SEE HIS PATIENT FORBEARANCE FOR THEM, IT SHOULD BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO US. HE WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. HE WILL PURSUE US, WORK WITH US, AND NEVER ABANDON US. PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!

HOMEWORK
ZECHARIAH 4
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ZEC 3
• WHAT THOUGHTS PRESENTED IN THIS LESSON SPEAK PERSONALLY TO YOUR LIFE TODAY?

• PREPARATION FOR ZEC 4
• READ ZEC 4:1-14
• READ ISA 42:6
• IDENTIFY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AS MANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMBOLS AS YOU CAN:
• THE CANDLESTICK =
• THE BOWL ON THE TOP =
• THE SEVEN LAMPS =
• THE SEVEN PIPES =
• THE TWO OLIVE TREES =
• THE MOUNTAIN =
• THE HEADSTONE =
• THE PLUMMET =
• THE GOLDEN OIL =
• WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MEANING OF THE VISION?

• MEMORY VERSE: ACTS 13:47