This chapter begins with Zechariah receiving a fourth vision, which comes directly from God Himself. For all the previous visions to be fulfilled, that is, God dwelling among His people again, His people needed to be cleansed.
Because the previous priests had permitted the apostasy of Israel to take place, Ezekiel 22:26, the whole cleansing process needed to start with the priests. It began with Joshua, who was high priest at the time Zechariah was receiving his visions, Zechariah 3:1 / Ezra 5:2 / Zechariah 6:11 / Haggai 1:1. Here Joshua is seen as the representative of the people.
Joshua is standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan, who is getting ready to ‘accuse’ him, Zechariah 3:1 / Ezra 5:3-4. Satan is the accuser of all men, Job 1:6-12 / Job 2:1-6 / Revelation 12:10. He can do this because we’re all sinners, Romans 3:9-10 / Romans 3:23.
The Lord wastes no time in rebuking Satan, Zechariah 3:3 / Jude 1:9, and asks the question, ‘Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?’ Zechariah 3:2. God’s people had been snatched out of captivity and returned to the land, and God wouldn’t allow Satan to accuse them any longer, Romans 8:33 / 1 John 2:1.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning Zechariah 3:2.
‘It’s as if God was saying to Satan, I have already rescued Israel from what you, along with the whole world, thought was their final doom. They were in the process of being burned up forever, but I have pulled them out of the fire and have no intention of altering the plan of human salvation.’
Gill, in his commentary, says the following concerning Zechariah 3:2.
‘The ten northern tribes were gone, the generation that went into Babylon was dead, and those who returned were but a handful compared to the ones who remained in Babylon. Unless God had plucked them as a brand from the fire, they would no longer have been a people.’
Notice that Joshua was dressed in ‘filthy clothes’, Zechariah 3:3, since Joshua represented Israel as a nation, these filthy clothes represented the guilt of Israel’s sin, Isaiah 4:4 / Isaiah 64:6.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning the ‘filthy clothes’, Zechariah 3:3.
‘The Jewish people were in a most forlorn, destitute, and to all human appearance despicable condition and besides all, they were sinful, and the priesthood defiled by idolatry and nothing but the mercy of God could save them.’
When the filthy clothes were removed, their sins were removed, Zechariah 3:4, and Joshua was given new and lavish garments to wear, Zechariah 3:4, including a turban, Zechariah 3:5 / Exodus 28:4 / Exodus 28:36-38. What we see here is a picture of God’s people being dressed like a bride before the bridegroom.
In Zechariah’s vision, the angel of the Lord charges Joshua with the responsibility to minister to God’s people, Zechariah 3:6-7. However they must be ‘obedient to God’, and ‘keep his requirements’, Zechariah 3:7, that is His will, Deuteronomy 8:6 / Deuteronomy 10:12 / Joshua 1:7 / Psalm 128:1, and continue in their work until the Branch arrives, Zechariah 3:8. Joshua and the priests themselves were wondrous signs of what was to come, that is, the Branch, Zechariah 3:8.
Joshua and the priests would be truly blessed if they continued in their work because they would have the right, ‘or access, to stand among those who stand before God. As Christians, we too have access to God through Christ, Ephesians 2:18 / Ephesians 3:11-12 / Hebrews 4:16.
Notice that the text says, ‘The Branch’, Zechariah 3:8 / Zechariah 6:12-13, this is an obvious reference to Jesus, the Messiah, Isaiah 4:2 / Isaiah 11:1 / Jeremiah 23:5-6 / Jeremiah 23:15, and notice He is called ‘my servant’, Zechariah 3:8 / Isaiah 42:1 / Isaiah 49:6 / Isaiah 52:13 / Isaiah 53:11.
We know that Jesus was obedient to God and came in humility to meet the spiritual needs of mankind, Acts 3:13 / Acts 3:26 / Acts 4:27 / Acts 4:30 / Acts 8:30-35 / 1 Peter 2:21-25.
It would be Jesus who would become the cornerstone, that is, the church, upon which God would build His people, Isaiah 28:16 / Matthew 16:18-19 / 1 Peter 2:4-5.
It would be Jesus who would offer Himself and cleanse the iniquity from the people; it would be Jesus who would become the advocate for God’s people, 1 John 2:1.
Notice that the stone has ‘seven eyes’, Zechariah 3:9. This tells us that the stone is very much alive and sees all things, Revelation 3:1 / Revelation 5:6. This is very much a living stone, which is completely aware of everything which is happening in the world. This again is an obvious reference to Jesus, 1 Peter 2:6-9 / Romans 9:32-33.
God was going to ‘engrave an inscription on the stone’, Zechariah 3:9. Although we’re not told what the inscription actually was, it’s clear this simply means that God would do everything that was needed to make the stone beautiful and ready for a place of honour.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning the engraving, Zechariah 3:9.
‘This is an allusion to engraving precious stones, in which the ancients greatly excelled. Heads, animals, and various devices were the subjects of those engravings. But what was this engraving? Was it not the following words? I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day, and was not this when Jesus Christ expired upon the cross? This was the grand, the only atonement, satisfaction, and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Does not our Lord refer to this place, John 6:27? Him hath God thy Father sealed; and on the inscription there was, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’
God said He would ‘remove the sin of this land in one day’, Zechariah 3:9. This would happen during the Day of Atonement when the temple was finished being built, Leviticus 16:21 / Leviticus 16:30 / Leviticus 16:34. However, this also refers to the time when Jesus, the lamb of God would take away the sin of the world, John 1:29 / Hebrews 9:26.
In that day everyone would ‘invite their neighbours to sit under your vine and fig tree’, Zechariah 3:10 / Isaiah 36:16. In other words, this is the day when there will be peace and prosperity, 1 Kings 4:25 / 2 Kings 18:31. This again is a reference to the age when the Messiah would come, it would be a time of peace in the kingdom of Christ, John 14:27 / Ephesians 2:14.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning Zechariah 3:10.
‘Everyone shall be inviting and encouraging another to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; and thus taste and see that God is good, Isaiah 2:2-3. And there shall be the utmost liberty to preach, believe on, and profess the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.’