भाष्य सध्या फक्त इंग्रजीत उपलब्ध आहे. मराठी भाषांतर प्रगतीपथावर आहे.
Zechariah 3 — Is Not This a Brand Plucked Out of the Fire?
The fourth vision: Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. The LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan — is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Joshua stands clothed with filthy garments. The command: 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 — and a fair mitre upon his head. A charge follows: walk in my ways and keep my charge. Then the promise: Behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
“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.”
— Zechariah 3:4
- v.1-2 Satan resisted, the brand plucked from the fire
- v.3-5 Filthy garments exchanged for clean
- v.6-7 The charge to walk in God's ways
- v.8-10 My servant the BRANCH; iniquity removed in one day
The defense never disputes the evidence; it appeals to election and rescue: the LORD that hath chosen... a brand plucked out of the fire. The answer to accusation is not the saint's record but God's choice.
A brand plucked from burning is scorched, smoking, and saved — owing its existence entirely to the hand that snatched it. Jude 9 echoes this very rebuke; Jude 23 makes it the picture of every rescued soul.
Justification dramatized: the filthy garments (iniquity) removed, the change of raiment (righteousness not his own) conferred — both by command of the angel of the LORD, neither by Joshua's effort. Grace strips and grace clothes.
The garments were festival robes — not merely clean but glorious. God does not restore His penitents to probation but to honor; the prodigal gets the best robe, not a work uniform.
Grace first, charge second — the order is the gospel's. Joshua is cleansed unconditionally, then commissioned conditionally: cleansing is free; continued usefulness and access walk the path of obedience.
Places to walk among these that stand by — access among the attending angels: a priest given standing in the heavenly court. Obedient saints live their earthly office inside celestial fellowship.
The BRANCH — Zechariah's great messianic title (here and 6:12), gathering Isaiah's and Jeremiah's shoots of David into one name. The cleansing of Joshua was a sample; the BRANCH brings the harvest.
Joshua and his fellows are men wondered at — signs, typical men. The whole scene was prophecy in costume: a high priest cleansed and crowned prefiguring the Priest who needs no cleansing.
The BRANCH is also the Stone — laid, engraved, all-seeing (seven eyes — perfect vision, cf. Revelation 5:6). Foundation stone, tried stone, head of the corner: Messiah under another figure.
Remove the iniquity of that land in one day. Not a process but a day — the day a fountain was opened (13:1), the day the Lamb bore sin once for all. Good Friday is this verse's date.
When the accuser replays your filth — and the footage is real — learn Joshua's silence and God's defense: chosen, plucked, re-clothed. Justification is something done to you and for you; your part is to wear what He put on you and refuse to dress again in what He took away. Then take verse 7 seriously: the freely cleansed are charged to walk, and walking opens courts.
Every figure in the vision converges on Christ: He is the Angel of the LORD who defends, the BRANCH who comes forth, the Stone with seven eyes, and the day in which iniquity was removed — one day at Golgotha. He wore the filthy garments of our sin that we might wear the change of raiment of His righteousness.
The courtroom of heaven: the high priest — representing all Israel — at the bar, and Satan in the prosecutor's place. The accuser's case was strong: the garments really were filthy. Accusation built on fact is his oldest weapon.
Joshua says nothing in his own defense throughout the scene. The justification of a sinner before God is conducted entirely by Another — the accused contributes only the filth and receives only the clothing.