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Zechariah 3:6-8 Joshua, the high priest gets new clothes - Day 350

Good morning fellow exiles and sojourners,

As we near the finish line for this year's challenge, I am reminded that this world is not our home.  We should live as exiles and sojourners, just passing through.  The returning exiles to Judah were probably thinking of permanent residence in the Promised Land.  Let us look to heaven as our permanent dwelling.

Blessings,

Jeff

Joshua, the high priest, is subject of Zechariah's vision.  Another one of the many ways at many times Hebrews 1

Zechariah sees the angel addressing Joshua.  Zechariah is the one who writes it down and then tells Joshua what he saw. The angel is the one who says "Thus says the Lord...", not Zechariah.

The post exile prophets generally have a positive or encouraging message.  If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge...  God is giving the same conditions to Joshua as He had given to the nation of Israel.  I think this is encouraging in that the failures of Israel and Judah are not held against the current generation.  The exile is a picture of the debt being paid.  The return is a picture of new life.  Of course, Jesus is the true payment and in Him is new life.

What is "the right of access"?  Who are "those who are standing here"?  The answers have to go together. This whole vision is "before the angel of the Lord".  So it makes sense that "those standing here" are the same ones from V 4 who were directed to remove his filthy garments and clothe him with pure vestments.  Furthermore, it is clear that this change o clothes is symbolic of taking away his iniquity.  So I conclude that they are angels, not men.  So the access would have to be spiritual not purely physical.  As high priest, Joshua would have physical access to the holy of holies (once the temple is rebuilt), but the angel of the Lord seems to by speaking of spiritual access to God.  The angels have always had access to God.

Finally, we must remember that the priest is the representative of the entire people before God.  He is the intermediary.  As we think about this, isn't it a wonderful picture of Christ's work.  He took our filthy garments on himself and stood before the Father and paid the penalty.  Through Him we have access to the Father.  Blessed he His name.


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