The Gospel Courtroom of Prophet Zechariah (this post is currently incomplete)

The Gospel Courtroom of Prophet Zechariah.

1:11 – Angel of the Lord. This is another mysterious appearance of a specially designated Angel of Yahweh. In many places in the Hebrew Bible, this particular Angel is specifically identified with the Lord God and is distinguished from Yahweh. This heavenly Messenger would appear as a divine visitor to Abraham, a welcome comfort to Hagar, and a wrestling opponent to Jacob. This Angel appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and as a sustainer to Elijah and a redeemer to Isaiah. Most scholars, including the early church Fathers, considered this special Angel of Yahweh to be God in the form of a Man, the preincarnate Christ, Lord God’s unique representative to speak His mind and do His will on earth. It is safe to say that it is Jesus Himself who is meeting Zechariah and giving him the Word of the Lord.

1:12 – Intercessor Priest. This Christ figure, the Angel of Yahweh, is eager to intercede for the people of God. Jesus is seen here speaking before the very throne of God. “O Lord of hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah?” This intercession is an early example of the intercessory work of Christ, and foreshadows the High Priesthood of Jesus. Christ Himself continues to intercede for us before the King on His throne in heaven. (Hebrews 7:25).

1:14 – Zeal. “I have been jealous for both Jerusalem and Zion with great jealousy.” The Hebrew word for jealousy means zeal. And the Word reminds us here that we serve a jealous God. In other words, we are devoted to a God who is impassioned and zealous to protect His honor, His influence, and anything that threatens His relationship with us. “God’s jealousy is a praiseworthy zeal on God’s part to preserve something supremely precious.” (J. I. Packer). We certainly saw this jealousy of God in the gospels when Jesus cleared out the Temple from all merchants and ungodly commerce. The disciples later remembered that reference to Psalm 69:9, “Zeal for your house has eaten me up.” Jesus is jealous for God’s honor and glory throughout the gospels, and we call to mind… like Father, like Son. We serve a righteously jealous God. (Exodus 20:5).

2:10-11 – Presence. The Lord says something crucial once, and then He says it again seconds later to underscore its importance. “I will dwell in your midst.” In the gospels God was present in human form through His Son. Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Hundreds of years after Zechariah, Jesus fulfilled these words through His incarnation, the Word becoming flesh. Numerous times in the Hebrew Bible, Yahweh promised to dwell with His people, ever since the prophecy in Lev. 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be my people.” This is the gospel story, the Good News. Actually, this is the best news! “Ring out your joy, for the great one in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 12:6).

3:1-5 – Clean and Pure. We see in a vision that the High Priest Joshua comes to the judgment seat, with Jesus being the judge and Satan the prosecutor. Joshua is wearing filthy clothes as he represents the chosen people. The Hebrew term here for filthy implies being covered in excrement, which reveals God’s thoughts on sin and impurity. Jesus our great High Priest in His incarnation had to take on the flesh of humanity, wearing our filthy rags and bearing our sins, accused and judged unjustly for our redemption. Joshua receives clean apparel in the vision, and the clean miter of priesthood was placed on his head. This is a clear picture of the gospel story of the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and eternal priesthood of Christ.

3:8 –Branch. “Behold, I am bringing forth my Servant the Branch.” The Messiah is referred to, time and again, as the Branch in the Hebrew Bible (Is 4:2-3; Is. 11:1-4; Jer. 23:5-6; Jer. 33:15). One can easily imagine Jesus as the flourishing branch from the Tree of Life. God promised David that his kingdom would endure forever in 2 Samuel 7:16. But not very long after that word from God, David’s reign, his royal line, seemed to betray the truth of that promise. The royal line was chopped down, and the reign of David’s kingdom seemed nothing but a dead stump. But God’s word to David remained in place. The ideal king, the Messiah, coming from David’s line, would somehow emerge in Israel in due time. When Jesus was called “the son of David,” the people were acknowledging that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophecy given to David so long ago. And so the Messiah, a righteous Branch, will shoot out miraculously from that dead stump. And Jesus is that Branch. He is the new growth springing forth from that old root beneath the ground, given up for dead. And what little village becomes Jesus’ adopted home, but Nazareth, a word meaning “Branch.” ‘Nazarene’ literally meant the Branch! Certainly the biblical scholars witnessing the crucifixion that day must have realized that Pilate’s sign on the Cross, right there above Jesus’ head, proclaimed for all to see, “Jesus the Branch, King of the Jews.” Thank you, Pilate, for that prophetic word.