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Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3

D. The cleansing and restoration of Joshua ch. 3The Lord explained that Joshua and his friends were men who had prophetic significance (Zechariah 3:8). As will become clear, Joshua, Israel’s high priest, represents Israel in this vision, specifically Israel in her divinely appointed role as a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6). Similarly, Israel’s high priest represented the nation each year on the day of Atonement. In this vision and the next, Israel’s standing before God and her resources are... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:1

Zechariah’s guiding angel next showed the prophet, in his vision, Joshua (lit. Yahweh saves), Israel’s current high priest (Zechariah 6:11; Ezra 5:2; Nehemiah 7:7; Haggai 1:1), standing before the angel of the Lord (Zechariah 1:11-12). "The accuser" (lit. "the Satan," Heb. hasatan) was standing at Joshua’s right hand prepared to accuse him before the angel of the Lord (cf. Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7; Revelation 12:10). The writer made a play on the Hebrew word in its noun and verb forms here... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:2

The Lord then spoke to the accuser citing His own authority as Yahweh who had chosen Jerusalem. This is one indication that Joshua represented Israel since God linked Joshua with Jerusalem. Joshua was secure from Satan’s accusations because of the Lord’s sovereign choice of Jerusalem (cf. Zechariah 12:2; Romans 8:33). The Lord may be distinct from the angel of the Lord, but they seem to be synonymous. Most conservative commentators equate them and believe the angel of the Lord is the second... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:3

Joshua stood before the angel of the Lord dressed in excrement bespattered garments (cf. Isaiah 4:4). He was ministering to the Lord in this extremely filthy and ceremonially unclean condition. This represented the unclean state in which Israel stood in Zechariah’s day as she ministered before Him as a kingdom of priests in the world. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:4

The Lord then instructed others who were standing before Him, probably angelic servants, to remove Joshua’s filthy garments (cf. Exodus 28:8-9; Exodus 28:41; Leviticus 8:7-9; Numbers 20:28). The Lord explained that these garments symbolized the high priest’s (Israel’s) iniquities, which He had forgiven. He promised to remove his representative’s filthy robes and replace them with festal, stately robes, the apparel of royalty and wealth, symbolic of God’s righteousness (cf. Isaiah 3:22). Thus... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:5

Zechariah chimed in suggesting that the angelic dressers also put a clean turban on Joshua’s head, which they did along with his other garments. A plaque on the front of the high priest’s turban read "Holy to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36; Exodus 39:30). This is what Israel will be in the future, a holy nation of holy priests. The Lord observed all that was happening, sovereignly approving and directing all the changes in Joshua’s condition."What is unique here is the command of a mere man to bring... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:6-7

Then the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua. He promised, in the name of sovereign Yahweh, that if Joshua obeyed the Lord and served Him, Joshua would govern the temple, have charge of the temple courts, and enjoy free access into the Lord’s presence. He could come into the Lord’s presence like the angels who stood before Him. Joshua’s commission pertained to a priestly function within the framework of a covenant relationship. [Note: Ibid., p. 138.] As always, faithful, obedient service leads... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Zechariah 3:8

Evidently Zechariah also saw in his vision other priests, Joshua’s friends, sitting in front of him. The Lord continued to address Joshua, identifying him as the high priest. He called the friends sitting in front of Joshua men who were symbols (Heb. mopheth, tokens of future events, prophetic signs; cf. Isaiah 8:18). It was not just Joshua individually who represented Israel, but the other priests also represented the priesthood within Israel."The miracle, which is to be seen in Joshua and his... read more

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