Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 11 – Zechariah (WATCH HERE)
Zechariah 6:9-15 The word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. 12 Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the LORD. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.”
A crown on a priest?
This combination is unusual. In the United States, we have the “establishment clause” which prohibits the government from establishing and mandating a religious belief as a “state” religion that all must follow. This is a good thing and allows for the freedom of religion.
We don’t want our president to be a priest.
For that matter, our president is not a monarch as well. Our constitution was written directly to defy the monarch of England and establish an Executive Branch that would be filled by the will of the people.
Even for the people of Zechariah’s day having the crown on a priest was a very odd thing. Even though the monarchy of Israel was to be driven by a deep belief in the LORD, the high priest was the one responsible for the spiritual worship life of the people. From the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul, there was not one individual who held both positions.
But the Branch would.
This crown was fashioned and placed on the high priest, Joshua. But as the crown rested on his head, the LORD spoke through Zechariah: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne.
The Branch was Christ. Isaiah’s prophecy makes it even more clear:
11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
The amazing thing of this prophecy is that the two offices of priest and king find their fulfillment in Christ. Perhaps the irony is that these meet on the cross as the “King of the Jews” was being offered as a sacrifice for the sins of all people. As the writer to the Hebrews (7:26-27) says, “ Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
The bricks and mortar, wood and gold would build the physical temple, but only Christ would build the eternal temple with himself as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
It’s in this reality that we find ourselves as part of the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. By faith in the Lord Jesus, you are part of this holy temple!
Ephesians 2:19-22 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Apply: What spiritual blessings do you enjoy as the the Lord is both your high priest and your king?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for ruling with justice and mercy. Build my life into Your spiritual house and teach me to trust Your perfect leadership. Amen.