Zechariah: A Branch who Builds the Temple!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 10 – Haggai (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.
Zechariah: Clean Garments!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 10 – Haggai (WATCH HERE)
Of all the minor prophets, Zechariah stands out as one that gives clear prophecy and pictures of the coming Messiah, Christ and his person and work on behalf of God’s people, including you and me. This week’s devotions will focus on five of those.
The picture of Zechariah 3:1 is every pastor’s nightmare.
3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.
To the average parishioner, they may see their pastor as one who is “above reproach,” and “example for all” and a “man of God.” To be sure we as pastors are called to be all of these, but inside, and I will speak for myself, there is a reality that sin is just as real for me as it is for every person to whom I get to share God’s Word with.
What will Satan say? What is in his opening statement to accuse me?
Satan has an arsenal of accusations that he could condemn even the most pious of pastors.
But before he has able to open his case and present the case, the LORD intervenes:
2 The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
But the court doesn’t need to hear the accusations as if there was no evidence to the guilt and the jury had to be convinced.
The clothes were covered with filth. The evidence even on the outside stood against the defendant.
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.
This would be an easy case to prove. There was no need for witnesses…although many could be called. There was no need to bring in forensic experts…even though there would be overwhelming evidence to the sins of the pastor standing there. His clothes were covered with the evidence that he was a sinner and deserved to be sent from God’s presence forever.
It’s not just Joshua, the high priest at the time of Zecharaiah, or me as a pastor today, or you as a person today. Any trip into the courtroom of God with Satan there ready to accuse us is not going to end well. The presenting evidence is overwhelming to a jury, let alone our holy God. The verdict should be “Depart from me, to the fire prepared for Satan.”
But the vision takes an unexpected and merciful turn.
4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”
5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.
The picture of Zechariah 3:4-5 is every pastor’s and every person’s greatest joy and comfort. With clear and beautiful imagery, Jesus, THE angel of the LORD, became the substitute for Joshua, every pastor and every person. Joshua was an imperfect high priest. Jesus was the perfect high priest for us. He takes away our guilt and clothes us in his righteousness, his perfection.
So now what can Satan say? Nothing! He has nothing of which to accuse us because we have been given the perfection of our Savior. We didn’t clean up our act or do enough to stand in God’s presence. Simply put we have been made clean by the mercy and grace of God to stand confidently in the presence of our gracious and merciful heavenly Father.
Apply: Satan loves to accuse us and get us to believe we are not forgiven or can’t be forgiven. How can this vision God gave to Zechariah and the reality it communicates calm your heart and give you certain hope in your relationship with the Lord moving forward from today?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for removing my guilt and covering me with Your righteousness. Help me rest in Your finished work and walk in the freedom of Your forgiveness. Amen.
Haggai: A lasting signet ring!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 10 – Haggai (WATCH HERE)
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel… and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you.’” — Haggai 2:23
The most important ring I ever purchased was almost 30 years ago now when I bought the engagement ring and wedding ring for my wife. While it wasn’t big or spectacular, it was and is a sign of my commitment to her, and by her willingness to wear it, her commitment to me. I wouldn’t just give this ring to anyone. I gave it to her because I love her. I trust her. I value her.
Me giving this ring to my wife was a big deal. God making Zerubbabel at the end of Haggai his signet ring was a huge deal. God gives Zerubbable, the governor of Judah, who faced uncertainty in the midst of rebuilding the temple and reestablishing the nation of Israel, this personal and prophetic promise: “I will make you like my signet ring.”
A signet ring symbolized royal authority and identity. It was the king’s seal that validated decrees. God was saying, “Zerubbabel, you represent My covenant faithfulness.”
Now why was this a big deal? Just before the people of Judah were taken by the Babylonians, the Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 22:24 “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25 I will hand you over to those who seek your life, those you fear—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Babylonians.
The leaders of Judah had so strayed from the Lord, that there was little willingness of the Lord to entrust his kingdom and power to the earthly leaders. Historically, Zerubbabel never became king. He remained a governor under the Persian rule. However, the Lord had greater significance in this prophecy:
Matthew 1:12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, …and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
This prophecy pointed beyond Zerubbabel to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ — the true Son of David (Matthew 1:12–16).
Where God once said of Zerubbabel’s ancestor Jehoiachin, “Even if you were a signet ring on My right hand, I would pull you off” (Jeremiah 22:24), now He restores that honor in Zerubbabel’s line. Through Jesus, God’s authority and presence would again dwell among His people forever.
So the book that began with a ruined temple ends with a royal promise: God will complete His redemptive work. And he did in the person and work of Jesus Christ!
Apply: Haggai ends not with fear but with faith. God’s plans are never abandoned. He completes what He begins. When life feels unstable, remember: your security rests in His covenant, not your circumstances. When you doubt God’s plan, look to Christ, the true Signet Ring who carries divine authority and guarantees our future glory.
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, thank You that Your promises never fail. You chose Zerubbabel as a sign of restoration and fulfilled that promise through Jesus, Your Son. Seal my heart with Your Spirit and remind me that in Christ, I am secure, chosen, and part of Your eternal plan. Amen.
Haggai: From this day on…
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 10 – Haggai (WATCH HERE)
“‘From this day on I will bless you.’” — Haggai 2:19
Certain days change all the future ones.
Wedding days change the future for a new husband and wife as they mark the transition from being single to being a couple.
Graduation days mark the end of a period of education and a new season of life.
Sometimes hardship marks a stamp on our life that creates a divide between life before the tragedy and life after.
The people of Israel in Haggai’s day were busy rebuilding after returning from Babylon. The problem was they were only focused on rebuilding their houses. They planted, but the crops were not that great. They worked hard, but the money they earned didn’t buy much. They went to pick fruit, but the trees weren’t bearing abundantly.
God brings this to their attention. “Give careful thought to your ways,” he said in Haggai chapter 1 (see Monday’s devotion). What they were doing was keeping them busy, but completely distracted from the “God-first” priority the Lord wanted them to have.
Until now.
God’s message was gracious yet searching: “Consider from this day onward… I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew, and hail, yet you did not return to Me” (vv. 17–18). He reminded them that discipline had a purpose — to bring them back to wholehearted dependence.
When they repented and rededicated themselves, God’s tone changed: “From this day on I will bless you.” Obedience to the Lord opened the door for renewal.
God wanted them to note the day their hearts shifted from serving self, to serving their Savior by getting to work on rebuilding the temple.
Their work would be blessed. Their crops would produce. The glory of the Lord would again predominate the temple and their homes.
God loves to reorient our heart. Perhaps it’s like a farmer who once discovered that his livestock were getting sick because a small spring feeding their water trough was polluted upstream. Cleaning the trough didn’t help; he had to go to the source and clear out the contamination.
In the same way, God wants to purify our hearts — the “source” — before blessing the work of our hands. The work of the Spirit is certainly a work that changes the course of our life because he changes the compass of our hearts. He did it for Israel and he does it for us.
God delights to bless those who trust Him fully.
Apply: It’s easy to serve God outwardly but be far from Him inwardly. Ask: Am I serving from a pure heart or for self-promotion? Is there any sin or bitterness I need to confess so God’s blessing can flow freely again?
Prayer: Lord, search my heart and remove whatever defiles it. Cleanse me from hidden sins, selfish motives, and distractions. From this day forward, bless the work of my hands as I walk in holiness before You. Amen.
Haggai: Keep building!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 10 – Haggai (WATCH HERE)
“‘Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you… My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’” — Haggai 2:4–5
Ministry can be discouraging. Some seasons it seems like you work to reach people disconnected from Jesus, encourage and strengthen those that are attending, utilize the gifts God has given to the people and still people leave, membership declines, and the work seems in vain.
Often ministry is started with great enthusiasm and optimism. But that can fade as the weeks turn into months of no seeming return. To be sure I have had my seasons of great optimism only to be challenged by the value of going on, as it just didn’t seem worth it.
I wasn’t the first. You wouldn’t be the first.
About a month after they resumed building, the people began to feel discouraged. The new Temple was nothing like Solomon’s magnificent structure. Those old enough to remember the former glory wept (Ezra 3:12). The footprint was smaller, the artwork paled to the former, the grandeur was a small percentage.
Ask them, (Haggai 2:3) ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?”
Yes. It seems like nothing compared to the house of the Lord in its former glory. The LORD acknowledges it, but doesn’t disparage it. Rather he encourages it!
God’s encouragement through Haggai was clear: “Be strong and work, for I am with you.”
The Lord reassured them with three truths:
- His Presence — “I am with you.”
- His Spirit — “My Spirit remains among you.”
- His Promise — “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.”
The people didn’t know what the Lord had in mind. The glory of this temple would be greater than the glory of the former house. Wait? How? How could Solomon’s temple, a wonder of the ancient world, pale in comparison to this attempt at a temple? Solomon’s temple would never host the coming of Christ! The baby Jesus would one day enter that very Temple (Luke 2:27–32). The physical structure may have seemed small, but it would host the very presence of the Messiah.
What a great reminder to any of us who are doing the work of the Lord and it seems small and unimpressive. God says, “You see rubble; I see future glory.” He encourages us to stay strong. Continue the work.
The result? God’s Word is proclaimed and lives are transformed, His glory fills the room.
Apply: When the work feels slow or unimpressive, remember: God values faithfulness more than flashiness. His Spirit empowers where our strength ends. His future glory redeems today’s ordinary obedience. Keep building — your effort is not wasted.
Prayer: Lord, when I grow weary or discouraged, remind me that You are with me and Your Spirit empowers me. Use even my small acts of obedience to bring You lasting glory. Amen.