And The Angel of the LORD Stood By
Copyright 2004 Rev. John Mark Jones, all rights reserved
Essence of the Lesson:
It is Jesus’ great pleasure and his ongoing work to cleanse and defend His brethren against all satanic accusation to enable and prepare them for His service!
Zec 3:1-5
(1) Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.
(2) And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"
(3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
(4) Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes."
(5) And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
Preliminary thoughts:
The people of God have always been on a journey. We are on a journey now.
God raises up men to lead His people in every age, every situation. God has a faithful remnant in the earth at all times.
God’s people have a purpose, a plan and a destiny. They do not wander around battered by the devil, aimless and hopeless.
Introduction:
Young Zechariah had been called into service from a life in faraway Babylon to fulfill
the decree of King Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC.
God’s plan had come to fruition just as prophesied by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel!
The air was pregnant with excitement. Free at last!
Zechariah means “The Lord Remembers.”
Some fifty thousand people set out that day from the heart of Babylon. Most of them had been raised there, with no memory of what old Jerusalem was like the Old City. Some of the old guard who had seen the former city, and were still in traveling shape accompanied them.
They left Babylon in the Spring, and towards the end of the seventh month (late September) the returning exiles were determined to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, complete with burnt offerings and all the ceremony, all upon the new altar which had been constructed.
At the Great Feast, there were shouts of joy from many, yet cries of lament from others who had seen the former Temple in all its glory.
Discouragement was the first step towards failure.
The second step began when jealous kings from surrounding territories began to notice the work that was going on.
They hired hecklers to taunt them. They tried to offer to “help” to infiltrate and sabotage the work. Yet they continued to work. Finally they turned to politics and wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes who had now replaced Cyrus as the Chaldean monarch in Babylon.
Artaxerxes ordered the returned exiles to stop work. Things had never looked so dismal. There is no sense of destiny, there is no sense of productivity or encouragement. Should they simply return to Babylon?
For sixteen years, they languished in failure and chaos.
But, the Lord Remembers! He will be faithful to His promise! Enter the prophetic priest whom God raised up as a lad from Babylon…Zechariah!
On the heels of his friend Haggai’s short and powerful prophetic word against the enemies of the Temple, Zechariah began to deliver powerful visions of the Lord.
God began revealing things to him that were not only warnings for the present, Zechariah began to see God’s plan for the ages unfold in front of him like a scroll!
Ezra 5:1-4
(1) Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
(2) So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak [29] rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
Zechariah spoke the visions of the Lord over the lives of Zerubbabel, Joshua the High Priest, and over the people of God, and after sixteen years of malaise they “ rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem…”
I’d like to take us to Zechariah’s fourth vision of eight. I believe that this vision may be unique among the others. It would seem that this vision is a glimpse into the spiritual realm, of a real situation, a true-to life occurrence that was happening “real-time.”
In the fourth vision God showed the Prophet-Priest a spiritual issue which had thwarted not only the leadership, but the entire people of God in their journey towards spiritual destiny.
They would not be able to build the House of God until such time as they realized their state of spiritual degradation. There was sin in the camp!
In the beginning of the fourth vision of Zechariah, we find:
I. A Desperate Situation
Zechariah’s angelic host now brings him into a spiritual court-room scene.
Joshua, the High Priest whose name means “The Lord Saves” is in a position of being accused. Satan “the accuser” stands at his right hand as a prosecutor would in a court of law.
(1) Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.
The Hebrew word is “saw-tawn”, and it means an accuser, an opponent.
But wait, who is this other character that is now introduced? He is separate and distinct from the angelic tour guide that has led Zechariah through these visions. This Angel has the power to cleanse sin, and to defend His brethren against the most vile accusation!
This Angel of the LORD is the one who appears on several occasions through the Old Testament…in the Burning Bush, as a visitor to Abraham, as the Captain of the Lord’s Army to Joshua…
The “Angel of the LORD” is Jesus Christ! It is an Old Testament appearance of Christ- known as a “Christophany.”
Satan, the accuser stands at Joshua the High Priests right hand as an adversary/prosecutor, accusing him before the Lord Jesus Christ!
The situation here is reminiscent of the Story of Job, when Satan went before the very Throne of God to accuse Job!
So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"
(Job 1:8-11)
This accuser at one time stood before the Throne of God accusing the brethren day and night: In the Revelation of Jesus Christ the Apostle John witnessed this scenario:
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
(Rev 12:10-11)
The accuser of the Brethren, has come to accuse the spiritual leader of all Israel, Joshua the High Priest, before the Lord!
But Job was an upright man. Satan’s accusations were false.
Verse 3 shows us how desperate the situation really is. .
The accuser is absolutely correct! He is a liar, but this time he speaks truth!
(3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
· Beloved, has there ever been a time when you have heard the accusation of the enemy of your soul? Has there been a time in your life when God gave you a very special word, an assignment, and the enemy declared you unfit to accomplish it?
· Your assignment once literally consumed you with passion. Yet as time went by, your passion decreased and sin crept in. You still remember that day that He spoke to you, but now you think maybe it was just an imagination, I’m too far gone…I can never be back where I was
· The accuser of the Brethren stands before you laughing, telling you that God will never accept you or your pathetic work again. You are simply unfit. You may hear “I’m too young” or “It’s impossible” or “my family situation…”
· Have you found yourself in a desperate situation, with the devil’s accusations and discouragement ringing in your ears; it’s all you can hear?
· Have you ever found yourself trying to minister in your calling yet knowing that you are being consumed by your sin?
And the situation is even more desperate, when the accusations are true or partially true. You can’t even stand to pray, read the Word or talk to your brothers and sisters, sin is slowly consuming you.
A desperate situation has developed very quickly, and God’s righteous judgment may be about to fall, because we see
II. A Desecrated Priest
Filthy garments!
The Hebrew word translated here actually indicates “soiled” garments-smeared with excrement! The picture is one of pure filth, a stinking mess!
The High Priest was larger than life. He stood out in all of Israel as a hero of heroes. His robes were gallant. They were so clean, so white they were almost blinding to the eye. He wore a huge headpiece that made him appear to be eight feet tall. A brass band held the piece on his head and inscribed on it were the words “Holiness Unto The Lord.”
It was absolutely necessary that the priest be physically spotless as he ministered before God on behalf of the people. Extensive steps were required for him to be ceremonially clean. He continuously washed, changed clothes and produced specific sacrifices and cleansing rituals which would prepare him for priestly work.
For a priest to stand before God with filthy, excrement covered clothes was absolute horror! He and the people stood in danger of complete rejection by God for disobedience and unbelief.
A dirty or tainted priest was an insult to God, and he could have been literally vaporized by the fire of God’s righteous anger!
Can you imagine the horror that flooded Zechariah’s soul when he saw Joshua, standing before the Lord with excrement covering his robes, and the vile accuser railing against him, at his right hand? Sheer terror must have consumed this priest’s soul!
In that moment, Zechariah realized what a desperate situation this was. God’s people were in grave danger.
Two possibilities may have occurred to Zechariah in that desperate moment:
Either God will literally consume us all with fire, or He will abandon us, perhaps for good this time and allow us to become just as vile and wicked as the pagans who surround us.
Let’s look at Joshua: how did it ever go this far? How does a man who serves as a priest of God allow himself to become filthy, and the people in his charge to become like heathens?
It started with the little things. He did not go out in one day and have his robes covered with excrement. It started with tiny smudges.
Pride. Arrogance. Compromise. Men-pleasing. Tiny smudges become larger. Other blots appear. Joshua realizes “I must do better” and attempts to clean himself up. Yet the “scrub brush” and “soap bubbles” do nothing but smear and set the stain.
I see a desecrated priest, standing before the Lord, with the Accuser at his right hand.
Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest says:
“one of the penalties of sin is our acceptance of it. It is not only God who punishes for sin, but sin establishes itself in the sinner and takes its toll.
No struggling or praying will enable you to stop doing certain things, and the penalty of sin is that you gradually get used to it, until you finally come to the place where you no longer even realize that it is sin.
No power except the power that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit, can change or prevent the inherent consequences of sin.”
Beloved, what is the “acceptable sin” in your life? What is the “acceptable level” of sin in the life of a Christian?
I sometimes get the picture of a “sin-o-meter.” It’s much like a tachometer on a vehicle or piece of machinery. A “tachometer” measures revolutions per minute, by a standard of a “redline.” You can push the machinery up to the redline, but pushing it over creates the potential for failure.
Christian, do you use a “sin-o-meter”? Where does sin “redline” in your life? How successful have you been at managing your sin?
Many of us have been told, and we love to proclaim “well I’m just an old sinner, saved by grace.”
God’s standard makes no allowance for sin, or for sinners!
1Peter 1:15-16
(15) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
(16) because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." [3]
Sin will not be managed! It will manage you! Sin is death, and Blood Sacrifice is life!
Romans 6:23 says that the WAGES…the just payment for sin is death! Sin is like a cancer that will kill you not just spiritually, but physically as well.
If we have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ, God sees us not as a “sinner” but as a
Priest, righteous Holy and blameless before Him.
1Peter 2:9-11
(9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
(10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
As Priests of the Most High God, we have access directly to His Presence, into the Holy of Holies!
Eph 3:12
(12) in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
You have been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ, and you may enter into the Holy of Holies boldly, based upon HIS righteousness! You are the very righteousness of Christ!
Rom 7:23-25
(23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
(24) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
(25) I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
But does that give us the “sin-o-meter” that we need to excuse and accommodate our sin?
To the Romans, Paul said:
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
(Rom 13:14)
Paul explained to the Ephesians
(Ephesians 5:8-14)
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit* is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."
I call to you this day, Christian. Are you asleep in the light? AWAKE , ARISE!
Walk In Light! His light will expose those dirty robes, so that He can clean you!
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1Jo 1:7-9)
Walk In Repentance
I see a priest who was broken by the revelation; a priest who stood before His Lord in repentance. The Lord will not deal with arrogance, pride or excuses. He will only work with a broken heart, which moves Him to compassion. Listen to the words of the Great King of Israel David as he approached the Lord with a broken heart over his vile sin.
Psalm 51:16-17
(16) For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
(17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise.
Dear friends, as we mine the depths of this passage, let us remember that although the situation is desperate, and the priest is desecrated, we have
III. A Determined Defender
Backing up to verse 2, let’s look at some earth-shaking, powerful words that literally cause the foundations of the world to shake. These words cause Heaven to shout and hell to quake and tremble in fear.
the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan!
Do we understand that this is the One, by whom and for whom the WORLDS were created…this Angel of the LORD is the One who was slain from the Foundation of the WORLD…is the one who is defending this excrement-covered priest?
This is no ordinary rebuke! This is no mild-mannered hand-slap! This is the Creator of the Universe rebuking the Accuser of the Brethren on behalf of a priest with filthy robes, representing fifty thousand sinful people!
Will you come with me into the mind of Zechariah? Can you imagine what it must’ve been like to hear that rebuke echoing from the four corners of the earth? The rebuke of the Lord is said to be like:
Psalm 18:15
(15) Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
Isaiah 50:2
Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness;
It must have been absolutely terrifying, yet at the same time comforting to Zechariah, as the Angel of The LORD, Jehovah continued to say;
The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"
Fire is symbolic of judgment. The Lord is saying to the Accuser, I have chosen these people! I have taken them out of my judgment! This people and this priest are set apart for my purpose which I will fulfill!
The Lord makes it clear to the enemies of His People that He will not spare his mighty hand from crushing those who would come against them. Babylon was Fatherly discipline for His children, and served His purpose. Yet, the nations who oppose Israel will be held responsible and will receive staggering judgment!
He will not stand idly by and allow the Accuser to come against His people!
He stands before His High Priest Joshua, representing His Chosen Ones, and declares once again…I will take care of my children and fulfill my purposes, even in their judgment…but as to you Accuser…The LORD rebuke you!
Following the earth-shattering rebuke, The LORD himself prepares:
A Brand New Spotless Robe for His Priest!
(4) Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes."
It is strangely reminiscent of the vision witnessed by John the Apostle on Patmos when the Lord Jesus appeared to him and spoke of the Church at Laodicea:
Revelation 3:17-19
(17) Because you say, ’I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--
(18) I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
It is interesting to note that Laodicea was world famous for its beautiful white wool. Jesus is telling the church that He would provide even whiter garments than the beautiful wool of Laodicea. He would provide the beautiful, blindingly white robes of holiness and sanctification…much like those the priest wore in the days of old as he ministered in the Holy of Holies!
And beloved, it is that fine attire that He will provide that we will wear one day at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!
Revelation 19:6-8
(6) And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
(7) Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
(8) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
She has been sanctified to wear those white robes according to Paul in:
Ephesians 5:26-27
(26) that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
(27) that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Oh friends, notice that Joshua does not change his own clothes, nor does he clean them up!
It is a sovereign act of the Lord God Almighty! He alone can justify, sanctify and enable a man or woman for His Service and His Glory!
We cannot clean ourselves! Many times we have the notion that “I will clean myself up, and God will again be able to use me…” That process will bring nothing more than failure and more accusation from the enemy of our souls.
We must understand: It is His Great pleasure to clean us, and prepare us for his Holy Service!
something else quite significant is given:
And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him.
Oh friends, do we realize what the new, clean turban means upon the head of a priest? It is his empowerment for service! It is the crowning glory of a priest. The marvelous headpiece that adorns his raiment has a brass headband that says
“Holiness Unto The Lord.”
In the Old Testament, the High Priest’s headdress was described:
Exodus 28:36-38
(36) "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
(37) And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.
(38) So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
It speaks that Holiness has been restored! The sins are gone! Reconciliation has taken place!.
Once again, Joshua is able to minister and serve in the beauty of Holiness. The flashing gold headpiece speaks to all who will see that this vessel is HOLY: set apart for the service of the Lord!
It is his pleasure
To clean His priest
To clothe His priest
And to continue the work of His Priest!
Finally, I see this vision ending with a most profound and meaningful statement.
And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
