The Messiah Crowned Priest-King Series

ZECHARIAH 6: 9-15

THE MESSIAH CROWNED PRIEST-KING

The eight visions are over yet God is not finished speaking to His servant. We thus find a beautiful and fitting climax not only to the visions, but to history as man has known it. Immediately following the overthrow of the world’s commercial, political and religious powers symbolized in the vision of the drawn chariots (6:1-8) comes the revelation of Christ in His kingdom glory (6:9-15).

The prophesied return of the Messiah for His royal coronation is here fore-shadowed by the crowning of the high priest, Joshua. Joshua represented the Branch, the coming Messiah, who will rebuild the future temple and will be both priest and King (CIT). Thus the visions and their climax follows the prophetic order of first the cleansing and refining of God’s people under His protection until history culminates in the judgments of the Day of the Lord, then the return of the King and His kingdom blessings (Ps. 2:5-6, Isa. 3:24-26, 4:2-6, 10:33-34, 11:1-10, Rev. 19:19-21, 20:4-6). For the full establishment of the God ruled ones’ blessings will with the crowning of the Priest-King Messiah which is set forth in this historical event of the crowning of Joshua.

I. THE SYMBOLIC CROWNING OF THE HIGH PRIEST, 9-11.

II. THE BRANCH BUILDS HIS TEMPLE, 12-13.

III. A REMINDER TO BE OBEDIENT, 14-15.

I. THE SYMBOLIC CROWNING OF THE HIGH PRIEST, 9-11.

It would seem that shortly after the visions God spoke verbally to His prophet as we read in verse 9. Then the Word of the LORD also came to me saying,

Zechariah is now spoken to by God in the way God normally spoke to His prophets. Thus Zechariah now uses a common prophetic wording to authenticate that what is to be said and done is by the Spirit of God and not from the prophet Himself. Saying is le’mor which means "in the following manner." The word of the LORD came not by vision but by commands to perform an interesting event which was to furnish the basis of the significant prophetic symbolism.

The tersely commanded message or call to action begins in verse 10. Receive a donation from the exiles, from Heldac, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.

Some recently returning exiles had apparently brought a donation from those remaining exiled in Babylon. Zechariah was directed to "receive" their gift. Ezra would refused offerings from the Samaritans for the temple but these Jews apparently gave with a better motive.

The returning exiles had God honoring names. Heldac means "The Lord’s world," Tobijah means "Yah is good," Jedaiah means "Yah knows." Josiah had graciously received them into his home.

The emphatic "go you" indicates that Zechariah was to go promptly and preform this task. He had been prepared for the event by his previous visions and experiences and thus he is the one to initiate it.

The making of a crown and its purpose is commanded in verse 11 is significant. And take silver and gold and make a crown(s) and set (it) on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

The noun ‘crown’ in the original is plural. The use of two metals makes it likely that what is described is a crown consisting of multiple rings. Presumably there would have been at least two rings, one of silver and one of gold. It was therefore an item of considerable intricacy and magnificence (Rev. 19:12). Its dual metals also corresponds with the dual role of the one crowned. [The word used for ‘crown’ is not the same as that used for the high priest’s headdress. It is a sign of royal or princely rank, as well as being used metaphorically (2 Sam. 12:30; Ps. 21:3; Song 3:11; Prov. 4:9; 14:24).] It is therefore a surprise that Zechariah is instructed to set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. [John MacKay, Christian Focus Commentaries, Vol. 2. Zechariah]

The surprise crowning of a high priest as king [instead of Zerubbabel, the governor in the Davidic line] is shocking. Such a union of the offices of king and priest had previously been forbidden. When King Uzziah tried to burn incense on the altar of incense, he was punished for his usurping of the priests’ role (2 Chron. 26:16-21). So this act must be symbolic a priest becoming king someday. In Psalm 110 David had been prophesied that the LORD’s anointed king was also declared to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek, who had been both king of Salem and a priest of the God Most High. That truth is now restated in clearer terms. In that it is the priest who wears the crown, and not the prince in some item of priestly garb, there is demonstrated that it is the priestly role of the Messiah that is primary.