In the days when the people of Israel had returned from exile in Babylon, the prophet Zechariah received a vision from the Lord. It was a time of rebuilding—not just the walls of Jerusalem and the temple, but also the hearts and spirits of God’s people. The Lord was revealing His plans to restore Israel, and in this vision, Zechariah saw a profound scene unfold in the heavenly courts.
Zechariah stood in the presence of the Lord, and before him was the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak. Joshua was clothed in filthy garments, stained and tattered, a symbol of the sin and guilt that clung to him and to the people he represented. The weight of Israel’s transgressions seemed to press heavily upon him, and he stood in the midst of a divine courtroom, accused by the adversary, Satan.
Satan, the accuser, stood at Joshua’s right hand, ready to bring charges against him. His voice was sharp and relentless, pointing to Joshua’s filthy garments as evidence of unworthiness. “How can this man stand before the Lord as high priest?” Satan sneered. “Look at his sin! Look at the guilt of the people he represents! They are unfit to serve a holy God.”
But the Lord, who is rich in mercy and abounding in steadfast love, rebuked Satan. “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan!” the angel of the Lord declared. “Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire? He is chosen by the Lord, and his guilt shall not condemn him.”
Then the Lord turned to Joshua, and His gaze was filled with compassion. “Take off his filthy garments,” the Lord commanded the attending angels. As the angels obeyed, Joshua’s shame was stripped away. The Lord spoke again, this time with a promise of restoration: “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”
The angels brought forth clean, pure robes, finely woven and radiant with holiness. They clothed Joshua in these garments, symbolizing the righteousness that comes not from human effort but from the grace of God. The transformation was complete—Joshua, once weighed down by sin, now stood in the presence of the Lord, cleansed and renewed.
But the Lord’s work did not end there. He turned to Joshua and said, “Listen carefully, Joshua the high priest, and you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.” The Branch was a promise of the Messiah, the one who would come to fulfill all righteousness and bring salvation to God’s people. The Lord continued, “See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord Almighty, and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.”
The vision was a profound declaration of God’s plan to redeem His people. The stone with seven eyes symbolized the all-seeing, all-knowing nature of God’s providence, and the inscription represented His sovereign decree. The removal of sin in a single day pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would bear the sins of the world on the cross.
The Lord then gave Joshua a charge: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.’” Joshua was called to live in faithfulness, to lead the people in righteousness, and to point them toward the coming Messiah.
As the vision faded, Zechariah was left in awe of the Lord’s mercy and grace. He understood that the restoration of Israel was not just about rebuilding a temple or a city but about the renewal of hearts and the forgiveness of sins. The Lord was preparing His people for the coming of the Branch, the one who would bring true and lasting salvation.
And so, Zechariah proclaimed this message to the people, urging them to turn from their sins and embrace the Lord’s promise of redemption. The vision of Joshua in the heavenly courtroom became a beacon of hope, reminding them that no matter how deep their guilt, the Lord’s grace was deeper still. Through His mercy, they could stand cleansed and renewed, clothed in the righteousness of the coming Messiah.
