THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #187 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #168
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3873
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #187
THE LIFE OF MOSES #168
MOSES AT MT.SINAI#67
THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES ( Part 26)
THE CROWN OF JOSHUA IN PROPHET ZECHARIAH'S VISION ( ZECHARIAH 3 )
We backtrack in time to the first group of post-exilic Jews who returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity in Babylon.
They returned to rebuild the devasted city of Jerusalem and their temple razed to the ground by the Babylonians.
We zero in on Joshua the High Priest.
A. Background of Joshua the High Priest
Joshua is mentioned as the high priest in Zechariah 3:1-10, but who exactly was he?
First, a clarification: the Joshua mentioned in Zechariah is a different person from the Joshua whose name is used as the title of the biblical book of Joshua. That Joshua was the assistant to Moses who led Israel across the Jordan River and led their conquest of the Promised Land in 1400 B.C.
The Joshua of Zechariah 3 was a Levite and descendant of Aaron in post-exilic Jerusalem in approximately 538 B.C.
Joshua’s name also appears as “Jeshua” and is listed as one of the first of those returning from Babylon in Nehemiah 7:7: “They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah. . . .”
The prophet Haggai also refers to the high priest Joshua: “In the second year of Darius the king [537 B.C.], in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (Haggai 1:1).
Joshua would soon help rebuild the temple (Ezra 5:1-2).
God used the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to communicate His command to rebuild the temple and encourage the people in their work.
Joshua served as the spiritual leader and high priest who supported the effort, and Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah, also involved in the work.
As the first high priest in the rebuilt Jerusalem, Joshua played a significant historical role and was a precursor to Ezra, who came to Jerusalem during the second wave of returning exiles.
2. Vision of Zechariah re the Crowning of Joshua
God told the prophet Zechariah to place a crown on Joshua’s head: “Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak” (Zechariah 6:11).
Joshua was already the high priest, and the prophet was to symbolically crown him king.
The coronation was to serve as an encouragement to Joshua in his work of rebuilding the temple.
Also, it was a visual prophecy of the future Messiah—who would be both high priest (Hebrews 6:20) and king (Matthew 27:11).
Significantly, the name “Joshua” is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek name “Jesus.” Thus, the priest-king Joshua was a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah, and the similarity extended even to his name.
3. Spiritual Lesson
A. God in the Old Testament appointed and anointed the three offices of prophet, priest and king with the Holy Spirit.
B. In our study, we have the 3 personages:
Zerubbabel - governor of Judah
Zechariah - prophet
Joshua - priest.
C. Interestingly, the gold plate or rosette (NRSV), which bears the inscription holy to YHWH, is fastened to the high priest's turban-and the composite headpiece is appositionally termed crown of holiness (נֵּזֶר־הַקֹדֶש: Exod 39:30; Lev 8:9).
In this post-exilic vision the prophet Zechariah sees the high priest, Joshua, with such a crown (עֲטָרֹ]ו: Zech 6:11, 14).
This is a prophetic introduction of the royal priesthood that Jesus would fulfil.
Although Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi but Judah, His royal priesthood is delineated in the Book of Hebrews to be from the line of Melchizedek, the shadowy King and Priest of Salem to whom Abraham offered tithes.
Let us read Hebrews 7:11-17
11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.
13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.
14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.
17 For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
D. This lesson becomes meaningful to us when we ( the N.T. saints ) are called a royal priesthood.
Thus our priestly crown denotes our high calling in Christ to rule and reign with Him and to represent Him to His people as a high priest and His people to Him as a living sacrifice.
1 Peter 2:9
"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;"
