Zechariah Chapter 3
The Cleansing of Joshua the High Priest
A. The Vision of the LORD, Satan, and Joshua the High Priest
(Zechariah 3:1–3)
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
In this vision, the prophet Zechariah is shown Joshua the high priest, who was serving during the time of the prophet Haggai. The scene reveals Joshua standing before the Angel of the LORD, which carries the idea of priestly service and intercession. The phrase “standing before” signifies that Joshua was not there as a mere observer but as one ministering before God. However, he stood clothed in filthy garments, a clear picture of sin and defilement in the presence of divine holiness.
At Joshua’s right hand stood Satan, whose name literally means “adversary.” He came to oppose and accuse Joshua, pointing out his uncleanness and unworthiness to serve as priest. Satan is ever the enemy of the believer’s fellowship and service to God, seeking to condemn and hinder those whom the Lord has called. As Scripture affirms, he stands against us in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10–18). Yet the only thing worse than having Satan as an adversary is to have him as a friend.
The LORD Himself intervenes and rebukes Satan. This divine rebuke reveals God’s authority and His defense of His chosen servant. It is likely that “the Angel of the LORD” here refers to the pre-incarnate Christ, for He speaks with divine authority, saying, “The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan.” This echoes the pattern found in Jude 1:9, where Michael the archangel said, “The Lord rebuke thee” when contending with the devil. This teaches the believer a vital lesson about spiritual warfare—that our strength is not in our own authority but in the authority of the Lord. We do not fight for victory but from victory, standing in the power of Christ.
The LORD further declares, “The LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” This statement reinforces the divine election and favor upon Jerusalem, reminding Satan that the city and its people belong to God’s purpose. The LORD’s choice of Jerusalem and His people cannot be undone by Satan’s accusations. God’s love and covenant stand secure, regardless of human frailty.
The phrase, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” expresses divine mercy toward Joshua. Though defiled and unworthy, he had been rescued from destruction. A brand refers to a piece of wood already burning and nearly consumed, yet snatched from the fire before being destroyed. This symbolizes the sinner saved from judgment by God’s grace. Joshua, though clothed in filthy garments, was protected and preserved by divine grace, not his own merit. The imagery reflects the believer’s standing before God—saved, yet still bearing the marks of what they were saved from. As Spurgeon said, “Christ accepts him as he is and shuts the devil’s mouth by telling him, ‘Thou sayest this man is black—of course he is; he is a brand plucked out of the fire.’”
God’s redemption transforms what is worthless into something precious. As F. B. Meyer observed, “Such is the divine economy, that God makes much of brands, fragments, castaways.” The Lord delights to redeem what the world despises, and to display His mercy in vessels once marked for destruction. The vision teaches that salvation and service are entirely by grace. Joshua had nothing to add to the LORD’s defense of him—his silence represented the believer’s total dependence on Christ’s advocacy.
This vision also presents a threefold picture: first, as an exclamation of wonder at God’s mercy—“Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire!”; second, as a question of hope—“Is not this one, in particular, plucked out of the fire?”; and third, as a declaration of defiance toward the accuser—“Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” Every believer can claim this truth, standing boldly in the grace of God that rescues and restores. Even John Wesley, who was miraculously saved as a child from a burning house, bore this verse as a personal emblem of his deliverance and God’s mercy, keeping a picture of the event inscribed with Zechariah 3:2: “Is not this a brand plucked out of the burning?”
The Cleansing of Joshua the High Priest
B. Joshua’s Iniquity Is Removed and He Is Clothed in Clean Garments
(Zechariah 3:4–5)
And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
In this portion of the vision, the LORD commands that Joshua’s filthy garments be removed and replaced with clean, rich apparel. The filthy garments represented sin, guilt, and defilement—the unworthiness of man in the presence of a holy God. As Satan had accused Joshua for being unfit to stand before the LORD, the accusation was not without truth; the filth was real. Yet, rather than condemning Joshua, the LORD Himself removes the filth, declaring, “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee.” This statement reveals divine grace in action—the sinner is not merely forgiven but cleansed and transformed. The Hebrew word translated “filthy” carries the strongest possible meaning, describing filth of the most vile and loathsome nature. It is a vivid picture of sin’s corruption before the eyes of a holy God.
Once the filthy garments were taken away, Joshua was clothed in “change of raiment,” meaning beautiful or rich robes. This is not merely a restoration to neutrality; it is the imputation of righteousness. The act symbolizes justification—God not only removes iniquity but clothes His servant with His own righteousness. The same truth runs throughout Scripture, from the garments God made for Adam and Eve after their sin (Genesis 3:21: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them”) to the white robes of the redeemed in Revelation 7:14: “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The believer’s righteousness is not his own, but the righteousness of God imputed through faith. This is the essence of grace—the exchange of our filthy garments for Christ’s perfect robe of righteousness.
Zechariah, moved by the holiness of the scene, interjects and says, “Let them set a fair mitre upon his head.” The fair mitre, or clean turban, was an essential part of the high priest’s attire. Upon it was a golden plate engraved with the words HOLINESS TO THE LORD (Exodus 28:36–38). This signified that the high priest, now cleansed and clothed anew, was set apart for sacred service to God. His guilt was removed, his standing restored, and his ministry reaffirmed. The vision closes this act with the words, “And the angel of the LORD stood by,” portraying divine approval and presence, as if to confirm that the work of grace was complete and accepted.
This vision beautifully portrays the work of salvation. The sinner stands condemned and defiled, unable to cleanse himself. Yet the LORD Himself removes the sin, covers the guilt, and restores the sinner to fellowship. It is an image of every believer’s standing before God—once clothed in iniquity, now clothed in righteousness by grace through faith in Christ.
C. God’s Message to Joshua the High Priest
(Zechariah 3:6–7)
And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
After cleansing and restoration, the LORD gives Joshua both a warning and a promise. The admonition begins with, “If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge.” This condition reflects the same divine charge given to the first Joshua centuries earlier: “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:7). The LORD demands obedience, holiness, and steadfastness from those who serve Him. Cleansing from sin is not the end but the beginning of a life consecrated to God’s service.
God’s promise follows: “Then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts.” To “judge” His house means to administer and oversee the priestly duties within the temple, serving as God’s representative among His people. It is a reaffirmation that Joshua, though once defiled, is now restored to his full office. The LORD entrusts him again with spiritual authority and the oversight of His sanctuary. This act demonstrates God’s mercy and His willingness to restore those who have fallen but repent and are cleansed.
Finally, the LORD promises, “I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” This refers to access into the presence of God and fellowship with the heavenly host symbolized in the vision. Such access is a mark of divine favor and acceptance. It anticipates the New Testament truth that believers, through Christ our High Priest, have access into the presence of God. As it is written, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Joshua’s restoration therefore becomes a prophetic picture of every believer’s privilege in Christ—cleansed, clothed, and called to fellowship and faithful service before God.
The Cleansing of Joshua the High Priest
D. A Prophetic Message of Messiah and His Reign
(Zechariah 3:8–10)
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
In this prophetic message, the LORD directs Joshua the high priest to listen closely, not only for his own sake but for the sake of those who sit with him, representing the priesthood and leadership of the nation. The Lord calls them “men wondered at,” meaning they were symbolic or representative signs of something greater—an earthly foreshadowing of a future divine reality. Their priestly office and cleansing served as a type, pointing forward to the coming of the Messiah, the ultimate High Priest who would remove iniquity and reign in righteousness.
The LORD declares, “Behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.” This title, the Branch, is one of the great Messianic designations in Scripture, used repeatedly in the prophets to describe the coming Christ. In Isaiah 4:2, the prophet writes, “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.” Likewise, Isaiah 11:1 prophesies, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jeremiah also uses the title in Jeremiah 23:5: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” Again, in Jeremiah 33:15, he declares, “In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.”
The image of the Branch conveys life, growth, and fruitfulness. It portrays the Messiah as both humble in His earthly appearance—springing forth as a tender shoot—and yet possessing divine vitality and power. The LORD refers to Him also as “My Servant,” highlighting the submissive and obedient nature of Christ’s earthly ministry, as seen in the Servant Songs of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1; 49:3–6; 52:13–15; 53:1–12). Jesus Himself confirmed this image when He said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The life of the believer is dependent on abiding in the Messiah, the true Branch, who supplies life and fruitfulness to all who are His.
The LORD then adds another image: “For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes.” While the Branch emphasizes the Messiah’s life-giving nature, the stone emphasizes His strength, stability, and perfection. In Scripture, Christ is frequently depicted as the stone—“the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner” (Psalm 118:22)—and “a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). The seven eyes upon the stone symbolize perfect wisdom and complete understanding, the fullness of divine insight and omniscience. This imagery aligns with the depiction of the Lamb in Revelation 5:6, where John describes Him as having “seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” The perfection of Christ’s wisdom and knowledge assures that His reign will be righteous, just, and all-knowing.
The LORD continues, “Behold, I will engrave the graving thereof.” The engraving of the stone signifies divine marking and identification. Early Christian interpreters saw in this the wounds of Christ—the engravings upon His body that forever testify of His redemptive work. These marks are both the seal of His suffering and the emblem of His glory. As Thomas was invited to behold the engraved wounds of his risen Lord, so too are believers reminded that the foundation of salvation and the establishment of Christ’s kingdom are grounded in His sacrificial death.
God then proclaims a climactic promise: “And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” This is one of the most remarkable prophetic statements in Zechariah. It anticipates the day of atonement fulfilled in Christ, when the sins of the world were taken away through His death on the cross. What the yearly sacrifices of Israel could only symbolize, the Messiah would accomplish completely and permanently. As Hebrews 10:12 declares, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” The removal of iniquity “in one day” points to Calvary—the single, all-sufficient act of atonement that secured eternal redemption for all who believe.
Finally, the LORD describes the peace and prosperity that will characterize His future kingdom: “In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.” This phrase is a Hebrew expression symbolizing peace, safety, and abundance. It recalls 1 Kings 4:25, which describes the golden age of Solomon: “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree.” Likewise, Micah 4:4 uses the same phrase to describe the peace of the Messianic Kingdom: “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.” It is a picture of complete security, fellowship, and blessing under the reign of the Messiah.
This final vision in Zechariah chapter 3 reveals the ultimate encouragement for Joshua and all God’s people: the coming of the Messiah, the Servant, the Branch, the Stone—who removes iniquity, restores righteousness, and brings everlasting peace. God lifts Joshua’s eyes from his own cleansing to the greater work of Christ, showing that the true hope of Israel and the world rests not in human effort but in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
