The High Priest a Representative
But then supposing Jerusalem could be thus blessed according to the sovereign choice of God, who never revokes His gifts or His calling—supposing all nations could be thus joined not merely to them but to Him with Jerusalem as their center—would that satisfy God without putting their hearts and consciences in communion with Him? Impossible. Hence another scene follows to this end in chapter 3. “He showed me Joshua the high priest” (vs. 1). This, as is evident, touches relationship with God, and brings in not merely the city but the sanctuary. “He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Jehovah rebuke thee, O Satan; even Jehovah 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” (vss. 1-3). The high priest bears a representative character, not here entering within the vail, but much more like the same personage when he confessed the sins of Israel on the head of the people’s lot, the live goat sent into the land of forgetfulness. We must remember that the high priest had not only an intercessory function but a representative character, the latter outside, the former within the vail when the blood was put before and upon the mercy seat.
Jehovah Acts in Sovereign Mercy
Here the scene has clearly a representative design. Hence Joshua is seen not clothed in garments of glory and beauty, nor even in the linen garments of daily service. He is on his trial, so to speak, like one suspected of crime. Notoriously the Easterns are as to this rapid in their thoughts and prompt in action. When a man was suspected of crime, it was the common habit to take for granted that he was guilty till he had cleared himself. They do not resemble the Westerns, who take for granted that a man is innocent till he is proved guilty. Here however all stand on solemn ground. It was not a question of Oriental any more than of Western thoughts, but of God and the adversary, who both knew the guilt of Jerusalem. Properly therefore do we see the strange sight of the high priest clad in filthy garments. It was only to be expected that Satan should be there taking advantage of the guilt and the confessed condition of the representative high priest as a reason why God should cast Jerusalem back into fiery trouble again. Why should He pluck such a brand as that out of the fire? Was it better than other brands? Such was Satan’s reason; but Jehovah had seen all according to His grace, and in sovereign mercy says, “Take away the filthy garments from him” (vs. 4). It was a sentence which had its spring in His own affection. Nevertheless, it has a firm ground of righteousness, as we know well, though this be not here brought forward, yet never absent from the eye of God. “And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with costly [not merely change of] raiment” (vs. 4). Such is His good pleasure, which is not more gracious toward the Jew than glorifying to Himself. “He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy,” and He has mercy on Joshua as standing for the people. But this is not all. “And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head” (vs. 5); for he is not content with acquittal merely, but lavishes signs of honor and full favor. “So they set a fair miter on his head, and clothed him with the garments. And the angel of Jehovah stood up. And the angel of Jehovah protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts; If thou wilt walk in My ways” (vss. 5-7). This solemn declaration was a charge conditional on obedience and even then valid and applicable. Although God put before the people His purpose of grace, He did not for the present take them out of government proceeding on the ground of their own responsibility. It was not the new covenant—the Messiah. There was but a sign of the good things coming, but not yet come. The very image could not be beforehand; nor should it be looked for in the past.
The angel of Jehovah means, I think, Jehovah acting by one who represented Him. The angel stood in a relation with respect to Jehovah similar to that which the high priest held towards Israel—at least to a certain point. The same principle in the Revelation is true of the angel of Jesus, and the angels of the churches, which last of course were men in their midst.
The Branch
This then was the ground on which the Jews stood for the present. There was as yet no taking them out from their place of responsibility under law. This could not be till the Messiah came and was received by Israel. But there is more added. “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy companions that sit before thee: for they are men of a sign or portent [that is, representative men]: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant the BRANCH” (vs. 8). The effort of Grotius to lower this to Zerubbabel is mischievous; and a grievous thing that Dr. Blayney should acquiesce in an unbelief too strong not only for many a learned Rabbi, but even for such rationalists as Gesenius and Hitzig, who deny not the Messianic reference. From Isaiah the application is unquestionable; and in Luke 1 we see the Septuagintal alternative, άνατολ is commonly known. “For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon the one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity [or punishment] of that land in one day” (vs. 9).
“That Day” Is for the Earth, and the Earthly People
Why should one think that the stone then in vision before Joshua sets aside the future reference of verse 9, typified by the foundation stone of the temple then laid? The context is decidedly Messianic. As yet it was the blessed sign only; the shadow and not the substance for the Jews till Jesus come and reign. “In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree” (vs. 10). What “one day” but the day of Messiah’s glory can remove the punishment of Judea with its cause? Meanwhile we come into the blessing for heaven—we who believe on Him, our life hid in God. Surely it is not the day when they were still exposed to the evil eye and malicious report of their Samaritan and other envious neighbors; but a day of mercy and power flowing from God’s grace towards the Jews. It is not indeed the deeper calling we know now by the Spirit according to the once hidden counsels of God, who unites us to Christ in heaven and for heaven. This will be a day for the earth. Consequently, we hear of each inviting his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. We follow Christ unseen through shame and suffering till we go to meet Him on high. Here it is not those whom the Lord is not ashamed to call His brethren, while the world disowns them, whose joy it is to know “His Father and our Father, His God and our God.” The prophet never intimates such language for the earth any more than the New Testament puts such figures as theirs in our mouth. Although we are on the earth, we stand in a heavenly relationship already, and shall be changed accordingly when Jesus comes (1 Cor. 15). They at His coming shall enjoy all that God promised Israel of old and down through the line of prophets.