Zechariah 6:9-15; Hebrews 7:1-17

In our last message we noted that we had come to the last of the series of visions that Zechariah received on one night. But before a new day of revelation was experienced by Zechariah C7: 1), we have the concludingwordsofthepresent experience in Zechariah 6:9-15.

Thematerialinth~1astfewversesin the chapter do not recordanothervision. The actions portrayed are introduced in a way that is quite different from the "seeing" ofa vision CZech. 6:9). This is a revelation of the word of God to Zechariah, with a command for him to dosomethingCZech. 6: 10). Thesewords serve as an historical appendix to the visions.

What we have here is what is called "prophetic theater." That is, the prophet has the message of God acted out before the people. Many of the prophets were called upon to act out their messages in various ways in order to drive home their point. Hosea was commanded to marry a prostitute to show Israel's sin against GodCHos.1:2). Jsaiahnamedhis sons as symbols to Israel CIsa. 8:3) and prophesied sparsely dressed as a sign of Israel's destruction CIsa. 20:3). And there are others.

The message here acted out under the direction of Zechariah is one that

summarizes and draws together several of the key elements from the series of visions just concluded. We find in it references to several things we have seen before in the visions: the rebuilding of the temple CZech. 1; 3; 4), Babylon CZech. 2:7),joshua the high priest CZech. 3-4), and the Branch CZech. 3:8). Thatelement which exercises the most influence on the actions involved is drawn from Zechariah 3, where Zerubabbel the governor ofjudah and joshua the high priest are seen.

The symbolic message acted out is particularly important as a corrective to a potential misconstrual of the last vision. In the very last vision Zechariah saw God's Spirit and God's Four Horsemen settling in judgment upon His enemies. Now the verses before us clearly show that though God will judge the heathen, Hewill notutterlyexterminate them. Let ussee, then, whatistaught by considering the symbolic action, the typical meaning, and the prophetic result.

1. The Symbolic Action

In the text we have presented to us three particular Jews who have come from Babylon to stay in the house of a fourthjewnamedjosiahCZech. 6:10). In verse 14 four names are mentioned that in two instances are slightly different from those in verse 10. However these ,

are the same four men. In the Hebrew there is but a slight difference in the names Heldai (v. 10) and HelemCv. 14), which might simply be a misspelling in the copy of the scrolls we have. And apparently the man called 'josiah son of Zephaniah" of verse lOis the same as the one called ''Hen the son of Zephaniah" of verse 14. Probably Hen was a second name for josiah.

The three men who are visiting are representatives of those Jews who still remain behind in Babylon these fourteen years after the enforced captivity had ceased. They have come to visit, not to stay. Apparently these three are deputies sent from the Babylonian jews to bring silver and gold to help in the rebuilding ofthe temple CZech. 6:10). These three men are to go into the house of] osiah to wimess the prophetic theater to be acted out.

Nowinthatpropheticactionwehave Zechariah commanded to take the gold and silver the men brought and make crowns and set them upon the head of Joshuathehighpriest(Zech.6:11). These are probably two crowns, or at least a double crown, because they are said (l) to involve both the priesthood and kingship and (2) to effecta peace between them both CZech. 6: 13). Following the crowning action played out Zechariah gives a prophecy that we shall consider shortly.

This, then, is the prophetic theater. But what does it mean? What is its ultimate significance?

2. The Typical Meaning

What Zechariah has acted out here becomes not only asymbol, buta type. A type is a divinely intended symbolic action in the Old Testament that comes to reality and expression in the New Testament. Theactionhereseemsclearly to be typical in that the crowns are ordered to be left in the temple for a "memorial" to the three visitors from Babylon CZech. 6:14).

July/August, 1992 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon f 37

. But there is something 1Rlusual and vittually unprecedented in Zecha.riah's actions here (Zech. 6: 11). Here the high priest Is crowned with royal crowns. But according to God's ordained government as ordered in tenns of His law, never was the priesthood and kingship to be held in one person. Even in Old Testament Israel there was a strong distinction between Church and State. There was a clear separation of pri~t and king; there was a difference between temple and palace.

And all of this is despite the distortion and confusion ~mong some modern conunentators that see Israel asunionofChuochandState. That W~ch Israel had that "",as different from the modern Situation was a harmonyofChuochandState under GOd, not a union of the two. And this is very iriiportant forus to recognize \vhen ·we consider the applicability of God's UlW today. Goddesiresharmony and mutual respect between Chuoch and State, not 1Rlion orthe domination of one over the other.

lsraelWasorganizedasanation1Rlder Moses. You will recall that in the days of Israel's early nationhood, Moses was Israel's ciVil ruler, but he was not her priest. Aaron, Moses' associate, was the father of the priestly line (known as the Aaronic priesthood). Moses. was not. Godkeptthecivilandecdesiasticaloffices separate from Israel's very beginning.

In 2 Chronicles 19:5-11 we see a careful distinction drawn between the civil ruler and the priests. 2 Chronicles 19:11 is very dear in this regard. In 1 Samuel we witness King Saul taking it into his , own hand to offer incense to God, although it was the priest's task. Samuel rebuked hinl for that usurpation ofpower(lSam.13:11-13). KingUzziah

also inrruded upon prtestlyprerogatives and was rebuked by Azariah the priest (2 Chron 26:16-21).

Sowhatwehaveheredoneinsymbol is highly unusual: the priest is crowned with a royal crown (Zech. 6:11). lsayit is highlyunusual. Although it iswithout divine warrant for lsrael's government (which was a model to all nations, Deut. 4:5-8), such a 1Rlion of the two offices of priestand kingwasnotwithoutprecedent in Scripture. Such a urtion does appear

Branch" (cp. Isa 11: l;Jer. 23:5). Joshua stands before them clothed in priestly robes and crowned with a kingly crown as a symbol of Jesus <luist, not as a priest-king hlmsel[ In fact, the crowns are not to be left onJoshua but were to be placed in the temple as a memotial, because they were a symbol not a reality (Zech.6:14).

Thereason for thereference to Christ as "the Branch" in Isaiah,Jeremiah, and Zechariah is that all of these prophets

deal '¥Vith :rsrae1's judgment in ., .' . :, ,; the banlshment to Babylonand

., > the over-throw of the Jewish .. state. Isaiahforeseesitas!itture

from his own time; JereIIliah acrually experiences it in his

,. " life time; Zechariah is writing . ; ::: just after the fulfillment of the

, banishment and the return to the Ulnd.

',.,."."" .'",. ".,.,.' Consequently, the

,. ·" ':/"' i. ~ :=:~:~~=~~~ }: " i royal house of David has

:' .': •• : collapsed. Their government

in Abraham's day over 500 years before Moses. Therein Genesis 14wemeet tltat shadowy figure ofMelchizedek, the king of righteousness.

InPSalnt llO:4we have arefetence to MelchizedekthatisappliedtoJesusChrlst in Hebrews 7: 17. Christ is the One who iscomingWhowilllegitimatelycombine the priesthood and the kingship in one person. And thads predselythepeint of the prophetic theater conducted here.

AfterthecrownsareplacedonJoshua thehighpriest,Zechariahiscommanded tospeak(Zech. 6:12). NoticethatJoshua is standing there but Zechariah says, "Beholdthelt!'\llwhose nameis TheBranch. »

As we learned in our study of chapter 3, Zechariah, Isaiah, andJeremiahallmake prophetic reference to Christ as "The

, is now 1Rlder the oversight and dommion of superior empires. The mighty tree of ~el has been felled.

But there is hope: There is a Branch Coming that will grow up out of the stumpoflsrael. Hewillrestorethehouse of David and the glory that was Israel's. That Branch is Jesus Christ of whom tbe angel spo~ to Mary (Luke 1:32). From the seemingly deadandworthlessstump of collapsed Israel Christ would arise. And]oshua was here acting out Christ's kingly and priestly role in type.

Not only is this significant, but it should be noted that it is a kingly crown setuponapriest,notpriestlyrobesplaced upon a king. It is also said that "he shaH be a priest upon hls throne, »not a king in the temple (Zech. 6: 13). This order is extremely important. Remember Zerubabbel was the governor of Judah mentioned in Zechariah 3 and alluded to

38 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of Otalcedon ~ July/August, 1992

in chapter4. He is surprisingly absent in allofthis. Thepriestreceivesprominence for an important reason.

This shows the necessity of Christ's coming to earth to die for sins first, only then followed by Hisexaltationto glorious kingly rule. The priority is the cross before the crown, humiliation before exaltation, the effecting of salvation through forgiveness before glory through kingly rule.

This was a point notoriously misunderstood by the Jews of Jesus' day. They tried to forobly make Him king before He died for sin Oohn 6:15). Even modem dispensationalists teach that Jesus offered an earthly political kingdom to Israel that would have precluded His death had he acceptedit. Hisowndisciples were distraUght at His death, having hoped He would bring glory to Israel (Luke 24:21). But Jesus set the record straight (Luke 24:26), as didPeter later (1 Pet. 1:11).

This truth isset forthhereinsymbolic action over 500 years prior to Christ. In fact, the very phraseology suggests His gradually assuming gloryin that "he shall growup out ojhls place" (Zech. 6:12). He does not come into glory at once. First "unto us a Son Is given" (lsa. 9:6). Then later "the government shall be upon His shoulders" (lsa. 9:7), when He ascends into heaven to rule from the righthand of God.

3. The Prophetic Result

The priestly role of the kingship of Christ, the redemptive nature of His kingdom receives the emphasis in the passage. Italso brlngsabout the promise of a wondrous result.

Notice that it is "the Branch" (Jesus Christ)whoissaidto bethe builderofthe temple (Zech. 6: 12d). This is a truth

misconstrued by the Jews then and the dispensationalists today. The Jews focused their hopes on the physical temple. The dispensationalists today look to a future rebuilding of the temple astheplaceofworsbipduringasupposed future rule of Christ on the earth. Both views are wrong.

Zechariah is speaking of the building of the spiritual temple, not the physical temple that was soon to be constructed.

According to Zechariah 4:9 ZerubabbeI, the governor, was the one who would complete the rebuilding of the physical temple destroyed by the Babylonians. But here Zerubabbel is not even present when reference is made to the building. And great emphasisis placed on the fact that "the Branch" and no one else will build the temple (Zech. 6:12d-13a). Notice the repetition is speaking of the rebuilding at the end of verse 12 and the beginning of verse 13. Notice also the emphatic "even he" statement.

Clearly the New Testanlent speaks of Christ's building of a spiritual temple, as we havementionedin previous messages (Eph. 2:21; 1 Pet. 2:5). We do not see Jesus building a physical temple at alI! In fact, Heprophesies the destruction of the physical Jewish temple that occuned in A.D. 70.

There is further evidence that this prophecy (unlike some of the earlier

ones) is not on the rebuilding of the physical temple by Zerubabbel but on the building of the spiritual temple by Jesus. In verse 15 we have terminology picked up on by Paul in Ephesians 2:17-21. Notice that those far offare the gentiles, who because of Christ are made a part of the spiritual, living temple. .

This prophecy clearly harkens back to Zechariah 2: 11, whichlookedforward to worldwide gentile salvation (Zech.

2: 11; 6: 15). And both of these are rooted in the Abrahamic Covenant which promised salvation to all the families of the earth (Gen. 12:3).

It also parallels the prophecy by Zechaliah's contemporary, Haggai. In Haggai 2:6, 7 we learn that God will begin drawing all nations to His worship. Hebrews tells us of the beginning of the fulfillment of this prophecy in New Testament times at the

destruction of the physical temple CHeb. 12:26-28). Godsecures the future of His spiritual temple, the Church of Jesus Christ, when He destroys the physical Jewish temple once andforallinA.D. 70.

As Hebrews says, we Christians receive a kingdom when God shakes the heavens and the earth in A.D. 70. This fulfills Zechariah 6: 13, 15. It is through the death of Christ that salvation's peace is made available to the gentiles. It is at the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 thatmessagereceivesa permanent boost. WithJesusaspriestandklng, the counsel of peace is effected (Zech. 6:13; Eph. 2:14-15).

So we see the ultimate prophetic outcome of Zechariall's prophecy: The coming of Christ in humiliation to accomplish the work of the priesthood once and for all and then the enthronement of Christ as king (Heb. 1:3; 10:11-13). Upon the basis of His

July/August, 1992 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of Olalc:edon ~ 39

accomplished redemptive work He. will I?uild His spiritual rempleand expand His spiritual kingdom to include those lhatarefaroff,fromeverynation,kindred, tongue, and m'be. . .

Conclusion

What might we learn from this prophecy?

In the first place, we should learn a very important factor of Scripture. The Old Testament priesthood and temple weretemporarysignsofcorningsalvation in Christ. Thesevv~l1 tle"Yerbe established again, and those who await it in a futUre millermial tclgn of Christ are in error. ' Ourworkshouldbethroughevangelism and discipleship to spread the spiritual temple of Christ and the spiritual rule of Christ throughout the world.

In the second place, we can learn that we must expect trlbulationandsuffering before glory.' Christ is our example. When He came to the earth He endured SUffering befote He received glory. He workedbeforeHereceived blessing. This isthewayofGodWithus,aswell. Christ has established His Church in the world knowing fun well that she had a long, . tough road ahead of her.

Our Christian forefathers laid groundwork for us to puild UpOIl We have already received many temporal

benefits from their God-blessed labolS, such as the Widespread influence of Christianity in the world, our freedom, prosperiry, and security. Butourworkis not over. We have put our hand to the plow, but we must not look back. The "counsel of peace" has been established in legal ptindple. We must await its gradual historical fulfillment as we strive to "disciple all nations baptizing them in

40 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon ~ July/August, 1992

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID BULK RATE

Permit No. 1553 Greenville, SC

29602

thenameoftheFatherandoftheSonand of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:20). This takes time and work.

Let us pray, study, and labor toward the gradual building of Christ's temple Church in the world. And let us pray for the further expansion of the kingdomHe rules from the right hand of God (Zech. 6:12-13).0