Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah, Chapter 3 verse 4, “See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you in festal apparel,” (NRSVB). The visions that the prophet Zechariah received in the night, were vision to encourage those who had started to rebuild the temple, encouraging them not be be fearful, but to take heart, despite the obstacles that were placed in their way. The Persian officials wrote to King Darius to find out whether he permitted the rebuilding of the temple. The Jews had to stop their building program and had to wait on the verdict of King Darius. He had instructed his scribes to investigate the historic documents and found the his predecessor, Cyrus, had return the vessels that were taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Jerusalem and had promised to help the Jews to rebuild their temple. Darius made good on these promises and sent material and all forms of of aide, and the Jews could rebuild the temple. We read in Ezra 6 verse 14, “And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah,” (Amplified Bible).
Zechariah saw a vision where the high priest, Joshua, was brought before the Angel of the Lord, and the Satan was standing at Joshua’s right hand to accuse him, but the Lord rebuked Satan and said to him to Joshua is a returned captive, plucked from the fire. Joshua was wearing tattered clothes and the Lord gave instruction and had Joshua dressed in clothes fitting to attend a feast. He promised Joshua that he and the priests that served with him, if they would walk in the statutes of the Lord, would serve as a foreshadow of the Branch, sprouting from the remnant of Israel, Who is the Servant of the Lord, the Saviour.
The Lord stated that he would remove the sins of the people in a day, and it would not be a day of small things, it should therefore not be despised. It would be the day when each man will invite his neighbour and they will celebrate the goodness of the Lord as they feast, each harvesting grapes from their vines and celebrating under their own fig trees. Zechariah prophesied of the coming of the the Messiah and his suffering and the pouring out of the Spirit of God, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.” Ultimately in the New Jerusalem the High Priest Joshua and the Prince of Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, will stand before the Lord and all the earth, as his anointed instruments, as is describe in Revelations Chapter 11 verse 4.
The visions of the prophet Zechariah encouraged the elders in their task and gave them new hope for completing their mission of restoring the wall of Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord successfully. Zechariah’s vision of Satan accusing the chosen of the Lord, reminds us of the accusing of Job by Satan and the temptation of Jesus. Paul writes in Romans 8 verse 33, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” No testimony can hold, not even that of Satan, for Christ has overcome the condemnation and charges of Satan. He argues with God and draws God’s attentions to people’s iniquities. But God has rebuked Satan. God has invited us to his table and dressed us in festive robes to celebrate at the table that he has set for us. “Yet amid all these things, we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us,” (Amplified Bible). Satan will never snatch us out of the hand of God.
We can rejoice, for we are saved by grace, the grace of God who affirms us as children and heirs, in right standing with him, through the work of his Son, who died for us, so that we can have live. “Even when we were dead and slain by our own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive, together in fellowship and in union with Christ. He gave us the very life of Christ himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for it is by grace that we are saved, the unmerited favour of God, and made partakers of Christ’s salvation,” Ephesians 2 verse 5, (Amplified Bible).
Father. we thank you that we can give you our old tattered garments and you give us a robe of pure white. Thank you that we are invited to partake of the Feast of the Lamb, where we will proclaim the Glory of Your Son, our Lord Jesus, Amen.