Satan is standing right there. Accusing. Doing what he does best. Because if he can get us to believe his accusations, he wins.
But an angel of the LORD was also there. And they were all talking to and about Joshua, the high priest at the time. Joshua was standing there in filthy clothes representing the sin of Israel and the priesthood. But the angel of the LORD says he is going to put fine garments on him.
6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.
Righteousness and holiness is what God desired. Israel prior to Babylonian captivity had lost that. The priests were such as corrupt as the commoners. And the people meant to lead were the ones who were destroying others because of their evil.
But they had been sent to exile as a result. And now the time of their punishment was over. It was a new day. God was going to clothe them once again in fine linen. And He says he will remove their sin in a single day. Forgiven.
It wasn’t just about Joshua and his associates though. They were a symbol of what was to come.
8 “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
The Branch was coming. A servant. And as we see throughout Scripture this is often a reference to the Messiah.
The stone or rock is another picture. Seven eyes or seven facets is a sign of completeness. He says he will engrave an inscription on it, and he will remove the sin of the land in a single day. Sounds like the cross.
Then your neighbors will sit under your vine and fig tree. The vine and fig are pictures of abundance and prosperity. And the sitting together with the neighbors is a sign of peace.
Restoration was granted when Israel returned from Babylon. They were forgiven and were given a new start. In the same way Messiah was coming. And he too would grant people forgiveness and a new start. At that time there would be peace. It’s the fruit of God’s good news.
