I will put fine garments on you

I will put fine garments on you

Scripture: Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. The angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua: “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.

Zechariah 3:1-7

Observation: The passage today gives us a well known and interesting picture. Joshua the high priest is seen standing before the angel of the LORD, which many theologians interpret as being the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. Satan is there, the accuser of the brethren, viciously accusing Joshua. Then the Lord, (our Lord Jesus) rebukes Satan saying “Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”. Are all of us not burning sticks snatched from the fire?

Joshua is then described as wearing filthy clothes which are symbolic of our sins. Once the filthy clothes are taken away, Joshua’s sin was symbolically taken away, and a clean turban was put on his head and fine garments were given him to wear. This is a picture of our salvation. Because our Lord Jesus died for us, we are forgiven and set free from our filthy sins, and given new clothes, the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ to wear.

Right after that, the Lord gives charge to Joshua to walk in obedience and keep His requirements, promising him the reward of having authority in the Lord’s house and having a place among those in the Lord’s presence. This is also true of our salvation. After we are saved, we are not to just go back and live life the way we used to. Instead, we are to walk in obedience to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him by serving others. We are saved for a purpose, which is to serve God.

Application: Some of us are still plagued by guilt and hounded by accusations thrown at us by the enemy. Choose to see ourselves and wearing clothes of righteousness given by our Lord Jesus Himself. He has taken away our old filthy rags and given us His righteousness to wear, pure and white and holy. Thank God for this and ask the Holy Spirit to help us continue to walk in righteousness and purity.

Prayer: Father God, I thank you that my sins are forgiven in Jesus name because of Jesus’ great sacrifice on the cross. I am made righteous even now, just as if I had never sinned. Help me O Lord continue to walk in righteousness, serving You by serving others. May Your great name be glorified forever. In Jesus name, Amen.