Remember... #3

 

Read Zechariah 3

Background: God gave Zechariah eight visions to pass on to the people of Israel which God intended for the purpose of reassuring them that He had not forgotten them, but was going to restore and rebuild both the temple and the city of Jerusalem.  He was going to give them prosperity and protection while He had them carefully carry out a planned rebuilding process. Today we get to the fourth vision: that of the High Priest Joshua being cleansed and installed into ministry.  The people were down and discouraged, afraid that they were no longer worthy to be God's people, due to their past sin.  God wanted to turn them away from that mindset to focus on Him and what He could do by His grace, mercy, and power.

Key Verses:

 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Thoughts: The key word above was "assured;" The Angel of the Lord assured Joshua, and through him, the people as a whole.  God was watching over them all, and every one of them were a part of His people and would be used in His plan.  They were not to be discouraged by their past, but to be encouraged as they moved forward to rebuild and see what God had in store for them.  So are we.