A Brand New Life

Bible Book: Zechariah

Subject: Rebuke of Satan, remission of sin, living a brand new lifw

Introduction

Rev. John Wesley (1703-1791) referred to himself as “a brand plucked from the burning”. This is due to the fact he was the last child rescued before the Wesley family home exploded in flames. Jesus, known as “the Angel of the Lord” called Joshua the high priest “a brand plucked from the fire”. This image is used in Amos 4:11, where we read, “‘I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me,’ says the LORD.”

We read in Zechariah 3:1-10, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the LORD said to Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him.’ And to him He said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.’ And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by.

Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign; for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. ‘In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.’

Although there are three primary characters in this passage, we will focus on the Lord and three things He does for the believer.

I. The rebuke of Satan by the Lord.

From Zechariah 3:1-2 we read, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the LORD said to Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’”

From Haggai 1:1 we read, “In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. . .”

Satan, Lucifer, the adversary, is known as “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). Jesus Christ the Lord is the Advocate of the believer (1 John 1:9-2:2).

Trace the phrase “The LORD rebuke you, Satan” throughout the Scripture. For example, in Jude 9 we read, “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Henry G. Bosch (1914-1995) former editor of Our Daily Bread for Radio Bible Class Ministries from 1956-1981, explains, "Many soldiers of the cross have expressed a deep consciousness of the fact that they were not warring against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in heavenly places. Some years ago at a small gathering, three prominent radio preachers compared notes and found that all week each of them had felt a strong urge to commit suicide! My brother-in-law, who was one of the men present, said they revealed this to the others assembled just to show how vicious Satan is in his onslaught against those who stand foursquare for the Gospel. Each thanked the Lord for the grace which enabled him to overcome this terrible suggestion from the evil one."1

Joshua, the high priest stood as a defendant, as one accused, to answer for himself and others. Remember, Satan represents the majority of this world, but the minority of the universe.

From Romans 8:31-39 we read, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’”

Dr. David James Burrell (1844-1926), former pastor of the Marble Collegiate Church, New York, who gave a tribute at Dwight L. Moody’s funeral service, January 8, 1900, reminds us, “The best of human kind is not perfect.” Dr. Burrell explains, “The Lord appeared to vindicate Joshua. He stands as the champion of all the weak and humble. (1) In this instance He rebuked Satan; not because there was no truth in his charge that Joshua was unworthy to minister at God’s altar, or have part in the rebuilding of the temple, but because of other considerations, which made his accusations null and void. (2) The Lord having rebuked Satan, said to his own attendant angels: ‘Take away from Joshua his filthy garments.’ Thus does He unclothe His people of their filthy rags, and make them worthy to minister before Him. He is a great forgiver. Thus the Lord encouraged Joshua, qualified him, despite his personal unworthiness, to offersacrifices and join with Zerubbabel in the rebuilding of the temple. And thus does he stand at the heavenly tribunal as the vindicator of the least of His little ones.”

II. The remission of sins through the Lord.

In Zechariah 3:3-5 we read, “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him.’ And to him He said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.’ And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by.”

Scripture implies that the high priest was there to plead for his nation. Satan was there to oppose this restoration to God’s favor—to bring forward reasons why God should not do it.

We know from our text that Joshua, the high priest, attempted to minister without the priestly robes but in filthy garments. Since he came from the captivity in Babylon, it would stand to reason he was wearing “a beautiful Babylonian garment”, similar in style to one coveted by Achan (Joshua 7:21). Some speculate that he delayed the building of the temple and that some of his sons became defiled with strange wives.

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe explains, “The dirty garments symbolize the sinfulness of the nation, for the high priest was to keep himself clean before the Lord. God removes our sin and clothes us anew because Jesus died for our sins and lives to intercede for us.”2

We read in Hebrews 9:22, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

Upon the occasion of the first Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

Jesus explained, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

Dr. Luke writes, “To Him [Jesus] all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43).

Someone said, “Past mercies are the pledges of future blessings.” We read in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Recently, I read a story from the life of Dr. Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1858-1901), former pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Some years ago a physician approached Dr. Babcock expressing a concern about his health. He knew Dr. Babcock was working very hard and needed some time away from the pressures and demands of ministry. Handing Dr. Babcock some theater tickets he said, “Take these, you need the recreation of going to this play.” Upon looking at them, Dr. Babcock discovered they were tickets to a play of the kind he could not conscientiously attend, he said kindly, “Thank you, but I can’t take them. I can’t go.” “Why not?” inquired the physician. “You’re tired and need the entertainment.” Dr. Babcock replied, “Yes, I am tired, and I do need recreation.But doctor, you are a surgeon. Before you operate, you scrub your hands until they are antiseptically clean. You wouldn’t dare to perform surgery with dirty hands. Well, I’m a servant of Christ. I deal with precious human souls, and I wouldn’t dare serve others with a dirty life.”

III. The revival of service under the Lord.

From Zechariah 3:6-8 we read, “Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign; for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.’”

Joshua the high priest was out of commission as a priest, due in part to his “filthy garments”. The dirty clothes he likely wore at the time of the Babylonian captivity were unsuitable. The Lord cleansed him and provided clean clothes and a clean turban.

Satan’s purpose in accusing Joshua was to interrupt or thwart Joshua in his ministry of prayer. Intercession is a major role performed by the priest in behalf of the people. The priestly role involves representing man to God and God to man. Joshua, the high priest, is ready for service as we read in Zechariah 3:9-10, “For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.’” From Zechariah 12:10-13:1, we read more about the service of Joshua.

Dr. Arthur Frederick Glasser (1914-2009) a missionary theologian states, “To identify oneself with all the priestly activity of the Old Testament is to learn much of Christian service today.”

Dr. John Phillips (1927-2010) states, “True revival, then, proclaims Christ. True revival does something else: it produces cleansing. ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day’ (Zech. 3:9). This is why what we see in Christendom today is not revival. We see a lot of activity. God is at work in many places. The Lord adds daily to His church such as are being saved. But we are not seeing revival. The Wesleyan revival cleaned up society. The Welsh revival cleaned up society. When revival breaks out, not only are multitudes of people saved; but the church also recovers its authority, and wickedness runs away to hide. Society is cleaned up.”3

Conclusion

We read in Zechariah 3:4, “I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”

Samuel Bagster (1771-1852), a noted London bookseller, shares the following Scripture medley in Daily Light on the Daily Path, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. — We are all as an unclean thing. — I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. — Ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. — Not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but ... the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him. — The fine linen is the righteousness of saints. — I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.

Psalm 32:1. Isaiah 64:6. Romans 7:18. Colossians 3:2-7. Colossians 3:9, 10.

Philippians 3:9. Luke 15:22. Revelation 19:8. Isaiah 61:10.”4

Dr. J. D. Grey (1907-1985), former pastor of the First Baptist Church of New Orleans and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, published a sermon titled “Jesus Our Advocate”. Dr. Grey concludes this message in the following way, “But the most glorious thing about Jesus our Advocate, this Advocate in hopeless cases, is that he takes the defendant’s penalty upon himself. He acknowledges our guilt, but he presents his vicarious work upon the cross as the grounds of our acquittal. He pays in full the penalty that was ours.

Will you not, therefore, today, beloved friend, yield fully to him, let him become your Attorney? For truly Christ Jesus is our Advocate in hopeless cases.”5

John writes in Revelation 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’”

Dr. J. Gerald Harris, editor of the Georgia Christian Index, wrote a book several years ago titled Pardoned to be Priests. From 1 Peter 2:5 we read, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Also as believers in Jesus Christ, we are “kings and priests unto His God and Father”.

We find this phrase in Revelation 1:4-6, where we read, “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” We believe in the priesthood of the believer.

Like Joshua, the priest, our worthiness to serve is based on the Lord our Advocate. Dr. F. B. Meyer (1847-1929) explains in Our Daily Homily, “Such is the divine economy, that God makes much of brands, fragments, castaways.

What others regard as unworthy of their heed is dear and priceless to the great Lover of souls.”6

May each one of us genuinely be able to confess, I am “a brand plucked from the fire” who received a brand new life.

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1 Henry G. Bosch, "A Powerful Adversary" Our Daily Bread (Grand Rapids, MI: Radio Bible Class)

2 Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word: A Devotional Commentary (Nashville, TN: Oliver Nelson, 1991), p. 613

3 John Phillips, The John Phillips Bible Character Series – Exploring People of the Old Testament, Volume Three (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2007), Database WORDsearch Corp.

4 Daily Light on the Daily Path, compiled by Samuel Bagster,(New Kensington, Pennsylvania Whitaker House, 1999) July 9, Morning

5 J. D. Grey, “Jesus Our Advocate”, pastor First Baptist Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, “The Gospel Hour” radio message

6 F. B. Meyer, Our Daily Homily, Vol. 4, Isaiah‐Malachi, Zechariah 3:2, “A brand plucked out of the fire.” (New York : Fleming H. Revell