WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:05.200 Now shall we turn in our Bibles if we could to Zechariah chapter three please? 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:10.960 Zechariah chapter three and we're going to take time to read the whole chapter. 00:00:11.200 --> 00:00:12.640 It's a short chapter. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:19.405 So Zechariah chapter three and this is the vision of Joshua the high priest. 00:00:19.405 --> 00:00:29.405 As you know Zechariah has various visions and this is one of the visions that he has in this particular time in his life. 00:00:30.770 --> 00:00:41.890 So Zechariah chapter three Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 00:00:42.210 --> 00:00:45.835 And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord rebuke you Satan. 00:00:45.995 --> 00:00:49.275 The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. 00:00:49.595 --> 00:00:52.395 Is not this a bran plucked from the fire? 00:00:52.715 --> 00:00:58.235 Now Joshua was standing before the angel clothed with filthy garments. 00:00:59.030 --> 00:01:05.270 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, Remove the filthy garments from him. 00:01:05.430 --> 00:01:11.750 And to him he said, Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments. 00:01:12.545 --> 00:01:23.345 They said, 'Let them put a clean turban on his head.' So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, and the angel of the Lord was standing by. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:41.925 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 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. 00:01:42.165 --> 00:01:48.885 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you for they are men who are assigned. 00:01:48.885 --> 00:01:51.685 Behold, I will bring my servant the branch. 00:01:52.340 --> 00:02:09.905 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave his inscription,' declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 00:02:10.225 --> 00:02:19.425 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. 00:02:19.505 --> 00:02:20.145 Amen. 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:37.325 Now as you know on Sunday evenings we're looking at the book of Zechariah and the book of Zechariah is God's inspired word to encourage his people and it was written especially for those who God brought back from exile in Babylon. 00:02:37.805 --> 00:02:42.365 And God was bringing them to back from Babylon. 00:02:42.365 --> 00:02:48.845 He was bringing them to the position whereby had the opportunity of coming to them. 00:02:49.330 --> 00:03:03.410 And as he came to them he was seeking at all times to restore them to the position that he was seeking that they would be restored to where they would rebuild the city of Jerusalem. 00:03:03.745 --> 00:03:24.610 And it was a great task and they needed strong encouragement in this task so in Zechariah's prophecy much is given in visions as I've already intimated God makes many promises to his people and He speaks to those who have returned from exile to carry out this great task of rebuilding. 00:03:24.850 --> 00:03:28.210 However the application of this book doesn't stop there. 00:03:28.210 --> 00:03:32.975 It doesn't stop at the people who had come back to rebuild Jerusalem. 00:03:32.975 --> 00:03:38.495 It doesn't only stop at the exiles but this is God's Word for every age. 00:03:38.495 --> 00:03:42.895 This is God's Word for you and me in our day and generation. 00:03:43.935 --> 00:03:46.975 And there are promises here for all who belong to the Messiah. 00:03:47.390 --> 00:03:49.550 For all who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:49.550 --> 00:03:53.550 There are promises here for God's Word and God's people. 00:03:53.870 --> 00:04:02.615 And then a question arises, how can these promises of blessing be spoken to people who are deeply stained by sin. 00:04:02.615 --> 00:04:08.855 How can God promise great things to people who don't deserve His blessing? 00:04:09.095 --> 00:04:10.695 These people were unworthy. 00:04:11.015 --> 00:04:12.615 They deserve judgment. 00:04:12.615 --> 00:04:13.895 They don't deserve blessing. 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:17.180 How is it possible for God to bless the sinful people? 00:04:17.180 --> 00:04:23.900 And when we look at our own hearts and lives we know that there is a great gulf fixed between us and a holy God. 00:04:24.300 --> 00:04:29.115 And there is a gulf between the reality of our lives and the holiness of God. 00:04:29.115 --> 00:04:34.475 How can that gulf be bridged and how can God bless a sinful people like you and me? 00:04:34.475 --> 00:04:40.875 How can God bless a people like those exiles who came back from Babylon to Jerusalem? 00:04:41.750 --> 00:04:49.030 And this evening I want us to think about Zechariah chapter three and here God gives the prophet a new vision. 00:04:49.830 --> 00:04:55.670 And we've seen God give Zechariah a series of visions in a fairly short space of time. 00:04:56.065 --> 00:05:08.225 And we need to remember that he is having these visions and that they are visions and that what we're reading here is the language of vision and we mustn't take what he says in wooden literal ways. 00:05:08.850 --> 00:05:20.290 We're asking what these pictures and symbols actually signify to us and what they mean for us today and what they meant for the people in Zachariah's time. 00:05:20.290 --> 00:05:27.475 So we're looking at Zachariah chapter three this evening under the theme, The Deliverer God Provides. 00:05:27.475 --> 00:05:29.635 The Deliverer that God Provides. 00:05:30.115 --> 00:05:34.435 And as we think of this short chapter there are two things that we're going to look at. 00:05:34.435 --> 00:05:36.755 We're going to divide the chapter up into two. 00:05:36.755 --> 00:05:40.820 First of all, in the first five verses we have got the power of grace. 00:05:41.220 --> 00:05:48.500 And then in the remaining verses from verse six to the end of the chapter we have got the promise of the Savior. 00:05:48.580 --> 00:05:54.945 So those are the two things that we're looking at, the power of grace and the promise of the Savior. 00:05:55.185 --> 00:06:03.425 So let's look first of all at the power of grace the first five verses and grace always lifts the heart of God's people. 00:06:03.425 --> 00:06:05.265 We thought a little bit about this this morning. 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:10.840 We love to think of the grace of God because without God's grace well what are we? 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:13.080 What are we without God's grace? 00:06:13.080 --> 00:06:20.520 And in this vision we see what we are unless the grace of God touches us unless the grace of God changes us. 00:06:21.305 --> 00:06:24.105 And the vision begins with Joshua the high priest. 00:06:24.425 --> 00:06:26.505 Now he's a real historical figure. 00:06:26.825 --> 00:06:28.745 He was a high priest in those days. 00:06:29.065 --> 00:06:35.385 His grandfather we know had been a high priest when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in five eighty six BC. 00:06:36.180 --> 00:06:41.380 Joshua came back with the first wave of exiles along with Zerubbabel and others. 00:06:41.620 --> 00:06:46.660 Ezra also gives a list that there was a man who came back called Joshua. 00:06:47.140 --> 00:06:48.180 It's the same man. 00:06:48.655 --> 00:06:51.375 Joshua is another form of Joshua. 00:06:51.855 --> 00:07:00.495 We must remember this that the Joshua of the vision is not simply flesh and blood Joshua standing in the temple courts. 00:07:00.495 --> 00:07:04.810 This is Joshua as God showed Himself to Zechariah. 00:07:04.810 --> 00:07:06.410 He is a representative figure. 00:07:06.410 --> 00:07:07.930 He stands for something. 00:07:08.090 --> 00:07:12.250 He represents not only himself, not only the priests of Israel. 00:07:12.250 --> 00:07:15.610 He represents the whole community of God's people. 00:07:15.610 --> 00:07:22.835 He stands in the vision as the representative of those who have come back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city. 00:07:23.635 --> 00:07:28.915 So what happens in Zechariah chapter three happens in the spiritual realm. 00:07:28.915 --> 00:07:31.430 These are not earthly actions. 00:07:31.430 --> 00:07:33.510 These are not ordinary events. 00:07:33.590 --> 00:07:34.790 This is vision. 00:07:34.870 --> 00:07:45.830 This is symbolism and God opens Zechariah's mind to see these things and two things stand out in this vision of Joshua the high priest. 00:07:46.305 --> 00:07:54.785 And the first thing that stands out in this vision of Joshua the high priest is Satan's accusing is rebuked. 00:07:54.945 --> 00:07:57.105 Satan's accusations are rebuked. 00:07:57.185 --> 00:08:02.180 Joshua is standing before the angel of the Lord and don't forget who the angel of the Lord is. 00:08:02.180 --> 00:08:04.900 We have already mentioned this in the first chapter. 00:08:04.900 --> 00:08:09.380 The angel of the Lord in the Old Testament sense is not a created angel. 00:08:09.380 --> 00:08:10.820 He is God himself. 00:08:11.060 --> 00:08:13.460 He speaks as God, and who is this? 00:08:13.460 --> 00:08:21.145 It's none other than the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity at work before his incarnation in Bethlehem. 00:08:21.145 --> 00:08:22.745 It's the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:22.745 --> 00:08:24.425 It's God who stands here. 00:08:24.425 --> 00:08:25.705 It's the Son of God. 00:08:25.705 --> 00:08:27.785 It's the Angel of the Lord. 00:08:28.590 --> 00:08:34.030 And Joshua stands before him and he's engaged in his priestly duties. 00:08:34.350 --> 00:08:41.870 He appears before God on behalf of Israel offering sacrifices and incense and then we find something very significant. 00:08:42.185 --> 00:08:46.585 Satan is standing at the right hand to accuse him. 00:08:47.065 --> 00:08:48.665 And this is the picture of the vision. 00:08:48.665 --> 00:08:51.145 Here's Joshua the high priest. 00:08:51.305 --> 00:08:59.270 Here's the angel of the Lord the Son of God and at Joshua's right hand stands Satan and he's accusing Joshua. 00:08:59.750 --> 00:09:01.990 Now that shouldn't really surprise us. 00:09:02.070 --> 00:09:07.350 That is the work Satan always undertakes because he is known as the accuser. 00:09:07.895 --> 00:09:10.935 We see this at the beginning of the book of Job. 00:09:10.935 --> 00:09:18.935 Satan comes and says yes there's Job but he worships you, he's speaking to God, he fears you because of what he gets out of you. 00:09:18.935 --> 00:09:27.180 He's only using you And he accuses Job of hypocrisy and wherever Satan appears he accuses the people of God. 00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:28.940 He rakes up their sins. 00:09:29.020 --> 00:09:31.820 He tries to demoralize them and discourage them. 00:09:31.900 --> 00:09:40.895 In Revelation twelve ten he's called the accuser of our brothers and that's the work Satan is always engaged in. 00:09:40.895 --> 00:09:44.815 He's engaged in the work of accusation and accusing. 00:09:45.055 --> 00:09:48.110 And the very name Satan means accuser. 00:09:48.110 --> 00:09:53.310 He's always at work accusing, raking up sin and here he's doing exactly that. 00:09:53.310 --> 00:09:55.630 He's accusing Joshua. 00:09:56.270 --> 00:10:00.350 Now what accusation could he make here? 00:10:00.350 --> 00:10:02.145 Well it's not hard to see. 00:10:02.145 --> 00:10:03.905 Look at the description of Joshua. 00:10:03.905 --> 00:10:09.105 Here's the high priest and he's not clothed in his splendid robes of office. 00:10:10.225 --> 00:10:13.025 He's not wearing the rich garments of the high priest. 00:10:13.310 --> 00:10:15.390 He's clothed in filthy garments. 00:10:15.710 --> 00:10:19.230 And of course it's not only his outward clothing that's filthy. 00:10:19.230 --> 00:10:23.070 The clothing is symbolic of his inward sin. 00:10:23.070 --> 00:10:26.670 Here is the high priest even as he stands before God. 00:10:26.915 --> 00:10:28.355 This man is a sinner. 00:10:28.355 --> 00:10:33.315 He's clothed in filthy garments and that's his spiritual condition. 00:10:33.795 --> 00:10:35.635 And no doubt Satan's pointing that out. 00:10:35.635 --> 00:10:41.980 He's asking the question, how can a man like that minister as a priest before God? 00:10:41.980 --> 00:10:46.220 What right has somebody like that to fulfill such a role? 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:51.340 He wears filthy clothes and yet he presumes to stand before God and minister. 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:53.660 What right has Joshua to stand there? 00:10:55.215 --> 00:10:58.735 That no doubt is the accusation that Satan was bringing. 00:10:59.215 --> 00:11:00.495 Here's a sinner. 00:11:00.575 --> 00:11:02.495 What right is he to stand before God? 00:11:02.495 --> 00:11:06.495 He ought to be hiding himself away in humiliation. 00:11:06.495 --> 00:11:11.180 Of course we remember that it's Satan who stirs up our sinfulness. 00:11:11.180 --> 00:11:14.780 It's Satan who tempts us and draws us into sin. 00:11:15.420 --> 00:11:18.220 And there's the hypocrisy of the devil. 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:26.865 But if we think of Joshua as a representative of God's people, we're being reminded of our natural condition here. 00:11:27.665 --> 00:11:31.025 It's not only Joshua who is spiritually unclean. 00:11:31.025 --> 00:11:34.385 It's not only Joshua who is dressed in filthy garments. 00:11:34.385 --> 00:11:37.425 By nature, that is what we are like. 00:11:38.190 --> 00:11:42.350 And the Bible tells us something that we might prefer not to hear. 00:11:43.150 --> 00:11:45.070 We are sinners. 00:11:45.070 --> 00:11:48.590 And we're sinners by nature and we're sinners by practice. 00:11:48.830 --> 00:11:54.915 And if we saw ourselves as we are by nature we would see that we're clothed in filthy garments. 00:11:55.075 --> 00:12:05.155 So when Satan accuses as he does he accuses the Jews who had come back from Babylon and he says who are these people to presume to build the temple? 00:12:05.155 --> 00:12:05.715 They're sinners. 00:12:05.930 --> 00:12:08.490 They have no right to be doing the things that they're doing. 00:12:09.050 --> 00:12:15.930 And he comes in the same way and he says to us, well what right have you to presume to serve God? 00:12:15.930 --> 00:12:19.530 What right have you to talk about being a Christian, a child of God? 00:12:19.925 --> 00:12:22.085 Look at the sinfulness of your own heart. 00:12:22.165 --> 00:12:24.485 Look at the filthiness of your clothing. 00:12:24.485 --> 00:12:26.565 What right of you to stand before God? 00:12:26.565 --> 00:12:28.725 What presumption on your behalf? 00:12:29.445 --> 00:12:33.845 And those are the accusations that Satan brings. 00:12:34.560 --> 00:12:40.640 And you see in the end the accusation is not really against us, the accusation is against God. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:48.560 The real charge is this, What kind of God are you if you let people like that in their filthy clothes come and worship you and serve you? 00:12:48.560 --> 00:12:49.920 What kind of God are you? 00:12:50.775 --> 00:12:54.855 And Satan's accusation in the end is not against us. 00:12:55.095 --> 00:12:56.375 It's against God. 00:12:56.615 --> 00:13:00.135 What kind of God has anything to do with sinners like that? 00:13:00.855 --> 00:13:02.615 Not much of a God Satan would say. 00:13:03.030 --> 00:13:08.310 Not very holy if he has any connection with sinners and their filthy clothing. 00:13:09.590 --> 00:13:15.670 And the Lord's response here is overwhelming because it says in verse two, The Lord rebuke you, O Satan. 00:13:15.845 --> 00:13:19.125 The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. 00:13:19.925 --> 00:13:23.685 Not for one moment does the Lord entertain Satan's accusations. 00:13:23.685 --> 00:13:25.925 The Lord rebuke you, O Satan. 00:13:26.085 --> 00:13:29.765 The Lord who has chosen Israel rebuke you. 00:13:30.350 --> 00:13:31.390 Do you notice that? 00:13:31.390 --> 00:13:32.350 It's significant. 00:13:32.910 --> 00:13:39.870 It reminds us that God in His grace and God in His mercy has chosen sinners. 00:13:39.870 --> 00:13:41.950 He's chosen people like Joshua. 00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:47.575 He's chosen people like you and me to be His people and it's His gracious choice. 00:13:47.975 --> 00:13:52.695 Israel was reminded of this if you remember constantly throughout the Old Testament. 00:13:52.775 --> 00:13:56.135 God didn't choose them because they were a great nation. 00:13:56.215 --> 00:13:59.095 He didn't choose them because they were a holy nation. 00:13:59.880 --> 00:14:07.160 God loved them and God was gracious to them despite their sin and despite the fact that they deserved His judgment. 00:14:07.880 --> 00:14:10.360 And that's the wonder of grace, isn't it? 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:13.560 Grace is for people who don't deserve it. 00:14:14.535 --> 00:14:17.895 And if we deserve it, it's not grace. 00:14:18.215 --> 00:14:20.615 If we earned it, it's merit. 00:14:21.015 --> 00:14:24.455 It's something else completely but it's not grace. 00:14:24.695 --> 00:14:34.570 And if God chooses imperfect sinful people like Joshua, like these returned exiles, like us to be His people, it's all of grace. 00:14:34.570 --> 00:14:36.490 It's utterly undeserved. 00:14:36.490 --> 00:14:43.505 And here in Jerusalem, in Zachariah's day are people who have been chastened by their exile in Babylon. 00:14:43.505 --> 00:14:48.225 They have reaped the consequences of the nation's sins, but God was gracious. 00:14:48.225 --> 00:14:49.905 He was bringing them back. 00:14:50.465 --> 00:14:53.825 And look what he says here about Joshua verse two. 00:14:53.825 --> 00:14:57.760 Is not this the brand or the stick plucked from the fire? 00:14:58.400 --> 00:14:59.840 And that's what Joshua is. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:08.160 That's what every sinner is when grace lays hold of him, snatched from the burning of judgment. 00:15:08.865 --> 00:15:10.865 And that's what God's grace does. 00:15:10.865 --> 00:15:12.865 It snatches us from judgment. 00:15:12.865 --> 00:15:20.305 It delivers us from what we deserve for our sins and that is grace and that's an encouragement for Joshua. 00:15:20.305 --> 00:15:23.810 That's an encouragement for the exiles who have come home. 00:15:23.810 --> 00:15:25.890 Here is an encouragement for us. 00:15:25.890 --> 00:15:27.570 God is gracious. 00:15:27.570 --> 00:15:30.530 God is more gracious than we would ever think He is. 00:15:31.410 --> 00:15:35.650 And you know when Satan says, How dare you presume to serve God? 00:15:36.690 --> 00:15:39.945 How dare you to claim to be one of His people. 00:15:40.505 --> 00:15:43.625 The only answer that we have is God's grace. 00:15:44.025 --> 00:15:46.665 Our answer is never, well, we deserve it. 00:15:46.665 --> 00:15:47.865 We're doing our best. 00:15:47.865 --> 00:15:49.065 We're a moral people. 00:15:49.065 --> 00:15:50.745 We're trying very hard. 00:15:50.745 --> 00:15:52.270 That's not enough. 00:15:52.270 --> 00:15:56.750 Only God's grace is the answer to Satan's accusations. 00:15:57.630 --> 00:16:00.190 God rebukes Satan. 00:16:00.190 --> 00:16:01.070 But that's not all. 00:16:01.070 --> 00:16:03.870 We might think that God is simply ignoring sin. 00:16:03.870 --> 00:16:10.985 Sometimes that accusation is leveled at the message of the gospel as if God treats us as though we had not sinned. 00:16:10.985 --> 00:16:13.545 What kind of God would that really be? 00:16:13.545 --> 00:16:19.385 And that leads us to the second thing that we see here in this vision concerning Joshua the high priest. 00:16:19.730 --> 00:16:28.130 Not only is God rebuking the accusations of Satan but we see that Joshua's sin is cleansed. 00:16:28.450 --> 00:16:32.930 Joshua's sin is cleansed and that too is the wonder of God's grace. 00:16:32.930 --> 00:16:35.965 That's the wonder of the power of grace. 00:16:35.965 --> 00:16:39.165 Yes, Joshua stands in filthy clothes. 00:16:40.365 --> 00:16:42.445 But God doesn't leave him like that. 00:16:43.165 --> 00:16:47.245 God and His grace is at work to transform this man. 00:16:47.245 --> 00:16:49.165 It's a glorious transformation. 00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:53.760 The filthy clothing is taken off. 00:16:54.400 --> 00:16:58.000 And Joshua, he couldn't take the clothing off. 00:16:58.160 --> 00:17:02.880 Just as Joshua couldn't rebuke Satan, so Joshua couldn't cleanse himself. 00:17:02.880 --> 00:17:05.200 Satan's charge was just in this sense. 00:17:05.435 --> 00:17:07.275 This man is a sinner. 00:17:07.275 --> 00:17:09.035 The man is wearing filthy clothes. 00:17:09.035 --> 00:17:10.955 He's unclean before a holy God. 00:17:11.115 --> 00:17:13.355 And Joshua had no answer of his own. 00:17:14.635 --> 00:17:15.835 But God works. 00:17:15.835 --> 00:17:23.030 This guilty sinner has the filthy clothing removed and God is able to deal with our sin in the same way. 00:17:23.030 --> 00:17:24.470 That's what grace does. 00:17:25.190 --> 00:17:27.030 In grace God chooses us. 00:17:27.830 --> 00:17:29.910 In grace God cleanses us. 00:17:30.230 --> 00:17:32.605 In God's grace we're transformed. 00:17:32.605 --> 00:17:40.685 He takes off the filthy sinful clothing and He puts on beautiful clean clothing and that is the work of grace. 00:17:40.765 --> 00:17:43.325 And that's essential if we are the children of God. 00:17:44.630 --> 00:17:48.870 And God says to Joshua, See I have taken away your sin. 00:17:48.870 --> 00:17:50.950 And that's the good news of the gospel. 00:17:51.270 --> 00:17:56.070 And there's the gospel set out for us very clearly here in Zechariah chapter three. 00:17:56.070 --> 00:17:58.150 Here is a God who cleanses sin. 00:17:58.150 --> 00:18:05.145 He replaces our filthy clothing, our filthy lives with new clean clothing and with new lives that honor Him. 00:18:05.545 --> 00:18:09.785 God says, See I've taken your sin away. 00:18:10.105 --> 00:18:13.305 And of course Joshua is not only an individual here. 00:18:13.305 --> 00:18:16.980 He represents as I've already said the returned exiles. 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:23.140 He represents all the people of God and here's a declaration of the grace of God. 00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:26.180 God takes us and God transforms us. 00:18:26.625 --> 00:18:28.865 He accepts us as we are. 00:18:28.865 --> 00:18:29.665 Yes, He does. 00:18:29.665 --> 00:18:35.265 He does accept us and then He changes us and He doesn't leave us as we are. 00:18:35.265 --> 00:18:36.865 The old clothing is taken off. 00:18:36.865 --> 00:18:39.025 The new clothing is put on. 00:18:39.665 --> 00:18:41.825 And these people have come back from exile. 00:18:42.360 --> 00:18:47.240 They have returned geographically from Babylon to Jerusalem. 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:53.080 But by God's grace they had returned in a more important way. 00:18:53.320 --> 00:18:59.255 They had returned spiritually from the place of sin and lostness to the place of grace and salvation. 00:18:59.415 --> 00:19:03.815 And that's a far greater return than a return from exile in Babylon. 00:19:03.815 --> 00:19:07.735 And that's the return which the grace of God affects in every sinner. 00:19:07.735 --> 00:19:09.175 It is a transformation. 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:17.320 And you know it's interesting how the Bible uses the language of clothing to describe salvation. 00:19:17.320 --> 00:19:19.320 We can understand it easily. 00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:20.600 It's not difficult. 00:19:20.600 --> 00:19:23.240 I will clothe you with pure vestments. 00:19:24.065 --> 00:19:26.385 That's what the Lord says here to Joshua. 00:19:27.025 --> 00:19:35.505 Here are the blessings of salvation not only forgiveness of sin but all the richness that God offers His own people. 00:19:35.825 --> 00:19:39.585 Listen to what we're told in Isaiah chapter 61 and verse 10. 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:43.000 For He has clothed me with garments of salvation. 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:45.960 He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:49.400 And that's what grace does in the life of the sinner. 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:51.080 Sin is forgiven. 00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:54.440 Rich robes of righteousness are put upon us. 00:19:55.115 --> 00:19:59.195 And here in particular, the clean turban is given to the high priest. 00:19:59.195 --> 00:20:16.040 Now for those of us who were at the talks on the high priest garments, you'll remember there was a plate on the high priest's turban and the gold plate, what was written on it, what was inscribed upon it in Hebrew, holy to the Lord. 00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:22.215 And that describes what Joshua became by God's grace, holy to the Lord. 00:20:22.215 --> 00:20:24.855 And that's what God does in the heart of every sinner. 00:20:24.855 --> 00:20:26.935 He makes us holy to the Lord. 00:20:26.935 --> 00:20:28.135 We belong to Him. 00:20:28.215 --> 00:20:29.655 We are a changed people. 00:20:29.655 --> 00:20:31.655 The old is gone, the new has come. 00:20:31.815 --> 00:20:37.015 The old filthy clothing is stripped off and the new beautiful robes are given to us. 00:20:37.310 --> 00:20:39.470 There is forgiveness of sins. 00:20:39.790 --> 00:20:45.310 There are the blessings of salvation in all their richness and in all their glory. 00:20:45.710 --> 00:20:47.550 And that's the work of grace. 00:20:47.550 --> 00:20:49.390 That's the power of grace. 00:20:49.390 --> 00:20:59.335 It comes to people in their sin and then their lostness and it comes to people in filthy clothes and it changes them and that's what the gospel is all about. 00:20:59.335 --> 00:21:10.430 The gospel is about change not change that we must somehow produce in our own lives as if the gospel says do your best, try harder be a better person. 00:21:10.990 --> 00:21:13.310 That is utter futility. 00:21:13.710 --> 00:21:16.430 Such a Gospel is no use to sinners. 00:21:16.430 --> 00:21:26.955 The true Gospel talks about God, it talks about His grace, It talks about how God changes people who could never deserve such a change. 00:21:26.955 --> 00:21:27.835 He makes us new. 00:21:27.835 --> 00:21:29.195 He transforms us. 00:21:29.195 --> 00:21:30.955 He removes the filthy clothing. 00:21:30.955 --> 00:21:35.995 He clothes us in the robe of righteousness and that is the power of grace. 00:21:37.060 --> 00:21:38.580 And that's what sinners need. 00:21:38.900 --> 00:21:42.980 And if you're a Christian tonight, you've experienced the power of grace. 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:43.940 Have you not? 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:46.900 Is that not the picture of your salvation? 00:21:47.220 --> 00:21:56.615 You know what it is for the grace of God to take you, to change you, to keep on changing you until you are in heaven with the Lord. 00:21:56.935 --> 00:22:02.135 And the power of grace is wonderful when we're burdened by an awareness of our sin. 00:22:02.215 --> 00:22:06.295 And the devil comes accusing us and says, and you say you're a Christian. 00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:09.300 But what about the things you say? 00:22:09.380 --> 00:22:10.580 What about the things you do? 00:22:10.580 --> 00:22:13.140 How dare you call yourself a child of God? 00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:16.020 Our answer is not in what we do. 00:22:16.020 --> 00:22:21.220 Our answer is in what God has done for us in His grace. 00:22:21.775 --> 00:22:25.135 And by His grace, He has transformed us. 00:22:25.455 --> 00:22:30.575 It is His glorious work, the power of grace. 00:22:30.575 --> 00:22:35.055 That's the first thing we see here in the first five verses of this chapter. 00:22:35.760 --> 00:22:45.200 But then the second thing that I want you to see here is the promise of the Savior and the remaining verses of this chapter verses six through 10. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.280 The promise of the Savior. 00:22:47.280 --> 00:22:48.240 How can this happen? 00:22:48.575 --> 00:22:50.655 How can a holy God forgive sin? 00:22:50.655 --> 00:22:51.455 How can I? 00:22:51.455 --> 00:22:54.495 He can't simply forget about sin. 00:22:54.495 --> 00:22:58.735 He can't sweep it under the carpet as if we had never committed it. 00:22:58.735 --> 00:23:01.695 A God who did that wouldn't be a God at all. 00:23:01.695 --> 00:23:02.975 We mentioned this this morning. 00:23:02.975 --> 00:23:08.280 A God who simply ignored our sin wouldn't be worth a moment's attention. 00:23:08.520 --> 00:23:11.640 There must be a way in which that sin is dealt with. 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:14.760 So here we have got the promise of the Savior. 00:23:15.080 --> 00:23:16.680 We are sinners by nature. 00:23:17.205 --> 00:23:20.485 And the source of salvation is not in ourselves. 00:23:20.485 --> 00:23:22.885 God must deal with our sin. 00:23:24.085 --> 00:23:27.365 And from verse six onwards the vision opens out. 00:23:27.445 --> 00:23:29.365 It's not only about Joshua. 00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:34.060 It's not even about the exiles who have come back to Jerusalem. 00:23:34.060 --> 00:23:40.940 The whole picture begins to open up to us and we find ourselves in that picture as well. 00:23:42.395 --> 00:23:44.555 How is forgiveness possible? 00:23:44.795 --> 00:23:48.555 Well first in verses six and seven we have a promise. 00:23:48.955 --> 00:23:49.915 A promise. 00:23:50.395 --> 00:23:54.395 Those who belong to the Lord, if they're faithful, will serve Him. 00:23:54.395 --> 00:23:59.390 Verse seven says, I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 00:24:00.030 --> 00:24:05.470 And Joshua cleansed and clothed in splendid garments is able to serve the Lord. 00:24:05.630 --> 00:24:07.550 And he has a place among God's servants. 00:24:07.685 --> 00:24:09.285 He is one of the great... 00:24:09.285 --> 00:24:17.285 Here in many ways is one of the great blessings of salvation access to God to serve Him to worship Him. 00:24:17.285 --> 00:24:19.045 And that's what we see in this vision. 00:24:19.045 --> 00:24:29.660 Joshua has access to God to serve Him as a priest And all who belong to Christ have access to God to serve Him as priests. 00:24:29.660 --> 00:24:33.100 We don't have a separate order of priests any longer. 00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:35.660 I'm not a priest in an Old Testament sense. 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:40.685 Ministers of the gospel are not priests in that sense but all of God's people are priests. 00:24:40.685 --> 00:24:41.005 Why? 00:24:41.005 --> 00:24:47.085 Because we have access to the presence of God to worship Him and to serve Him. 00:24:47.405 --> 00:24:54.640 And so here in the vision those who belong to the Lord those who walk faithfully with God have that blessing. 00:24:54.800 --> 00:25:01.120 They have access to the courts of God to worship Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him. 00:25:01.360 --> 00:25:03.360 And what a wonderful blessing that is. 00:25:03.840 --> 00:25:10.255 A high priest in the Old Testament was able to go into God's presence just once a year. 00:25:10.415 --> 00:25:17.295 On the Day of Atonement, he took the blood of the sacrifice into the Most Holy Place, but once a year. 00:25:17.775 --> 00:25:23.600 And for the rest of the year, he didn't dare go into it because his life would be taken if he did. 00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:29.600 But here's the promise, the people of God constantly have access to the Lord. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:37.465 We don't stand outside waiting for a once a year opportunity to come in and worship and serve Him. 00:25:37.465 --> 00:25:42.105 We have free access to the presence of God by His grace. 00:25:43.385 --> 00:25:44.745 But how is this possible? 00:25:44.745 --> 00:25:51.090 Yes, we have a promise but verse it, we have a deliverer. 00:25:51.570 --> 00:25:57.330 And verse it begins, God says there, I will bring my servant the branch. 00:25:58.210 --> 00:26:00.290 And that might sound a little strange. 00:26:00.450 --> 00:26:03.385 What does it mean, my servant the branch? 00:26:03.385 --> 00:26:06.665 Well, these are very important Old Testament words. 00:26:06.665 --> 00:26:11.785 These are words that speak of Christ, of the Messiah, my servant the branch. 00:26:11.785 --> 00:26:16.960 These are titles applied to Messiah Jesus in the prophetic books. 00:26:17.840 --> 00:26:24.480 And my servant often particularly in Isaiah is something that's designated often to Christ. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:26.640 The Messiah is called God's servant. 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:30.880 A servant who would suffer, a servant who would be rejected. 00:26:31.575 --> 00:26:34.535 That's why we have got Isaiah chapter 53. 00:26:34.535 --> 00:26:39.175 God's reminding us that well Jesus is a suffering servant. 00:26:39.175 --> 00:26:41.415 He was wounded for our transgressions. 00:26:41.575 --> 00:26:43.655 He was bruised for our iniquities. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:48.160 Then you move into the New Testament to John chapter 13. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:54.640 And there you have the servant Savior, the one who humbled Himself to wash His disciples' feet. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:57.760 And then He went to the cross, my Savior. 00:26:59.155 --> 00:27:01.875 And the Messiah is a servant. 00:27:01.875 --> 00:27:09.555 He came not only to be served but to serve as Jesus told us and to give His life a ransom for many. 00:27:09.795 --> 00:27:18.020 And in the prophets there's a growing vision of the salvation the Messiah would provide not only for the Jews but for Gentiles like you and me. 00:27:18.020 --> 00:27:29.005 That's why we read in Isaiah chapter 49 and verse six, I will make you as a light for the nations, thus the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. 00:27:29.325 --> 00:27:32.445 My servant Messiah Jesus brings salvation. 00:27:32.445 --> 00:27:35.005 That's what God says to the ends of the earth. 00:27:35.005 --> 00:27:36.765 My servant the branch. 00:27:37.405 --> 00:27:39.950 Well why is He called the branch? 00:27:40.750 --> 00:27:45.470 Well again we need to see how that title is applied to Jesus and the prophets. 00:27:45.950 --> 00:27:53.790 Jeremiah chapter 23 and verse five tells us that from the house of David God would provide a king, a savior. 00:27:54.475 --> 00:28:03.995 A branch would sprout from the stump of the house of David, a royal deliverer in whom God's promises of grace and mercy to sinners would be fulfilled. 00:28:03.995 --> 00:28:05.035 Well, who's the branch? 00:28:05.035 --> 00:28:07.275 Of course, it's the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:28:07.530 --> 00:28:09.370 It's the greater Son of David. 00:28:09.370 --> 00:28:15.370 It's the one who fulfills all the messianic hopes of Israel and all the prophecies of salvation. 00:28:16.090 --> 00:28:19.530 Messiah Jesus, my servant, the branch. 00:28:20.215 --> 00:28:22.295 And there's the answer to our sin. 00:28:22.775 --> 00:28:27.095 The sin of Joshua, the sin of the Israelites in Jerusalem and our sin. 00:28:27.095 --> 00:28:32.055 This is how God can forgive and still be a holy God. 00:28:32.055 --> 00:28:36.340 Not because sin is ignored but because sin is actually dealt with. 00:28:36.340 --> 00:28:41.540 It's dealt with by the Savior He provides, My servant, the branch. 00:28:42.900 --> 00:28:44.900 But He also says something else here. 00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:47.300 Look what He says in verse nine, The stone. 00:28:47.300 --> 00:28:48.820 Behold the stone I have set. 00:28:49.545 --> 00:28:54.105 That's what God says and again in the language of vision, who is the stone? 00:28:54.105 --> 00:28:55.065 It's Jesus. 00:28:55.545 --> 00:28:56.665 It's Jesus. 00:28:57.145 --> 00:29:05.580 Think of Psalm 118 and verse 22, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 00:29:06.300 --> 00:29:15.340 And you know the New Testament tells us that this stone is Jesus and He's the stone rejected by Israel's leader and He's become the cornerstone of the church. 00:29:16.235 --> 00:29:17.755 In him there's salvation. 00:29:17.915 --> 00:29:25.035 In Messiah Jesus the foundation of the church is laid, salvation is provided, the burden of sin is dealt with. 00:29:25.115 --> 00:29:30.395 And God says in verse nine again, I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 00:29:32.790 --> 00:29:34.230 In a single day? 00:29:34.470 --> 00:29:38.870 How could God remove the iniquity of the land in a single day? 00:29:40.150 --> 00:29:41.670 In the day of Calvary. 00:29:42.230 --> 00:29:43.430 In the day of Calvary. 00:29:44.005 --> 00:29:47.205 In the day when the Messiah Jesus was nailed to the cross. 00:29:47.285 --> 00:30:06.170 In the day when He carried our sins and died with the words of triumph on His lips, 'It is finished.' One day was all that He needed for the grace and the power of God to deal with sin in the Saviour and my servant the branch and the stone rejected by man in Christ the ultimate high priest. 00:30:08.330 --> 00:30:10.810 It's not Joshua who provides salvation. 00:30:11.515 --> 00:30:14.875 It's not any merely human priest. 00:30:15.355 --> 00:30:18.075 It's the Lord Jesus Christ, our great high priest. 00:30:18.075 --> 00:30:24.635 He's the one who not only offered the sacrifice, but who is the sacrifice. 00:30:24.635 --> 00:30:30.150 He took our sin, He took our guilt and so He's provided a glorious salvation. 00:30:31.110 --> 00:30:35.990 We mentioned this morning about the book of Hebrews and the significance of that. 00:30:37.830 --> 00:30:45.095 And Hebrews nine, that book or that chapter within the book speaks much about priests and sacrifices. 00:30:45.575 --> 00:30:58.560 In Hebrews nine twelve it says, He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing the eternal redemption. 00:30:59.280 --> 00:31:00.640 Is that not wonderful? 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:06.640 Once and for all, high priests like Joshua went in year after year. 00:31:07.115 --> 00:31:10.555 The same sacrifices still had to be offered. 00:31:10.715 --> 00:31:12.715 There was no end to the sacrifices. 00:31:12.715 --> 00:31:14.715 Jesus died once and for all. 00:31:14.715 --> 00:31:15.595 It's finished. 00:31:15.595 --> 00:31:16.555 It's complete. 00:31:16.635 --> 00:31:17.675 It's perfect. 00:31:17.755 --> 00:31:20.315 Everything we need for salvation has been provided. 00:31:21.330 --> 00:31:26.930 And for all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ there is forgiveness. 00:31:27.490 --> 00:31:29.650 There is cleansing. 00:31:29.890 --> 00:31:31.970 The old clothes are removed. 00:31:32.130 --> 00:31:35.570 The beautiful garments of salvation are put upon us. 00:31:36.225 --> 00:31:39.345 The promise of the Savior. 00:31:39.825 --> 00:31:43.025 So the deliverer God provides. 00:31:43.345 --> 00:31:53.110 We have seen in this chapter the power of grace and the promise of the Savior And what a vision there is at the end of the chapter, a vision of joy and peace. 00:31:53.110 --> 00:32:02.630 Look what it says in verse 10, In that day declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbors to come under his vine and under his fig tree. 00:32:02.975 --> 00:32:04.815 And that was a symbol of peace. 00:32:05.295 --> 00:32:06.975 It was a symbol of rest. 00:32:07.535 --> 00:32:14.575 And when we have this good news, do we not want to invite others to come and enjoy this salvation? 00:32:14.575 --> 00:32:19.630 To sit with us and enjoy God's grace and enjoy God's blessing. 00:32:19.870 --> 00:32:23.390 And essentially this is an evangelistic text. 00:32:23.710 --> 00:32:28.590 Call the neighbors, call others, come and enjoy what God has provided in Jesus Christ. 00:32:28.590 --> 00:32:29.470 He's our priest. 00:32:29.565 --> 00:32:32.605 He's the one who has done all we need. 00:32:34.765 --> 00:32:43.085 And if we trust in Christ, we're forgiven, we're cleansed, the old clothing is removed, the new robes of salvation are put upon us. 00:32:43.085 --> 00:32:46.520 We receive a wonderful, a full and perfect salvation. 00:32:46.840 --> 00:32:52.760 And it is the servant Jesus, the servant Saviour who has done all the work for us. 00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:58.440 And this chapter is a chapter full of Christ and of Christ's glorious work. 00:32:59.155 --> 00:33:00.995 And here is our hope. 00:33:01.555 --> 00:33:08.915 If you see yourself like Joshua still in filthy clothes, still in your sin, there is an answer. 00:33:09.075 --> 00:33:13.715 And the answer is Christ, God who forgives, God who cleanses us. 00:33:14.360 --> 00:33:18.200 And the wonderful thing is it's all because of Christ. 00:33:18.280 --> 00:33:27.480 Christ who forgives, Christ who cleanses, Christ who gives us new life, Christ who changes us more and more into His likeness and that's the good news. 00:33:28.245 --> 00:33:33.125 And that's the good news that we can go and tell other people. 00:33:33.525 --> 00:33:36.645 May God indeed write this word upon our hearts. 00:33:37.045 --> 00:33:38.965 We ask this in Christ's name. 00:33:39.205 --> 00:33:39.445 Amen.