Commentary - Zechariah 6:9-15

Bird's-eye view

After a series of eight night visions, the word of the Lord comes to Zechariah in the plain light of day. What we have here is not a vision, but an enacted prophecy, a living parable. God instructs Zechariah to perform a public and deeply symbolic act that would have been utterly startling to the returned exiles. He is to take a gift from newly arrived exiles and fashion a crown, not for the governor Zerubbabel who was of the royal line, but for Joshua the high priest. This was a deliberate scrambling of Old Covenant categories. Kings were from Judah, priests from Levi, and for a king to meddle in priestly affairs was to invite judgment, as King Uzziah learned the hard way. But here God Himself commands the symbol of royalty to be placed on the head of the priest.

The meaning of this shocking act is then explained. Joshua is a stand-in, a type. The prophecy points to a future man, whose name is the Branch. This Branch will unite in His own person the two great offices of priest and king. He will build the true temple of the Lord, bear the full splendor of majesty, and rule from His throne as a priest. This is a glorious prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ, our great high priest after the order of Melchizedek, who is both king of righteousness and king of peace. The entire ceremony is a foretaste of the gospel, where the one who offers the sacrifice is the same one who reigns as king.

Outline

The Crown and the Temple

9 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

The narrative shifts here. The visions of the night are over, and now we have a direct command from God for Zechariah to perform in broad daylight. This is not something Zechariah dreamed up; it is a direct charge from Yahweh. The authority for what is about to happen comes from the highest possible source.

10 “Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah; and you come the same day and come into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon.

The instructions are specific and grounded in history. These are real men, with real names, who have just made the arduous journey from Babylon. They have brought with them an offering, a gift for the work of God in Jerusalem. God sees their gift and intends to put it to a very high and symbolic use. The action is to take place that very day, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the message. It is all to happen at the house of another named individual, Josiah son of Zephaniah, which tells us this was a public, verifiable event, not a private revelation.

11 And take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

Here is the shocking moment. The silver and gold are to be made into an ornate crown, a symbol of kingship. But the crown is not for Zerubbabel, the descendant of David and the civil governor. It is to be placed on the head of Joshua, the high priest. Under the law of Moses, the monarchy and the priesthood were two distinct offices, given to two distinct tribes. For one to usurp the role of the other was a grave sin. This act, commanded by God, was a prophetic sign that the old order was pointing to something new, to a coming reality where these two offices would be perfectly united.

12 Then you will say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, and He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of Yahweh.

The action is immediately followed by the explanation. Joshua is not the ultimate subject here; he is a living picture. The prophecy is about another man, whose name is Branch. This is a messianic title we have seen before in the prophets (Is. 4:2; Jer. 23:5; Zech. 3:8). This Branch will sprout up and will undertake the great work: He will build the temple of Yahweh. This is not primarily about the physical temple that Zerubbabel and Joshua were currently rebuilding. This points to a far greater temple, the new covenant community, the Church, which Christ Himself would build.

13 Indeed, it is He who will build the temple of Yahweh, and He who will bear the splendor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.” ’

This verse is emphatic, repeating that it is He, the Branch, who will build the temple. And He will do more. He will bear splendor, the royal majesty that belongs to a king. He will sit and rule on His throne. And then, the central point of the whole prophecy: He will be a priest on His throne. The King who rules is the Priest who atones. The throne of judgment and the altar of mercy are combined in one person. The "counsel of peace" is not between two different men holding two offices, but rather the perfect harmony between the two offices themselves, now held by one man, the Lord Jesus. In Christ, there is no conflict between the claims of justice and the claims of mercy. He is our Melchizedek, both King of Righteousness and King of Peace.

14 Now the crown will become a memorial in the temple of Yahweh to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.

The physical crown was not for Joshua to keep and wear. It was to be placed in the temple as a memorial, a tangible reminder of this great promise. It was a sign pointing forward to the coming of the true Priest-King. God also graciously remembers the givers. Their names are recorded for posterity, a reminder that God sees and honors the faithful contributions of His people, especially when they are used to proclaim the glory of His Son.

15 And those who are far off will come and build the temple of Yahweh.” Then you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. And it will happen if you utterly listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.

The vision expands. The building of this great, future temple will not be a provincial Jewish affair. "Those who are far off", the Gentiles, will come and participate in the construction. This is a prophecy of the Great Commission, of the gospel going out to all nations and building the Church from every tribe and tongue. The fulfillment of this grand project would be the ultimate vindication of Zechariah's prophetic ministry. The final clause is a word of covenantal exhortation. The enjoyment of these promised blessings is tied to faithful obedience. This is not to say that they could earn the Messiah by their good works. Rather, true faith is never separated from obedience. To "utterly listen to the voice of Yahweh" is the posture of a people who truly believe His promises and are therefore ready to receive their King.

Key Issues

Application

This passage is a brilliant display of the gospel in the Old Testament. It teaches us that God's plan from the beginning was to resolve the tension between His perfect justice (the king's role) and His profound mercy (the priest's role) in the person of His Son. Jesus Christ is our King, who rules with all authority, and He is our High Priest, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Because He is the Priest upon the throne, we can come to Him with confidence, knowing that the one who rules is the one who has saved us.

Furthermore, this passage reminds us that we are part of a grand building project. The temple Christ is building is the Church, and He has graciously called us, even those of us who were once "far off," to be living stones in that structure. Our lives, our gifts, our obedience are all part of this great work. The final exhortation to "utterly listen" is as relevant for us today as it was for the returned exiles. As we walk in faith and obedience to the voice of our God, we experience the blessings of His kingdom and participate in the building of His eternal temple, all to the glory of our great Priest-King, Jesus Christ.