Title: God's Grace Covenant/Zech 3:1-5
Content This text: Zechariah 3:1-5
Subject: God's Grace Covenant
Zechariah's fourth vision is very different from the previous one. The previous visions were understood by Zechariah through questioning, but not in the fourth vision.
The most important thing in this vision is the location of Joshua. He stands before the angel of the LORD. The word ‘standing’ is a term used to express the performance of the priest’s duties. It is implied through this word that it refers to Christ before the incarnation.
The angel of the Lord rebuked Satan who was accusing Joshua, and declared Joshua innocent. Not because Joshua was innocent, but because of forgiveness of sins and
It was a declaration of justification. The Lord rebuked Satan because he had chosen Jerusalem.
Verse 9 shows that sin was actually removed from the land. As high priest, Joshua was condemned and pardoned on behalf of the people of Israel.
The proclamation of forgiveness was depicted in the form of taking off Joshua's dirty garments. The garment symbolizes Joshua's own sins and Israel's sins and transgressions. After that, Joshua puts on expensive clothes, symbolizing the purity after being forgiven. The crown of purity refers to the joy of being reestablished in the priesthood.
I. Defend you (1-2).
A. Satan condemned Joshua.
1. Satan never tries to reveal his identity. Satan conceals his true nature in clever ways.
2. If Satan appeared in such a way as to engrave his name on the nameplate or to wear horns, no one would be able to defeat him.
3. Satan attacks us in the form of humility. So we don't know the difference.
4. Satan is looking for that gap even when we pray diligently. In other words, it makes people complain that I pray a lot more than anyone else, or that I pray this much but other people don't.
5. All of our activities such as evangelism and Bible study are targets of Satan's attack. Obviously, when you think, 'I'm not good enough,' Satan never takes advantage of it.
B. God rebukes Satan.
1. The Lord says, “I chose you, why are you accusing me?”
2. Even if your clothes are dirty or if you have made a mistake, God says that He will forgive you.
3. God does not listen to us no matter how much Satan condemns us, slanders us, and accuses us. Even if we have great sins and transgressions, God forgives our sins as we repent.
4. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. There is no one to condemn us. Because God has set us free from our sins and transgressions.
5. We do not go before God because we have no sin. Because there is no sin, it is not even more important to pray with an open mind. Although we are full of sins and transgressions, we come to God because we have been forgiven by the blood of Christ.
II. Change of status (3-5).
A. They give you new clothes.
1. Joshua did not take off his clothes by himself. Through an angel he “took” his clothes. That is, he changed his identity.
2. Even so, Joshua did not ask for forgiveness. The truth is that God just removed it.
3. After taking off your clothes, God said, “I will remove your transgressions.” Correct repentance is impossible unless God allows the spirit of repentance. After taking off our dirty clothes, God gives us the spirit of repentance to take away all our faults.
4. He put a clean crown on his head. God has adopted us as princes and princesses.
B. We are justified by faith.
1. Even repentance is impossible without the Holy Spirit working. If God forgives us reluctantly because of our supplications, the sovereignty of salvation rests with us. But God did not wait for Israel's repentance and led them to repentance.
2. Salvation is possible only with the righteousness of God, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. So this is grace.
3. If it were not for God's grace, we could not escape from hell forever. But God has been gracious to us.
conclusion
1. Satan earnestly accuses us against God. They are using their own information to dig out corruption in us.
2. However, God does not listen to Satan's accusations at all. Rather, he takes pity on our ugly and dirty appearance and gives grace to us.
3. First, he removes our dirty clothes and washes away all our faults. And by putting new clothes and new crowns on our heads, He grants us a new identity.
4. But how many times have we forgotten God's great grace and fell into Satan's sweet temptations to repeat old habits?
5. If we had not had the covenant of God's grace, we would have already lost hope of life. Even though we are full of sins and transgressions, we have hope because the covenant of grace is eternal.