Zechariah 3:7

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS; IF THOU WILT WALK IN MY WAYS. God's choice of Jerusalem (Zechariah 3:2) was unto its sanctification (John 15:16; Romans 8:29); hence, the charge here which connects the promised blessing with obedience. AND IF THOU WILT KEEP MY CHARGE - the ordinances of God, the "charge of the sanctuary," and all the precepts, ritual and moral ...

_Protest _then _did the angel of Jehovah to Joshua, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if my charge thou wilt observe_, etc. The angel now briefly teaches us, that the priests do not excel, that they may exult at pleasure; but he interposes a condition, that they are to exercise faithfully their office, and to obey the call of God. We then see that those two things are united — the dignity of the priesthood, and the faithfulness which God’s ministers, who have been called to that office, are to exhibit. Hence they who seek to domineer without control, do thereby sufficiently show that they are not the lawful priests of God; for Joshua typified Christ, and yet we see how God bound him by a certain condition, lest relying on his honor and title he should take to himself more than what was lawful or right. If Joshua, who was a type of Christ, together with his suc...

6-10 All whom God calls to any office he finds fit, or makes so. The Lord will cause the sins of the believer to pass away by his sanctifying grace, and will enable him to walk in newness of life. As the promises made to David often pass into promises of the Messiah, so the promises to Joshua look forward to Christ, of whose priesthood Joshua's was a shadow. Whatever trials we pass through, whatever services we perform, our whole dependence must rest on Christ, the Branch of righteousness. He is God's servant, employed in his work, obedient to his will, devoted to his honour and glory. He is the Branch from which all our fruit must be gathered. The eye of his Father was upon him, especially in his sufferings, and when he was buried in the grave, as the foundation-stones are under ground, out of men's sight. But the prophecy rather denotes the attention paid to this precious Corner-stone...

Verse Zechariah 3:7. _IF THOU WILT WALK IN MY WAYS_] If ye, Israelites, priests and people, now restored to your own land, will walk in my ways, c., ye shall be a part of my family and have _places_-mansions-in eternal glory, with all them that are sanctified....

IF THOU WILT WALK IN MY WAYS AND IF THOU WILT KEEP MY CHARGE - Both of these are expressions, dating from the Pentateuch, for holding on in the way of life, well-pleasing to God and keeping the charge given by God. It was the injunction of the dying David to Solomon, “Keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes ...” 1 Kings 2:3. THEN SHALT THOU ALSO JUDGE MY HOUSE - Judgment, in the place of God, was part of the high priest’s office Deuteronomy 17:9; Deuteronomy 19:17; Malachi 2:7. Yet these judgments also were given in t

EXPOSITION ZECHARIAH 3:1 _§ 6. The fourth vision: Joshua the high priest before the angel._ ZECHARIAH 3:1 HE SHOWED ME. The Septuagint and Vulgate give, "The Lord showed me." Some suppose that it was the interpreting angel who showed this vision; but his duty was to explain, not to present, the visions. So in Zechariah 1:20 it is the Lord who shows the "four craftsmen." This vision is closely connected with the last. In that it was declared that the Lord would again dwell in Jerusalem, and visit his people with blessings. But to fit them for the presence and favour of Jehovah they must be pure. To this end they must have a hol

THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... For this Angel was no other than the Lord of armies in heaven and in earth: IF THOU WILT WALK IN MY WAYS; prescribed in the word of God, moral, ceremonial, and evangelical; in Christ the grand way, and indeed the only way of salvation; and in the paths of faith, truth, righteousness, and holiness; in the ways of God's commandments, which are pleasant, and attended with peace; such a walk and conversation, and such obedience, the grace of God teaches, and obliges to: AND IF THOU WILT KEEP MY CHARGE; the things he gave in charge, all his commands and ordinances, particularly such as belonged to the priestly office and Levitical service; see Numbers 3:7 all which might be expected after so many favours granted: THEN THOU SHALL ALSO JUDGE MY HOUSE, AND SHALT ALSO KEEP MY COURTS: preside in the temple, be gov

CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The fourth night vision (Zechariah 3:1) _ 2. The message of the vision (Zechariah 3:6) Zechariah 3:1. The fourth vision is like the first and second, closely connected with the foregoing one. It gives the crowning event of Israel's restoration. The prophet recognizes in the figure, which is seen by him, Joshua the high priest, who is standing before the angel of the Lord, while at his right hand stands Satan to oppose him. Joshua was not clothed with his clean, priestly robes, but he wears filthy garments. Jehovah rebukes Satan and terms Jerusalem a brand plucked from the fire. After the accuser is rebuked, the filthy garments of the high-priest are removed, his iniquity is fo

THE TRIAL OF JOSHUA. Several corrections are necessary in this paragraph, some of which are confirmed by the LXX. In Zechariah 3:2 read, And the angel of the Lord said. In Zechariah 3:4 f. read with LXX, Take the filthy garments from off him (And he said unto him, Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee); and clothe him with rich apparel, and set a fair mitre, etc. In Zechariah 3:8 we should probably read, Thou and thy fellows which sit before thee are men which, etc. Among the Hebrews any disaster was regarded as a sign of Divine displeasure or, to use a common Heb. figure of speech, a sign that the Lord was bringing a charge against the person afflicted. The satan or opponent for here, as in Job, the word i

THE LORD OF HOSTS. See note on Zechariah 1:3 and on 1 Samuel 1:3. IF THOU WILT KEEP, &C. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 8:35). App-92. JUDGE MY HOUSE, &C.. govern My house. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 17:9). App-92. PLACES TO WALK. free access, or right of way. THESE THAT STAND BY: i.e. the attendant angels of Psalms 103:21. Compare 1 Kings 22:19;...