撒迦利亞時代的大祭司是約書亞。約書亞因哈該的話向上帝悔改，所以撒迦利亞在異象中，看到約書亞站在上帝面前，求上帝潔淨他的罪，使他所獻的祭可蒙上帝悅納。無論何時，只要人願與上帝有正確的關係，撒旦這個控告者就會出現在人的旁邊去勸退人。為此，上帝來到約書亞那裡掌管此事，上帝責備撒旦，並告訴牠：約書亞和耶路撒冷都是上帝所揀選的，上帝要藉此人、此地完成祂救贖罪愆的工作。猶太人雖不配，但上帝因著祂的恩典，已揀選他們，用他們去完成救贖世界的工作。他們雖從火（審判）中經過，上帝仍要為自己保留一批餘民。

        約書亞正是這批餘民的一個代表，他已蒙上帝稱義了。約書亞是不能潔淨自己的，只有上帝能脫去他污穢的衣服（象徵赦罪），並為他穿上華美的衣服（象徵穿上主耶穌的義，參賽61：10）。對撒迦利亞而言，看見一個人過去曾因著罪而玷污不潔，如今卻成為一個清潔的上帝僕人，頭戴潔淨的冠冕（3：5；出28：36~38）、奉獻給上帝的大祭司，這是一幅何等美好的圖畫！上帝應許約書亞說，如果他願遵行主的道，負責保持上帝的殿永遠純潔、不受污染，那麼他就配得繼續管裡上帝的殿，也可以進到上帝的面前來與祂相交，有一日更可與上帝一同在天堂（3：7）。

        撒迦利亞很清楚地說約書亞和他的同伴（祭司）是「作預兆的」，因為他們擔任中保這樣的任務，正預指到另一位要來的彌賽亞，就是那位「苗裔」。「我僕人的苗裔」這個名字代表祂的人性和根源於耶西（大衛王的父親），這條皇族的血統，以及祂的謙卑（參賽4：2；11：1；52：13；耶23：5；33：15；結34：23~24）。上帝也叫祂作「石頭」，象徵祂的力量和永恆性（參創49：24；詩118：22；賽28：16；太21：42；徒4：11；彼前2：6）。石頭上的七眼代表上帝無所不知的屬性，石上的雕刻或許表示祂的榮美，或上帝為其所預定的計劃。

        「一日之間除掉這地的罪孽」，對撒迦利亞那個時代的人來講，當是指在贖罪日這天所做除罪的工作，但也指著彌賽亞工作的終極完成。因為基督在十字架上的犧牲，使得以色列人以及全世界相信的人都能稱義、重生、得著平安和屬靈的產業（3：10）。

        第三章的異象在於鼓舞約書亞這位宗教領袖，第四章則在使所羅巴伯這位政治領袖得著能力，因為他在建聖殿的事上遭遇很多的反對。撒迦利亞所看的異象是很不尋常的七管燈台，因有兩棵橄欖樹（各在一邊）不停止地滴油進去，所以不須人手去填充油源，永保燈火燃燒。這個異象的目的在於鼓勵所羅巴伯，使他可以很確定上帝一定會加給他力量，去完成重建聖殿的工作，沒有什麼大難處可以阻擋他的去路。不是倚靠能力，不是倚靠才能，乃是依靠上帝的靈（油為其代表）方能成事。他一定要信靠上帝，完全倚靠祂的力量，才能看到工作的完成。建造上帝國的人，也一樣要倚靠此一能源，才能夠成事。

        那些覺得聖殿太小如無物的人（參該2：3），聽過撒迦利亞這番話之後，該知道這殿在上帝的眼中不算為小。那全知、全視（七眼）的石頭（彌賽亞）預知未來，且要很高興祂僕人所羅巴伯主動參與建造聖殿。這異象還進一步鼓勵了所羅巴伯和約書亞，因為他們就是那兩位受膏者（由兩棵橄欖樹為代表），站在主的兩旁，聖靈更要藉著他們而流出去（4：14）。

        天父，我們相信您所說的：「不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的靈。」我們願您的聖靈來引導我們，使我們可以更有效地把人引到您的面前。奉主耶穌基督的名，阿們！

English

        Joshua was the High Priest who was serving at the time of Zechariah. He had responded to Haggai's call to repentance (Hag. 1:12-14), and so in Zechariah's vision of Joshua standing before the Lord at the altar, he was likely asking God for cleansing from sin, so that his sacred duties might be acceptable to God. Whenever someone tries to put himself into a right relationship with God, Satan, the accuser, will be right by his side, trying to dissuade him. The Lord intervened by coming to Joshua and rebuking Satan, saying that He had chosen Joshua and the city of Jerusalem to be the place from where atonement for sins might be made. Though the Jews were unworthy, the Lord, by His grace, had chosen them and was determined to use them to fulfill His plan of redemption for the world. Although they had gone through the fire (judgment), He had spared a remnant for His purposes.

        Joshua, as a representative of this remnant, was vindicated by God. On his own, Joshua could do nothing to cleanse himself. It was the Lord who removed his filthy garments, symbolizing forgiveness, and dressed him in rich robes, symbolizing his being clothed with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus (cf. Isa. 61:10). What a beautiful illustration of God's grace in justification! Zechariah saw with his own eyes how one who was stained and defiled with sin had become a worthy and clean servant of God. Therefore, Zechariah called for him to be crowned with the high priestly turban, the one upon which was written, "Holiness to the Lord" (3:5; Ex. 28:36-38).' As a consecrated priest of God, Joshua is promised that if he would walk worthy of his calling, by obeying the Lord and fulfilling his divinely appointed responsibilities of keeping the Lord's Temple pure from defilement, then he would continue to have the honour of being in charge of the Temple; he would have access to God, communion with Him, and one day be with the Lord in heaven (3:7).

        Zechariah clearly states that Joshua and his fellow co-workers (priests) were "a wondrous sign", since their task of mediation and intercession pointed to another, the coming Messiah, whom God calls: "My Servant the Branch". These names signify His humanity and royal descent from the root of Jesse (King David's father), as well as His humility (cf. Isa. 4:2; 11:1; 52:13; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Ezk. 34:23-24). The Lord also calls Him "the Stone", likely signifying His strength and eternal nature (cf. Gen. 49:24; Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:6). The seven eyes upon the Stone would seem to signify His divine attribute of omniscience. The engraving upon the Stone may indicate either His beauty or the preordained plan of God for the Stone.

        The purpose of the symbolism is made known in the climax of the vision when God declares, "I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day". To the people of Zechariah's day, this meant that the Day of Atonement would be effectual in cleansing them from sin. However, since these words come with reference to the Messiah, we know that it points forward to the ultimate and complete work of the Messiah. Christ's self-sacrifice upon the cross made possible the justification, regeneration, peace, and spiritual prosperity (3:10) of not only Israel but believers of all nations, even to this very day.

        Zechariah's vision in chapter three brought encouragement to Joshua, the religious leader. The vision in chapter four is a message of encouragement for the strengthening of Zerubbabel, the civil leader, who had met with much opposition in his attempts to rebuild the Temple. Zechariah saw an unusal seven-armed lampstand which never needed tending by human hands, for it had an abundant and continuous supply of oil from the two olive trees (one on either side) which dripped oil into the bowl above the lampstand. From the bowl went pipes into each of the seven lamps, and thus they continually burned. The purpose of this vision was to encourage Zerubbabel. He was assured that God would indeed enable Him to complete the task of rebuilding the Temple, and no mountainous problems would stand in his way. Neither might nor power would accomplish this, but only God through His Holy Spirit (symbolized by the oil). It was important for him to understand that he must trust in God and rely totally on Him to see the work completed. This same continuous source of power is available to all believers who are building up the Kingdom of God.

        Some of the people who witnessed the erecting of the new Temple thought that it was a small, insignificant thing (cf. Hag. 2:3), but through Zechariah's word from the Lord, they were to know that God did not consider it small. The all-knowing, all-seeing (seven-eyed) Stone, the Messiah, who knows the future, was pleased to see His servant Zerubbabel actively involved in the erection of the Temple; he had made sure the walls were perfectly vertical with his plumb line. It would have been a further encouragement for both Zerubbabel and Joshua to know that they were the anointed ones, represented by the two olives trees, whom the Lord was standing beside and through whom His Spirit flowed (4:14).

        Father, we rely upon Your word which says, '"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit' says, the Lord of Hosts". We want to be led by Your Spirit today, that we might be effective in pointing others to You.