International S. S. Lessons.
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." —Neh. 8:8. LESSON IV.—SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 1893. [NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.] 1. And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; yea, the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel. 5. And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the angel of the Lord stood by. 6. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou also shalt judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee a place of access among these that stand by. 8. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men which are a sign; for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch. 9. For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. Golden Text.—"We have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens. Jesus, the Son of God." Heb. 4:14. The Time.—Zechariah seems to have come in to confirm Haggai and to reveal additional truth. He began prophesying between the second and third recorded prophecies of Haggai. Compare Haggai 2:1, 10 with Zechariah 1:1. The prophecy of our lesson was spoken in the following year (Zech. 1:7), sometime in the beginning of our March, 519 B. C. The place was Jerusalem. Zechariah was himself one of the priests (see Neh. 12:16); he continued to prophesy two years (Zech. 7:1). The effect of his and Haggai's prophesying is given in Ezra 6:14. The Jews "prospered." Ezra, chapters 5 and 6, and the prophecy of Haggai, will throw light on the condition of affairs. 1. How did God reprove and encourage his people when they became discouraged in building the temple?
"Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel prophesied they unto them." Ezra 5:1. 2. What had been the result of their ceasing the work? Note 1. 3. Who was their high priest, the representative of Israel? Ans.—Joshua, the son of Josedech. See Hag. 1:1; Ezra 5:2. 4. How was Joshua represented in vision to Zechariah? Verse 1. 5. In what was he clothed? Verse 3. Note 2. 6. What enemy had Joshua? Verse 1. Note 2. 7. Who rebuked him, and with what words? Verse 2. Note 3. 8. What change did he make in Joshua? Verses 4, 5. Note 4. 9. What instruction and promises did he give him? Verses 6, 7. Note 5. 10. What special promise did God give? Verse 8. Note 6. 11. What else did he promise in Christ? Verses 9, 10. Note 7. 12. Who is our great high priest? Golden text. 13. With what assurance may we seek him?
"For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help us in time of need." Heb. 4:15, 16. 1. When Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy, the work of building the temple had entirely ceased. The people, hindered and annoyed by their enemies, seem to have lost faith and courage, and with loss of faith came increase of sin and selfishness. They turned to their own gain, builded their own houses, sought their own prosperity, and left the house of God to lie waste. Therefore, the Lord withheld rain, and dew, and blessing, till the people were brought low, and some among them began to intermingle with the heathen. Two lessons they must learn if they would keep their place and nation: (1) That they were utterly dependent upon God for success; and (2) that to have success they must separate from sin and yield themselves wholly to God. 2. Clothed with filthy garments.—Joshua, as the high priest, was the representative of his people. Ex. 28:12; Lev. 16:16. The filthy garments were representative of the sins of Israel. Satan, who had led Israel to sin, stands at the side of the representative of Israel and accuses him before Christ. Rev. 12:10. He declares that God cannot accept such a sinful, wicked, rebellious people. And truly they were a sinful, guilty, rebellious nation. 3. The Lord rebuke thee.—God himself interposes for his people. He had chosen Jerusalem. He had chosen Israel. He had chosen Judah and David. Through them was coming the promised Seed. The hope of the world was at stake. God had preserved them throughout all their checkered career; he had saved them from the hand of the great and mighty nations; he had plucked them as a brand from the burning, a stick, though charred, which was of value in his eyes; he would not yet relinquish it. He therefore rebuked the adversary by his own mighty power; Israel was the Lord's. 4. Take the filthy garments from off him.—Israel, under the reproof and admonitions of the prophets, had become humbled before God on account of their sins. The humble soul shall be exalted. God takes off the filthy garments, and places upon him the change of raiment. That is, God removes by his pardoning word the filthy garment of sin and puts upon the repentant, humbled sinner his own blessed robes of righteousness. As says the prophet: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Isa. 61:10. Miter.—The crown symbolical of character, "holiness to the Lord." See Ex. 28:36-38. 5. Walk in my ways.—Continuance of God's favor is contingent on continued submission to his law. Keep my charge.—The written ordinances and appointments of God. Judge my house.—Rule in his house, give judgment in cases brought before the priest. See Deut. 17:9. Among those that stand by.—The angels of God. While the house was God's, angels would be the invisible keepers of its courts; Joshua and his followers would walk among those favored of God. See Luke 1:8-11. God had, and has, gracious blessings waiting for his people. 6. Men which are a sign.—"Men wondered at," the common version. Truly such was the Jewish people, the brand plucked from the fire of affliction, persecution, and enmity of the nations. They were a sign of God's power to all the world. Their salvation was a sign to them of God's goodness and faithfulness; and their deliverance was a sign of the great final deliverance under Him who was the greater sign, namely, The Branch.—When the fullness of time should come, God would bring forth his Son (Gal. 4:4), the rod of Jesse, the branch out of his roots (Isa. 11:1), and the Shiloh of the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), the Branch of Jeremiah, the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer. 23:6, 7). Until that time Judah would be kept. Unto that Branch would be the gathering of the people. Gen. 49:10. 7. The Stone.—Perhaps the cornerstone of the temple used as a symbol of the "Chief Corner Stone," the "Tried Stone." See Eph. 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6, 7; Isa. 28:16. Seven Eyes.—Symbolical of the seven spirits of God, and God's wondrous watchful care over all his people. See Rev. 5:6. Remove the iniquity.—Christ died for the sins of the world. He made expiation for those sins when he died on the cross. His offering was efficacious for all. But the "one day" may look forward to that time, that great "day of the Lord," when all sin will be forever removed; when "the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity" (Isa. 33:24); where "the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness [Christ's righteousness upon his people] quietness and assurance forever" (Isa. 32:17). See Jer. 50:20. Blessed result, in which all the Israel of God shall rejoice. For that Jesus, our great High Priest, lives. He invites all to come boldly in his name; and, though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow.