Zechariah 6:12
And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
The man called the Branch is Christ the Messiah, who grows up out of His appointed place to build the temple of the Lord. The temple He builds is God's church, made up of believers from Jews and Gentiles gathered as living stones upon Him as foundation, while His work also makes Him minister of the true heavenly sanctuary of which the earthly tabernacle and its service were only the type. By His sacrifice and mediation He is both foundation and builder of that temple, entering the heavenly sanctuary by His own blood to obtain eternal redemption and continually intercede for those who come to God through Him. He bears the glory of redemption and rules as both king and priest upon His throne, now interceding as priest with the Father on the Father's throne while His own throne of glory and David's kingdom await the close of His mediatorial work. The counsel of peace between the two shows Father and Son as distinct persons united in love and in the work of saving humanity.
Setting and Identity
Zechariah 6:12 belongs to messages of encouragement given when the Jews feared that permission to rebuild the temple might be withdrawn, assuring them of God's compassion and promising that His house would be built in Jerusalem.
The man whose name is the Branch is Christ, the Messiah, the heavenly Branch. He is the one identified in Zechariah 6:12-13 as growing up, building the Lord's temple, bearing glory, and ruling as king and priest on His throne. The temple He builds is the temple of the Lord, the church of God, which He founded and which the apostles built upon Him as its foundation.
He grows up out of His place, that is, from His appointed place. The surrounding verses show Him distinct from the Father, sharing His glory and ruling as king and priest, with the counsel of peace between them. Under the name the Branch He is presented as man's intercessor.
Temple Christ Builds
The temple of the Lord that He builds is the church of God, the true Christian church, built together as a holy dwelling for God through the Spirit. The building of a temple illustrates the building up of believers. By His sacrifice and mediation He is both the foundation and the builder of that temple. He founded it as the foundation stone, and the apostles built upon Him. People from among both Jews and Gentiles are gathered as stones into this spiritual temple. Gentiles from far away take part in its building, quarried out as valuable stones and laid upon Christ so that by contact with that living stone they also become living stones.
His building work also makes Him minister of the true, heavenly sanctuary, which was not built by human hands. The earthly sanctuary, tabernacle, temple, sacrificial service, and priesthood were its type. They ended with His death, when He continued His work as high priest and mediator in heaven. As the true Sacrifice and high priest He ministers in the true sanctuary. He enters by His own blood, obtains eternal redemption, and continually intercedes for those who come to God through Him.
Glory, Rule, and Counsel
The Branch bears glory, and that glory is the glory of redemption. He sits and rules upon His throne as both king and priest, priest and ruler together. His building of the Lord's temple belongs with this priestly and kingly rule on His throne, exercised through His death and resurrection as minister of the true heavenly sanctuary not built by human hands.
He is now priest with the Father on the Father's throne, interceding for sinners by the merits of His sinless life and sacrificial death. The throne of His own glory and the promised kingdom of David belong to the future, after His mediatorial work ends. The counsel of peace between the two shows Him distinct from the Father yet sharing His glory, Father and Son as distinct persons. That counsel of peace shows both sharing love for humanity and united in the work of salvation.
Those who minister in word and doctrine are representatives of the heavenly Branch. As such they are to serve wholeheartedly, showing the light and peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. Pride and vainglory and self-esteem are out of place in them.