Download Dan Swihart on Zechariah 6:9-15

The Symbolic Crown (Zech 6:9-15)
Ps 110, Heb 7:1-10
1. Introduction
a. This sign act, though having some immediate ramifications, ultimately is pointing
towards the coming Messiah, who will build a greater temple and be a greater high
priest (see Zech 3:8) – for He will be a priest and king. And this, as with all Messianic
prophesies, was for calling the people of God to cast their hope upon Him, and to long
for this anointed One who would be their Savior
i. Background: To understand this sign act, we must also consider two of the
distinct offices appointed by God for the people of Israel: priest and king
1. The role of a priest
a. To mediate between God and sinful man
i. Offering sacrifices for the atonement of sin to receive
the mercy of God
ii. Offering prayers of intercession to receive the grace of
God
iii. Presenting their gifts of thanksgiving
iv. Conveying the blessings of God upon the people
2. The role of a king
a. To rule over the people:
i. Ensuring safety and protection from enemies – he
would lead them into battle
ii. Upholding justice and peace among the people –
rewarding the righteous and punishing the evil doers
iii. Pursuing the prosperity and glory of the kingdom
2. The crafting of the crown (6:9-11a)
a. Materials:
i. Received as offerings by some exiles returning from Babylon who had gone to
present their gifts to Joshua the high priest
ii. Silver and gold – the most precious metals; silver representing the priesthood,
and gold representing the kingship.
b. Making: The Hebrew term used here for crown denoted either multiple crowns or one
very large crown, and I favor the later meaning given the context; one that grand and
ornate - made thoughtfully, carefully, and with great skill
c. Use: worn to reflect and distinguish the unique majesty, glory, and honor designated to
the one who wears it
3. The object of the crown (6:11b-13a)
a. Placed on the head of Joshua the high priest as a sign
b. To foreshadow the coming One called “The Branch” who is the Messiah, that is, Christ
Jesus (Zech 3:8-10; Isaiah 4, 11:1-10, 53; Jer 23:1-8, 33:14-18,cf Is 9:7)
i. Zech 3:8-9 – “’Now listen Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are
sitting in front of you – indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am
going to bring in My servant the Branch. For behold, the stone that I have set
before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an
inscription on it,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of
that land in one day.’”
ii. Isaiah 11:1 – “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch
from his roots will bear fruit.”
iii. He will branch out from where He – His beginnings on the earth, though
sprouting from the root of King David, will be humble, but He will become very
great
iv. He will build the temple of the Lord – He shall build a greater temple, which will
be the Church made of living stones
4. The symbolism of the crown (13b)
a. The Messiah will be as a priest who sits on a the throne of a king – having a peaceful
union, as a marriage, between the two offices of priest in king
b. This truth was also displayed through Melchizedek in Genesis 14:17-20, set as a type
and shadow of the coming Christ. The author of Hebrews would gave interpretation to
this strange OT figure and explain his significance as it relates to Christ (see Heb 5-7)
i. He was a king
1. He met Abram in the King’s valley
2. He himself was the king of Salem (later to be Jerusalem)
ii. He was a priest
1. He brought him bread and wine
2. He received a tithe offering from Abram
3. He blessed Abram
c. The crown would be as a perpetual reminder to the priests that are serving in the
temple of this coming Messiah
5. The sign of the crown (14-15)
a. To prove that Zechariah’s Word was truly from God (that there would one day come a
Branch out of David, the Messiah, who would rule as a priest and king) they would be
given this sign: people from afar would come to build the temple
i. An immediate promise as a sign
1. Those Jews previously scattered among the nations returned to
Jerusalem to help re-build the temple
2. Even the Gentiles, by the Sovereign hand of God, were also brought to
aid in the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 6)
ii. A redemptive promise as a sign
1. The inclusion the Gentiles, from every tongue, tribe, and nation, in the
building of the Messiah’s temple, the church
b. This sign hinged on a contingency – both immediately and redemptively: “And it will
take place, if you completely obey the Lord your God.”
i. In other words, “If you will cast your hope on God, and believe that He Himself
shall supply what is needed, then you shall receive the blessing of this promised
Messiah and His greater temple.”
ii. This obedience, is not sinless perfection, but gospel obedience, the obedience
of faith - that is, to believe in God and hope in Him
1. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John
3:36)
2. “And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to
those who were disobedient? And so we see that they were not able to
enter because of unbelief.” (Heb 3:18-19)
6. Conclusion
a. In Christ, we have a perfect high priest who mediates between God and sinful man
i. Who has entered into the holy presence of God:
1. To offer His own blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin that His
people may receive the mercy of God, and once for all
a. “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are
sanctified.” (Heb 10:
2. To offer prayers of intercession that His people will receive the grace of
God
a. “And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater
numbers, because they were prevented by death from
continuing, but He, on the other hand, because He abides
forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Hence, He is able to
save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He
always lives to make intercession for them.”
3. To present the offerings of praise and thanksgiving unto God
a. “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of
praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His
name.” (Heb 13:15)
4. To convey the blessings of God on His people
a. “For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are
yes; wherefore also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God
through us.” (2 Cor. 1:20)
ii. Application:
1. Christ is our own High Priest, therefore through Him we may boldly
approach God – not because of our merits, but because of His
a. “Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of
grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in
time of need.” (Heb 4:16)
b. Read Heb 10:19-25
c. “Let us wonder; grace and justice join, and point to mercy’s
store; when through grace in Christ our trust is, Justice smiles
and asks no more: He who washed us with His blood, has
secured our way to God.” (John Newton, Let Us Love and Sing
and Wonder)
b. In Christ, we have a perfect king seated upon the throne at the right hand of God
i. He rules over His people:
1. Ensuring safety and protection from our enemies: Satan, the curse of
sin, and death
a. “’Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your
victory? O death, where is you sting?’ The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:54b-57)
b. Read Rev 19:11-16
2. Upholding justice and peace among the people by rewarding the
righteous and punishing the evil doers
a. “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of
peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to
establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness,
from then on and forever more.” (Is. 9:7)
b. “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill
the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet
not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do
not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone
therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess
him before My Father.” (Matt 10:28-32)
3. Pursuing the prosperity and glory of the Kingdom
a. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John
10:10)
b. “And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal,
coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle
of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life,
bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and
the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And
there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of
the Lamb shall be in it, and His bondservants shall serve Him;
and they shall see His face and His name shall be on the
foreheads. And there shall no longer be any night; and they
shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the
sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall
reign forever.” (Rev 22:1-5)
ii.
Application:
1. In Christ, we have the ultimate of Kings. All other authority on heaven
and earth is subservient to our great King; and this King knows each of
His subjects by name. Therefore, we have nothing to fear, for in due
time He will make all things right.
a. “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have
overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
b. Have joy and peace in this truth. Remember, He will have the
final say, and the greatest of men will melt like wax in His
presence.
c. In Christ, the two offices of priest and king find their perfect union
i. In Christ, our Priestly King, we have on the one hand the loving tenderness and
holiness of a priest as the Lamb of God. And on the other hand, we also have
the loving strength and authority of the King of Kings as the Lion of Judah. We
have in Christ, the loving best of both. And we are forever His, and He is forever
ours.
d. Prayer – “Grant, Almighty God, that since your Son has been made known to us, through
whom is brought to us the perfection of all blessings and of true and real glory,—O
grant, that we may continue settled in him, and never turn here and there, nor fluctuate
in any way, but be so satisfied with his kingship and priesthood, as to deliver up
ourselves wholly to his care and protection, and never doubt but that we are so
sanctified by his grace as to be now acceptable unto You, and that relying on him as our
Mediator, we may offer ourselves as a sacrifice to You with full confidence of heart, and
thus strive to glorify You through the whole course of our life, that we may at length be
made partakers of that celestial glory which has been obtained for us by the blood of
your only-begotten Son.—Amen.” (Calvin)