Anyone who has ever experienced these kinds of accusations and dark thoughts knows it is futile to try to overcome them on our own. Indeed, in this situation, people often turn to self-harm, sleeping pills, hiding away from others, alcohol, drugs or something else to try to drown out the dark thoughts. These escapist answers to the accusations and dark thoughts of our soul are not the solution.
Let’s notice what happened next to Joshua:
At first, the Lord rebuked Satan and said that Joshua was “a stick snatched from the fire.” In other words, Joshua had been rescued from a life of sin and all manner of evil. He had been snatched out of the fire! This is exactly what happened to you and me at the cross. The cross of Christ was God reaching down and snatching us out of the fire of endless despair.
Then the following happened:
The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you." (5) Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. Zechariah 3:4-5 NIV
Question 3. How was Joshua’s sin, as illustrated by his “filthy clothes” dealt with in this passage?
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Tami shares: "His garments that were filthy were removed. Not only were they taken away, but he was given new garments. FINE garments. God doesn’t just remove our sin, he clothes us in the righteousness of Christ. This is such a safe place to be. To know that we are in Christ. Wrapped in his righteousness. Our filthiness is totally gone."
Oh, what a beautiful picture of the gospel here: Joshua’s filthy clothes were removed from him and the declaration came to him, “See, I have taken away your sin!”
Oh friend, look up at the cross and hear this good news yourself today: “See, I have taken away your sin!” “See, I have canceled your record of debt!” “See, I have removed your filthy clothes!” The reality is that our “filthy clothes” were put on Jesus and He wore them to the cross.
But the good news doesn’t stop there. The angel goes on to say, “…and I will put fine garments on you.” Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him…” This is God’s way of showing you that not only has your sin been removed from you, but you are also clothed in the righteousness of Christ, Himself. You are now dressed in “fine clothes” with a “clean turban”; in other words, you are wearing the garments of salvation, the holy clothing of Christ Himself!
At the cross, God changed your clothes, dear friend. “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban” (Job 29:14 NASB).
And let’s make sure to notice what Satan had to say about all this. What did Satan say after this change of clothes? That’s right, absolutely nothing! He may have opened his mouth but nothing came out!
Friend, apply this now to your own life. Put your name in the following exchange:
The enemy says: “ ______ has filthy clothes of sin on, so he/she is not fit for God's presence."
Standing in righteousness we say “No! My sin has been removed from me at the cross, and I have put on Jesus. He wore my filthy sin clothes and He died in them.”
The enemy says: " ______ is a horrible sinner, burning away in the fire of hopeless despair."
Standing in righteousness we say “No! I have been "snatched from the fire" through the death and resurrection of Jesus.”
The enemy says: "Well, ______ is naked and exposed in his/her sin!"
Standing in righteousness we say “No! I have beautiful, clean, new clothing on. I am literally wearing the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), I have His holiness and His perfection covering me like a robe.
See this passage is designed to show us what happened at the cross, and how we are to use the gospel to silence the accusations of Satan, the "accuser of the brethren" (Revelation 12:10), and to remember "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). See our writing on condemnation here. Now, you might ask: how do we know that this passage in Zechariah chapter 3 is designed to teach us, believers, about what happened at the cross? Isn’t it just a historical account of Joshua and his particular situation?
We must remember that all Bible stories are always connected with the Bible’s story. The main gospel story.
In this passage, notice what is said about how Joshua’s story is to picture our story:
"'Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. (9) See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. Zechariah 3:8-9 NIV
Question 4. How do we see from this passage that Joshua’s story is meant to be a gospel story and that we are to apply it to our own lives as believers in Jesus?
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David writes, "He removed sin in a single day as Christ did in a single day on the cross."