Zechariah 6:8-15: a reflection

8Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.” 9The LORD’s word came to me, saying, 10“Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon. 11Yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest; 12and speak to him, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch! He will grow up out of his place; and he will build the LORD’s temple. 13He will build the LORD’s temple. He will bear the glory, and will sit and rule on his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. The counsel of peace will be between them both. 14The crowns shall be to Helem, to Tobijah, to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the LORD’s temple. 15Those who are far off shall come and build in the LORD’s temple; and you shall know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey the LORD your God’s voice.”’”

In a symbolic act, Zechariah is told to make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua the high priest, and to speak of one called the Branch who will be both priest and king. Behold, the man whose name is the Branch, the LORD says; he will build the temple of the LORD, and he will bear the glory, and will sit and rule on his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. Here is a striking promise: one who will be a priest upon a throne, uniting in himself the two offices of priest and king, which were normally kept separate. This points forward to Christ, who is both our priest, offering himself for us and interceding for us, and our king, who reigns; the two offices united in one. Christ is both priest and king, the two offices united in him. The Branch is a priest upon a throne, priest and king in one. Christ unites in himself the offices of priest and king. In Christ, priest and king are one.

Notice the unusual thing promised: a priest on his throne, one who is both priest and king. In Israel these offices were kept separate; the king was not a priest, nor the priest a king. But the promise of the Branch is of one who will hold both: he will build the temple, bear the glory, sit and rule on his throne, and be a priest there. This finds its fulfillment in Christ. He is our king, who reigns over all, seated on his throne; and he is our priest, who offered himself once for our sins and ever lives to intercede for us. In Christ these two are perfectly united: our reigning king is also our interceding priest. This is a rich comfort. The one who reigns over all is the same one who offered himself for us and pleads for us; our priest who understands and intercedes is also the king who has all authority. We have in Christ both a king to rule and keep us and a priest to atone for and intercede for us, the two in one. Christ our king is also our priest, reigning and interceding. In one Christ we have both a ruling king and an atoning priest. Our interceding priest is also our reigning king.

That is worth resting in, for in Christ the offices of priest and king are united, so that our reigning king is also our interceding priest. We can think of Christ's rule and his priesthood separately, but the promise of the Branch, a priest upon his throne, is fulfilled in Christ, who is both king and priest in one. The one who reigns over all is the same who offered himself for us and intercedes for us. When you need a king to keep you or a priest to plead for you, remember that Christ is both. Rest in the truth that in Christ the offices of priest and king are united, as Zechariah was told to crown Joshua the high priest and to speak of the Branch who would build the temple, bear the glory, sit and rule on his throne, and be a priest on his throne; for in Israel these two offices were kept separate, the king not a priest and the priest not a king, but the promise of the Branch is of one who holds both, fulfilled in Christ, our king who reigns over all and our priest who offered himself once for our sins and ever lives to intercede for us, so that in one Christ we have both a reigning king to rule and keep us and an atoning priest to plead for us, the two perfectly united, and when we need either we find both in him.

Lord, in a symbolic act, Zechariah is told to make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua the high priest, and to speak of one called the Branch who will be both priest and king. Behold, the man whose name is the Branch, you say; he will build the temple of the LORD, and he will bear the glory, and will sit and rule on his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. Here is a striking promise: one who will be a priest upon a throne, uniting in himself the two offices of priest and king, which were normally kept separate. This points forward to Christ, who is both my priest, offering himself for me and interceding for me, and my king, who reigns; the two offices united in one. Show me the unusual thing promised: a priest on his throne, one who is both priest and king. In Israel these offices were kept separate. But the promise of the Branch is of one who will hold both. This finds its fulfillment in Christ. He is my king, who reigns over all, seated on his throne; and he is my priest, who offered himself once for my sins and ever lives to intercede for me. In Christ these two are perfectly united: my reigning king is also my interceding priest. This is a rich comfort. The one who reigns over all is the same one who offered himself for me and pleads for me. I have in Christ both a king to rule and keep me and a priest to atone for and intercede for me. Let me rest in that, for in Christ the offices of priest and king are united, so that my reigning king is also my interceding priest. When I need a king to keep me or a priest to plead for me, help me remember that Christ is both, Lord, our king who reigns over all and our priest who offered himself for us and ever lives to intercede, the two united in one, so that I find both in him.