Zechariah 3

Then God showed me a vision. I saw Joshua, the high priest, standing in the presence of an angel representing God. The accuser was standing at the place where an accuser stands in a court, ready to bring charges against Joshua.

God said to the accuser, “I, God, reject your accusations! I am the one who has chosen Jerusalem, and I reject your accusations! I rescued this man just barely, the way someone pulls a burning stick out of a fire before the fire destroys it.”

Now Joshua was wearing extremely dirty clothes as he stood near the angel. \*

The angel told the other angels who were standing there, “Take those filthy clothes off of him.” Then the angel said to Joshua, “Look at what I have done! I have taken away your sin, and I will dress you in beautiful clothes.”

Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head too!” So the angels put a clean turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while an angel representing God stood watching. \*

Then an angel representing God gave Joshua this serious command:

“God, the commander of the heavenly armies, says this to you, ‘If you obey me and do what I command you to do, then you will be in charge of my temple and will take care of my temple courtyards. I will also allow you to come into the presence of these angels who stand here. \*

Listen carefully, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellow priests who sit in front of you, because you are all living signs that point to what will happen in the future. I am going to bring my servant, the one who will be like a new branch that sprouts from the stump of David’s family.

Look at the stone that I have placed in front of Joshua. That single stone has seven facets that represent how I watch over everything. I will engrave an inscription on it. This is what God, the commander of the heavenly armies, declares. When I do this, I will take away all the sin from this land in a single day. \*

When that day comes, each of you will invite your neighbors to come and enjoy peace and security with you.’ This is what God, the commander of the heavenly armies, declares.” \*