"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28)
This is why the Lord hath said, "Lo, behold, the volume of the book is written of Me!" Because throughout the old and the new, the thread that weaves God's ultimate plan of salvation for His people is His willingness and mercy to redeem His people, so that He would gain a family unto Himself. A bride -- the body of Christ church.
We see the witness of the prophesied Messiah -- the Christ Jesus in the prophets and in the psalms -- every word written pointing forward to the redemption plan of our Lord God and Saviour. But not often do we relate Jesus to Joshua wherein the Lord says I will bring forth My servant the BRANCH. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. (Isaiah 4:2)
In that day, which we know has come wherein the dayspring from on high hath visited His people. As Jesus clearly states, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me." (John 15:4)
It is herein (within the following cited prophecy of Zechariah) that we who believe in Jesus as both Lord and Christ by faith, seeking to know His mercy and grace toward a peculiar people -- might find reconciliation and agreement for Hebrews 4:8 and Acts 7:45, wherein Jesus is changed to reflect the historical Joshua. Let those who read, understand also.
"For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day." (Hebrews 4:8) "... which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David." (Acts 7:45)
As background, the name of JESUS herein is changed to reflect the historical Joshua (from the Old Testament) in the revised versions of the scriptures, and as in most things emanating from modern day religious circles explained away through arguments of language and translation. But let's look closer at what Zechariah states in prophecy, knowing that now -- in this current day of salvation -- this dispensation of grace wherein we are alive, the Lord Jesus has already taken away the filthy garments from those who believe on Him and clothed them with His righteousness. In other words, He has looked beyond the ordinances of the old and for this cause, became the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 9:1-18)
But I digress somewhat. Regarding Joshua ...
"And He shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto satan, "The Lord rebuke thee, O satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And He answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And unto him he said, "Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment."
And I said, "Let them set a fair mitre upon his head." So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; "If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My charge, then thou shalt also judge My house, and shalt also keep My courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant the BRANCH.
For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof," saith the Lord of hosts, "and I will remove the iniquity of that land in One day. In that day," saith the Lord of hosts, "shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree." (Zechariah 3:1-10)
In that day, wherein the Lord God would prepare for Himself a body that would take away the filthy garments of His people, redeeming them with His own precious blood. In that day, when a people who were not originally His people would come to Him and worship Him in all things. The same Spirit of Holiness that moved upon the face of the waters in Genesis provided for us in this current generation a plan of salvation, wherein He clothes us in His righteousness, so that we might have abundant life in Him -- when we repent and are water baptized in His Name -- the precious holy Name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 2:36-41)
Most certainly, Stephen at his own stoning knew the I AM of the old is this same JESUS whom they had crucified in the new. The Bread of life. The Living Water that quenches all thirst. The Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, the King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 1:8)
As one of the chosen seven, full of the Holy Ghost Stephen (a table servant) knew the scriptures, and would have taken every opportunity to show them that Jesus gave the victories to their fathers, and not Joshua as they trusted and believed. From Stephen's testimony in Acts 7:
"Howbeit the most High dwells not in temples made with hands," as saith the prophet, "Heaven [is] My throne, and earth [is] My footstool: what house will ye build Me?" saith the Lord, "or what [is] the place of My rest? Hath not My hand made all these things?"
Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did, so do ye.] Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it]." (Acts 7:44-53)
What happens when Stephen does name Jesus Christ openly? (Acts 7:37)
"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast [him] out of the city, and stoned [him]: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:54-60)
"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast [him] out of the city, and stoned [him]: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:54-60)
Indeed, Stephen's intent was to preach Jesus. Had Stephen meant Joshua, then he would not have been stoned because the council (including Saul/later apostle Paul who oversaw the stoning of Stephen) would have been in one accord with Stephen. But it was this same Just One -- the Spirit of Holiness that prepared for Himself a body who paid the ultimate price for our sins through His own precious, holy blood shed on a cross.
As a consequence, we who believe can know that He has taken away the filthy garments from those who believe in Him and worship Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. In that day, saith the Lord, will we know that He has clothed His people with a change of raiment. In that day, saith the Lord, we will know His mercy and grace, and that He led forth the people which He has redeemed. It is He -- our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ who delivers us by His strength unto His holy habitation.
Thus, "hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost -- [the One and same Spirit of Holiness who created us in the beginning now dwelling within the hearts of them who believe]. (Romans 1:5)
Let those with ears to hear, hear, and understand the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Stand in the offering plate.
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