...Here is a man whose name is Branch: for he shall branch out in his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. It is he that shall build the temple of the Lord; he shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne... Zechariah 6:12-13This verse is a prediction of 1st coming of Jesus. To the Original Reader (the returned exiles) it must have meant that they should have looked up Joshua(Zechariah 6:11) as their spiritual & political leader.
Since they didn't have their own kingdom yet and they only faced the ruined Jerusalem, it must have been a great encouragement. However, perhaps this passage confused them since they also had Zerubbabel as their governor, political leader, which had been appointed by the Persian empire.
Maybe they didn't really get what it meant to them, since a King and a Priest couldn't have taken both office as one person in their understanding. The first King of Israel, Saul, tried and Uzziah another king of southern kingdome of Israel tried to take a priest role while they were in kingship and it didn't turn out good. Saul rejected and Uzziah got leperousy.
When we get a word of prophecy, it can be understood at some times but not all the time. But we recognize it afterward it really happened. Something like this, the returned exiles might have not fully understood of it.
Thankfully, we do understand of what this passage means now since it took place about 2000years ago in Jesus Christ coming.
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of this roots. Is 11:1
And again Isaiah says, ‘the root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ Rom 15:12
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1Cor 3:16
For we are the temple of the living God; 2Cor 6:16
Therefore, this means a lot for us that Jesus has built us as a temple of God, so that His Spirit can live in our human being and that Jesus is the King who rules in us.
Jesus is The King in me that I should look up to and honor. And not only He is my King but also He is the High Priest, who cleanses my sins daily bases.
What a great thing to think about … It is just something beyond my understanding. Oh, Jesus, you are my king & priest so I surrender all kind of plans and expectations to you that you could sort things out in me and I do see that I can come to you everyday with my sins as expecting that you would clean my sins everytimes I confess because you have paid the price of my sins once for all.
Jesus, help me to remember this, so that I don't forget to come to You to be cleansed every moment and everyday and to be guided by You.
