“Return to me and I will return to you” – God loved His people and longed to renew His relationship with them. When they were in captivity, He continued to watch over them and allowed other nations to have dominion over them but that time of exile was over. God was sending two contrasting messages now – “My love for Jerusalem is passionate and strong. But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions” (Zechariah 1:14-15).
God chose two men to play an important role in the rebuilding of the Temple and the rebuilding of the nation. He placed Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel as governor of Judah (you’ll recognize him as a part of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1) and Jeshua son of Jehozadak as high priest (Haggai 2:2).
The passage of Scripture in Zechariah chapter 3 describes beautifully how Jeshua was cleansed from his sins and called by God. Before you read the passage, I ask you to prepare your heart. Picture that this passage is about you. Satan is pointing out all the times you have sinned and revealing all your imperfections but the Lord is rejecting Satan’s accusations – saving you from the pit of Hell and clothing you with redemption. Claim this Scripture today and rebuke Satan for the ways in which he tries to discourage you and tell you that you are not worthy or capable of what God has told you to do. Put yourself in place of Jeshua the high priest, coming out of exile and receiving his call from God.
Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”
Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”
Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by.
Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here. – Zechariah 3:1-7
When the accuser tells you that you cannot do what God has called you to do or that you cannot live the holy life that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies expects, remind him of the Lord’s words to Zerubbabel: “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain for him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone at the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’” (Zechariah 4:6-7).
God had commissioned Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple – not an easy task. But He wasn’t asking him to do it of his own strength. In that regard, the Accuser is right. We aren’t capable to do what God is asking us to do, at least not of our own strength. But God equips us, He fills us, He works through us to accomplish His will. Where there seem to be mountains before us, God is capable of leveling the path ahead. And when God is in it, God will bless it!