"Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak.
Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.
It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’" Zechariah 6:11 - 13
"Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.” Zechariah 6:15
In the account of the rebuilding of the second temple in Ezra and Nehemiah, though Joshua the high priest was part of the Temple building leadership, there is no mention of him becoming King nor was he ruling on a throne among the exiles that returned to rebuild the desolate city of Jerusalem. Neither is there any record of non-Jews or even any other Jews apart from that batch that came at King Cyrus command to return and those that came with Ezra and Nehemiah. In fact others offering to help where met with this reply:
''But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”Ezra 4:3
The opening scripture passages are the prophesies of Zachariah.
Joshua the high Priest at that time was used as a symbol of a coming eternal High Priest who would not just hold the office of a Priest but would merge the office of both Priest and King into one. It is this coming King Priest that will build the true Temple of God and will draw people from far into his Temple building project. This KING Priest is our Saviour Joshua whom we know as Jesus Christ. He reigns in the inner sanctuary.
"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'' Paul in Hebrews 6: 19 -20
''And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7: 15 -17
Here is the Chief builder. He is the chief cornerstone. He is the King Priest who builds the Temple of YHWH and sits and rules on the Throne within it.
His place is the centrality of our faith and of our Temple building Project.
''For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.'' Paul in 1 Corinthians 3: 9 -11
We are put in constant reminder of this so that in no way we lose this focus and our labours be in vain. The losing sight is what makes us put men's status before the voice of the word of God. It is what could make fleshy consideration of more prominence than the ordinances of God. We will be constantly reminded that the work we do is first Spiritual. And in this work, the Chief builder rules. His place and position is paramount for any form of success to be achieved. Praise God we do have his spirit with us . So then, while we respect all forms of godly authority, no more boasting about human leaders! For all things are yours!
" …I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." - Jesus in Matthew 16:18b
"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple." Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
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