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STUDIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

—INTERNATIONAL S.S. LESSONS—

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE OF OUR READERS WHO ATTEND BIBLE CLASSES WHERE THESE LESSONS ARE USED; THAT THEY MAY BE ENABLED TO LEAD OTHERS INTO THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL. PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE, AT THE REQUEST OF FOREIGN READERS.

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JOSHUA THE TYPICAL HIGH PRIEST

I. QUAR., LESSON IV., JAN. 22, ZECH. 3:1-10

Golden Text—”Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”—Heb. 4:14

Although this chapter is not stated to be a vision, that is the inference. It will be remembered that a mixed multitude of those who trusted in God’s promises, out of all the tribes, had returned from Babylon to the Holy Land. They had endeavored as best they could to restore the temple and its services, and Joshua was the High Priest; but withal their matters were in but a poor condition, very unlike the former glory of Solomon’s time. The object of this vision was in part, no doubt, to encourage the then fainting hearts of Israel, and to lead them to trust in the acceptableness of their humble arrangements for God’s service.

However, the vision’s special significance is as a prophecy, in which the literal Joshua, of the prophet’s time, has nothing whatever to do. Our interpretation of the vision, briefly stated, would be about as follows:—

Joshua typified the entire “Church of the first-born ones” during the present life—beset and opposed by their adversary, Satan. Our Lord Jesus is represented by the head and his consecrated followers by the body of the typical High Priest. All are opposed by the same adversary, for “He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.” The body of Joshua was represented as clothed in filthy garments—which represents the fact that “all our [the Church’s] righteousness is as filthy rags.”

The change of raiment typifies the removal of our sins and the providing instead of Christ’s righteousness in and through God’s arranged way—Christ’s sacrifice—which was not then made known. The announcement of the angel to the cleansed Joshua (verse 7) corresponds to the Church’s high-calling to the divine nature and Kingdom of God after its members have been justified by faith in Christ.

VERSE 8 addresses Joshua separately from the under priesthood (—his body—just as our Lord and the royal priesthood under him—his body—are sometimes addressed separately), telling them that they are not the reality, but merely types of the true Christ. “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, and thy companions, sitting before thee, for they are sign-men [or types]. For, lo, I am about to bring in my [Real] Servant

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the Sprout”—a fresh sprout—one not of the old Adamic stock, blighted and dying because of original sin, but a new sprout, having fresh vitality: holy, harmless and separate from sinners, and yet a man—”the man Christ Jesus.”

Using another symbol, a stone, the Chief Corner Stone, to represent this coming One, verse 9 declares: “Behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua [the type]. Upon that one stone rest seven eyes [perfect or divine wisdom, seven representing perfection and an eye representing knowledge]. Behold, I will engrave the engraving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts. [God is superintending the engraving of his character and law upon all the “living stones” of the Church—the body of Christ—as surely as he superintended the trial development of our Lord, the Chief Corner Stone: as it is written, They shall be all taught of God.]—1 Pet. 2:4-7.

“And I will remove the iniquity [unfruitfulness, etc., as well as sin] of the land in one day [the Millennial Day—”a day with the Lord is as a thousand years” with men]. “In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, ye shall call every man his neighbor, under the vine and under the fig tree.”

The Golden Text is very appropriate. Our Lord, the Captain of our salvation, has been proved perfect through obedience to the things which he suffered; and now, in the completing of his body-members, he stands not only as our Redeemer, to make us fit to stand trial under the high-calling; and also as our Example of how to overcome, but more: he, as our High Priest, makes good our unintentional shortcomings, and also stands ready to succor all his consecrated members—promising that we shall not be tempted above that we are able to bear, because he will provide, for such, ways of escape.

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— January 1, 1893 —