The book of Zechariah opens with God announcing to His people it’s time to begin again: “Return to me, and I will return to you.”[1] This is an invitation to align our hearts with His.

God seems to work on the principle of ‘Show me, don’t tell me.’ If we live our lives in fidelity to His purpose and possibilities, He will meet and respond to us in extraordinary ways.

Let’s explore the practical meaning of God’s promises for 21^st-century moderns.

One More Time: The Ladder of Abstraction

⁷ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

After exploring the “If” clause in the previous session, let’s now unpack the meaning of the “Then” section.

The Bible constantly reveals God’s personality, person, and the nature of reality. While we are not ancient Hebrew high priests, this passage reveals timeless principles and values about a relationship with God.

We make the journey from the biblical text to the modern world by ascending the Ladder of Abstraction, from the concrete meaning anchored in Ancient Israel to the principles and values about God and the nature of our world.

We begin with the concrete language of the Bible. If the meaning is embedded in ancient Hebrew culture and not immediately apparent, we must work our way up the Ladder of Abstraction toward values and principles. Behind the specific words or metaphors are the values or principles the author intends to communicate.

The interpretive guardrail here is that scripture always interprets scripture—what a particular passage means must be consistent with the rest of the Bible.

While the wording may differ in how we express the values and principles, as we thoroughly study the text and do due diligence regarding the author’s original intent, we can confidently understand the underlying values and principles that apply to our lives today.

ABSORBING SCRIPTURE – Read

After mastering the text, work hard at allowing the text to master you. Be aware of how God wants to meet you here.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN? – Think

Let’s explore some key ideas here. Remember: Try free online resources like BibleHub.com, Biblegateway.com, and Blueletterbible.org. They help us master the text, so the text can master us.

Key Observations:

. . . GOVERN MY HOUSE AND HAVE CHARGE OF MY COURT

These two clauses are parallel in structure, and have almost the same meaning. My house refers to the Temple, and is translated as such in the Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. My courts refers to the courtyards of the Temple and does not have any legal sense here.

Among the community of Jews who had returned from exile, full responsibility for the Temple and its worship is promised to the high priest. This was an increase in his privileges, since before the exile it was the king who had ultimate responsibility over at least the physical aspects of the Temple. (See, 1 Kings 2:27; 2 Kings 16:10-16; 2 Kings 22:3-7)

God’s original plan for an entire people living and serving as a royal priesthood to the world (Exodus 19:5-6) was renewed in the New Testament era in the followers of Christ.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (I Peter 2:9)

God is restoring and empowering Joshua as the high priest and entrusting him with all of the responsibilities of such. Similarly, in the 21^st-century, God invites Christ-followers to walk into the privilege of partnering with Him and His work in the world.

Our question is always, “Where is God at work, and how do I join Him in it?”

I WILL GIVE YOU A PLACE AMONG THESE STANDING HERE

This is an extraordinary and radical departure from the historic norm. Here is the ‘Rulebreaker’ redefining what it means to be in relationship with Him.

A place among refers to “right of access” (Revised Standard Version), to a special relationship with God. Here is God radically redefining the ‘rules’ of relationship.

Historically, the high priest could meet with God just one day a year, on the Day of Atonement, when he entered the Holy of Holies. Located in the Temple’s inner sanctuary in Jerusalem, it was regarded as the most sacred place on earth—the spiritual intersection of Heaven and Earth, the axis mundi, where the presence of God dwelled.

The Day of Atonement ritual was filled with both reverence and fear. Two priests, sons of Aaron, died in the Holy of Holies for deviating from the prescribed ritual (Leviticus 10). If the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies without the proper garments, or with unconfessed sin, he would die. Had he performed each task according to God’s plan? Were any steps overlooked? Was the sacrifice unblemished? Had he prepared and cleansed himself properly? Were all the garments in place? His life depended on his mental checklist.

As part of the Lord’s instruction, bells were attached to the hem of the high priest’s robe, indicating his movement and whether he was still alive as he performed his duties before God.

The awesomeness of the task was overwhelming as he stepped behind the veil into darkness, bearing the blood of sacrificed animals and incense. Through a cloud of incense diffused into the air (lifting prayers to heaven), the priest sprinkled the blood on the Mercy Seat, which sat atop the Ark of the Covenant. (See, Hebrews 9:11-14.) The Holy of Holies was suddenly illuminated as the Glory of God descended to rest upon the Mercy Seat. The sacrifice was accepted: God’s mercy was extended for yet another year.

Among these standing here could be translated: I will give you authority to come before me in the same way as these angels here come before me. He is referring to the heavenly beings who have permanent access to God’s presence and wait upon the Angel of the Lord (the preincarnate Christ in verse 4).

Once again, here is the ‘Rulebreaker’ God, this time with a history-busting invitation to a transforming friendship. Instead of once a year, it’s an invitation to live in the presence of God. Instead of elaborate ritual, God invites Joshua and His people into relationship.

In all this, the person and work of Joshua’s greater namesake, Jesus, was being anticipated. The faithful high priest of the pre-Christian era entered into God’s presence as the Christ does ‘by grace through faith’. Whereas the adversary would have accused him (verse 1), the Lord reinstated and recommissioned him, granting a right, now shared by every believer, to direct approach to God.  (Hebrews 4:14-16.) [2]

According to Matthew 27:50-51, at the moment Jesus died on the Cross, “. . .the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” The curtain, or veil, of the Holy of Holies was a physical barrier that prevented people from accessing God. The tearing of the veil signified that Jesus’ sacrifice opened a new way for people to enter into God’s presence.

STANDING

Hebrew, amad, means to stand, which has several connotations in the Old Testament.

Some form of the same Hebrew word for stand is used six times in the context of seven verses. Since neither ancient Hebrew nor Greek had a way to emphasize significant words (e.g., no highlighting, capitalization, bold, italics, underlining, etc.) repetition was used to amplify meaning.

¹ Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. ² The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

³ Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. ⁴ The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

⁵ Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

⁶ The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: ⁷ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

Notice the movement from the profane to the sacred, from defilement and lostness to a personal friendship with a holy God:

• Joshua standing (v. 1)
• Satan standing (v. 1)
• Standing before the angel (v. 3)
• Angels standing before the Lord (v. 4)
• The Angel of the Lord (v. 5)
• Access among those standing here [in the literal presence of the Lord] (v. 7)

The progression here is meant to demonstrate God’s power and sovereignty over the process of redemption. We observe God’s power and authority on display through this progression of standing, from lostness, to forgiveness, to a new identity, to being the glory of God, and a personal friendship with the Creator.

Yahweh of Hosts (lit. armies) in verse. 7a points to who is behind this miraculous work—the Lord of heavenly armies, including angels—who is sovereign over all creation, both earthly and heavenly, who fights on behalf of His beloved. It’s a reminder of God’s overarching presence and capability to lead and assure His possibilities for His people.

TO PONDER

God speaks to us in many ways, first and foremost through the Scripture. But He also uses prayer, relationships, experiences, and creation to inform, inspire, and invite us to His possibilities.

When Yongsung Kim first envisioned The Hand of God painting, he imagined the first-person perspective of Jesus reaching with His hand to save Peter from drowning. While walking on the water, in Peter’s moment of doubt, Jesus reached out to him (Matthew 14:25-32).

• Take a first glance at this image for 1-2 minutes, noting the colors, subject, and action.

• Take a second, deeper look. What action do you see? Engage your imagination. Where are you in the artwork? What do you see or experience from that perspective? How does it impact you?

• Respond to the image with prayer. Did the image remind you of an experience, person, or issue for which to offer thanksgiving or intercession? This is a great time to do that.

• Breathe deeply, relax your shoulders, arms, and legs, and rest in this quiet. Then, invite God to pray within you. God prays beyond words.