Zechariah 6:9-15 | Crowning the Priest and King

9The word of the Lord came to me: 10“Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak.

• The silver and gold has come from the exiles in Babylon, could be symbolic of God plundering his enemies and using their riches for his glory
• The instruction is to go to the prophet’s house (Zephaniah) who was of a royal line (from Hezekiah) and place a crown on the high priest, Joshua.
• Both a combination of priest, prophet and king

12Tell 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. 13It 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.’

• ‘Branch’ – as mentioned in 3:8, a prophetic name for the Messiah being something growing and fruitful. The ‘true vine’ to which everything is connected
• ‘branch out from this place, build the temple’ – The Messiah’s rule and reign is going to branch out and extend all over the nations and he will build his temple in the hearts of men and women, the church.
• ‘it is he who will build the temple’ – a reminder that it is the Messiah who will build the true temple, even the temple would be physically rebuilt during Ezra’s time. Jesus would say that he would rebuild the temple in three days – he along is the true temple builder
• ‘he will sit and rule…and he will be a priest…and there will be harmony between the two’ – so the Messiah is going to be a priest, who wears a crown and sits on a throne. So he will be both priest and king!
• This is a repetition of the imagery in Ch4 with the two olive trees, representing the anointed roles of priest and king.
• ‘harmony between the two’ – properly ‘counsel of peace between both’ i.e. Jesus will provide perfect counsel in his joint role as priest and king, like he holds each in his hands and ministers his counsel and rule.

14The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 15Those 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.”

• The crown will only be a memorial, since Israel had no real king, and now they await their one true king
• Those from distant nations will one day come and be built into the temple of the Lord

Summary

Zechariah makes a crown and sets it on the head of Joshua the high priest. This is symbolic of the messiah who would sit on his throne, as a priest with a crown on his head. A messiah who is a great high priest and saviour king. This is showing us that Christ will eternally fulfill the two great roles of the old covenant, priest and king.