The Introduction
The vision in the third chapter of Zechariah is extremely encouraging. Zechariah is prophesizing to Judah after the return of some of the exiles to Jerusalem. The returned exiles are not making the building of the temple a priority. God gives a vision to Zechariah to encourage Joshua and the people of Israel. God promises that he will establish the priesthood and He is in control. All the promises in this vision are encouraging, but I want to focus on verse 9.Zechariah 3:9Earlier in the passage, Joshua, the high priest of the nation is being accused by Satan. His clothing is besmudged and besmirched by sin. God who chose Jerusalem rebukes Satan. He defends Joshua and by extension the returning exiles as his choice. God has plucked Joshua and the exiles from Babylon as a "brand from the fire." (3:2). God has him stripped of his filthy clothes, gives him clean, white clothing, and provides assurances about the future. In verse 9, God sets before Joshua a stone with seven eyes. Since the stone seems to be related to removal of iniquity, the rebuilding of the the temple seems to be in view. Isaiah [Isaiah 28:16] and David [Psalm 118:22] refer to a stone that will establish Israel. The consensus here is that the stone refers to Christ in his priestly office.
For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
The phrase "seven eyes" has many interpretations. The Apostle John in his first vision references seven spirits [Revelation 1:4]. Isaiah mentions the sevenfold fulness of the Holy Spirit given to the Messiah [Isaiah 11:2].The consensus from the several commentaries I checked is the "seven eyes" are the Holy Spirit resting upon Christ during his earthly ministry.
The Definition
What interested me in the passage is how do we interpret the verb "engrave"? The following quote best sums up what the word means:Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This clause, however, is rather to be regarded as an additional promise. My eyes, I have said, are fixed upon the stone. My hand shall engrave upon it whatever is needed to beautify and fit it for the place of honour it is to hold. The word here used for “engrave” occurs three times in Exodus 28, in the expression “engravings of a signet;” twice of the jewels in the High Priest’s dress (11, 21), once of the golden plate on his mitre (36). It is used, however, of a bolder kind of engraving, more like what would here be contemplated, of “cherubim, lions and palm trees,” on the panels of the “bases,” on which the lavers were set in Solomon’s Temple. (1 Kings 7:36)[1].
Let us put this together. If Christ is the stone and God the Father is engraving the stone to beautify it, what does it mean? It has to be refering to the scars left on Jesus's body from his suffering and crucifixion. Although we see scars as disfigurement, God and Christ sees the scars on Christ's body as a sign of a job well done. They are beautiful beyond all measure because they reflected how Christ bought and purified the Church, his Bride, to himself.
An Illustration
"Bryan Stevenson, a civil rights lawyer and author of Just Mercy, writes of an encounter he had after a speech with a man in a wheelchair:He leaned foward again and said hoarsely, "you've got to keep beating the drum for justice." He gestured and after a long while said again, "Beat the drum for justice."The world views the "word of the cross as foolishness"[1 Corinthians 1:18] and weakness. However Christians view the cross and Christ's suffering as the highest form of wisdom and an ultimate demonstration of God's power.[1 Corinthians 1:24-25]. Christ's scars, like the civil rights warrior's scars, contribute to his honor and glory.He leaned back, and in an instant he seemed tired and out of breath. He looked at me sympathetically and waved me closer. I did so, and he pulled me by the arm and leaned forward. He spoke very quietly, almost a whisper, but with a fierceness that was unforgettable.
"You see this scar on the top of my head?" He tilted his head to show me. "I got that scar in Greene County, Alabama, trying to register to vote in 1964. You see this scar on the side of my head?" He turned his head to the left and I saw a four-inch scar just above his right ear. "I got that scar in Mississippi demanding civil rights."
His voice grew stronger. He tightened his grip on my arm and lowered his head some more. "You see that mark?" There was a dark circle at the base of his skull. "I got that bruise in Birmingham after the Children's Crusade."
He leaned back and looked at me intensely. "People think these are my scars, cuts, and bruises."
For the first time I noticed that his eyes were wet with tears. He placed his hands on his head. "These aren't my scars, cuts, and bruises. These are my medals of honor."
(p. 46)
The Exposition
The Reformed Expository Commentary: Zechariah explains the purpose and the result of the engraving well:Richard D. Phillips
This probably indicates that God will beautify this stone the way an engraver does. Here we see Christ’s divine character, for what is more lovely than godliness, so eminently revealed in the person of Jesus. Paul says, therefore, that we see “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). What could be more beautiful! Surely, Christians are not wrong to see this promise of engraving fulfilled especially at the cross, when the marks of thorns and nails and a spear-thrust were etched in Jesus’ flesh. Dave Baron writes, “Beautiful were the gifts and graces which Christ received as a man; but beautiful beyond all beauty must be those glorious scars with which He allowed His whole body to be riven, that throughout the whole frame His love might be engraven.” [2]
Conclusion
In Hebrews 12:2, Christ endured the cross for the "joy set before Him." His joy was that his bride, his church, would be presented to him pure and unblemished. Christ endured suffering and shame to secure our salvation and sanctify us. Later, in the same chapter in Hebrews, Christ is held up as our example to follow. We see Jesus's call to discipleship in the Gospels involves the taking up his cross, "Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24). Our call is to follow Jesus through suffering into glory.We, followers of Christ, are tied to Christ's suffering in a deeper sense. The Bible ties our current suffering to our future glory. In Romans 8:16-17, Paul writes of suffering as being bound to our future as fellow heirs with Christ. In 2nd Corinthians 8:16-17, Paul wrote that our current suffering is not worth comparing to the "eternal weight of glory" being prepared for us. The apostle Peter wrote that we should rejoice when we share Christ's suffering, so that "we may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 4:13). If we are Christians, then we should expect suffering and be glad when we share Christ's sufferings because they assure us of our future with Christ.
Another observation, in John 20:27, after his resurrection, Jesus told Thomas to touch his scars. Jesus kept his scars in his glorified body. The world may see scars as disfigurement, but God sees the scars on His son's body as beautiful engravings. God's does not belittle the suffering of his children. The scars of our lives point to God's love, wisdom and providence.
Application
- We should behold Christ as he is revealed in the Bible. God, in Zechariah's vision, put Christ's future life and ministry on display so that Joshua (and thus then nation) may take encouragement from it.
- View suffering as how the Bible views suffering. God has many purposes in allowing us to suffer. We should see the beauty in how God is shaping us for his purposes.
- Don't look at outward appearances. God looks at the inner person and so should we. The scars and wrinkles we have may indicate a life well lived for God's glory. [1 Samuel 16:7], [1 Peter 3:3-4]
Scriptures
[Isaiah 28:16]
therefore thus says the Lord GOD,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
therefore thus says the Lord GOD,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
[Psalm 118:22]
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
[Revelation 1:4]
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
[Isaiah 11:2]
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
[Romans 8:16-17]
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
[2 Corinthians 4:16-18]
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
[Hebrews 12:2]
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
[1 Corinthians 1:18]
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
[1 Corinthians 1:24-25]
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
[1 Samuel 16:7]
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
[1 Peter 3:3-4]
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
Footnotes
[1]
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/zechariah/3-9.htm
[2] p. 82, Zechariah: Reformed Expository Commentary, Richard D. Phillips
