This week, I was reading in a book of Scripture that I don’t go to very often — the tucked-away minor prophet Zechariah. He has to be one of the trippier OT prophets (up there with Ezekiel) — chapter 5 has some strange visions involving a flying scroll and a woman (a personification of wickedness) in a basket.

But the section I’d like to point out today is Chapter 3. In this chapter, Zechariah sees a vision of the priest, Joshua, standing before the Lord. Next to him is Satan, accusing him. Joshua’s clothes are filthy.

As the scene unfolds, God rebukes Satan. Then an angel issues an order to have Joshua’s dirty clothes removed, and he is clothed in pure clothes with a clean turban. After receiving the new clothes, Joshua receives a charge and a promise — if he walks in the ways of God, he will rule God’s house and have access to those standing there (the attendants of the throne room of God). He also receives a prophecy of Jesus, the coming Branch.

It’s a beautiful picture of how we stand before God. On our own, we’re filthy, dirty, clothed in rags. Satan accuses us, and justly so. But God, in His mercy and grace, stops Satan. He takes away our dirty sins, and gives to us clean, pure, and holy garments, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Not through anything we do or bring to the table, but by the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us on Calvary, we are able to stand before the living God.