Do any of you wonder why God told this story about changing the clothes of one of his priests? It’s definitely a picture of how God forgives our sins, but it’s even more than that. And the clue that there’s something more is a strange bit about a “Branch” (3:8). What, or who, is the Branch? The Branch was the better, perfectly holy high priest who was coming. The prophet said that Joshua in his new, clean garments looked like this Branch. That promised, future, perfect high priest is called the “Branch” because he will come from King David’s family tree. He might look like just one branch on a tree with lots of branches, but he will do what no high priest has ever done before. He will “remove the sin of God’s people in a single day” (see Zech. 3:9). Can you guess who the Branch might be? Yes, it is Jesus, the Snake Crusher! When he died as a punishment for sin on the cross, that very moment, on that one day in history, all our sins—past, present, and future—were paid for. Totally forgiven! This priest took our stinky, filthy clothes and gave us his clean, perfect clothes.

This calls for a celebration, don’t you think? Absolutely. And that is absolutely how the story in Zechariah ends. With a celebration. A feast! Come join the party. Grab a seat at the table. Enjoy some figs (or at least some yummy food) with some friends. Grab a glass of grape juice, and let us drink with thanks to the God whose perfect priest makes our terribly dirty selves cleaner than clean!