Zechariah 3:7

7 These are the words of the Lord of armies: If you will go in my ways and keep what I have put in your care, then you will be judge over my Temple and have the care of my house, and I will give you the right to come in among those who are there.

Zechariah 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 3:7

Thus saith the Lord of hosts
For this Angel was no other than the Lord of armies in heaven and in earth: If thou wilt walk in my ways;
prescribed in the word of God, moral, ceremonial, and evangelical; in Christ the grand way, and indeed the only way of salvation; and in the paths of faith, truth, righteousness, and holiness; in the ways of God's commandments, which are pleasant, and attended with peace; such a walk and conversation, and such obedience, the grace of God teaches, and obliges to: and if thou wilt keep my charge;
the things he gave in charge, all his commands and ordinances, particularly such as belonged to the priestly office and Levitical service; see ( Numbers 3:7 Numbers 3:8 ) all which might be expected after so many favours granted: then thou shall also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts:
preside in the temple, be governor in it, and have the care of all the courts belonging to the people and the priests, and the advantages arising from thence. The meaning is, that whereas the office of the priesthood was in disuse through the captivity, and was become contemptible through the sins of the priests, it should now be restored to its former honour and glory: to have a place in the house of God, the church, is a great honour, and still more to be a governor and ruler in it: and I will give thee places to walk among those that stand by;
either among fellow priests, or fellow saints; or rather among the angels that stood before the Angel of the Lord, and ministered to him; signifying that he should enjoy their company, be like unto then, and join in service with them in heaven, in a future state: and "walking places" among them denote the pleasures of the heavenly state, as well, as the safety and glory of it; see ( Isaiah 57:2 ) ( Revelation 3:4 ) ( 21:24 ) . The Targum very agreeably paraphrases the words thus,

``and in the resurrection or quickening of the dead, I will raise or quicken thee; and I will give thee feet walking among these seraphim.''
The allusion is to those walks that were in the temple, such as Christ walked in, ( John 10:23 ) and the pavement in Ezekiel's temple, ( Ezekiel 40:17 Ezekiel 40:18 ) .

Zechariah 3:7 In-Context

5 And let them put a clean head-dress on his head. So they put a clean head-dress on his head, clothing him with clean robes: and to him he said, See, I have taken your sin away from you.
6 And the angel of the Lord made a statement to Joshua, and said,
7 These are the words of the Lord of armies: If you will go in my ways and keep what I have put in your care, then you will be judge over my Temple and have the care of my house, and I will give you the right to come in among those who are there.
8 Give ear now, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your friends who are seated before you; for these are men who are a sign: for see, I will let my servant the Branch be seen.
9 For see, the stone which I have put before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes: see, the design cut on it will be my work, says the Lord of armies, and I will take away the sin of that land in one day.
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