Zechariah 3:7

7 The Lord of hosts saith these things, If thou shalt go in my ways, and shalt keep my keeping, also and thou shalt deem mine house, and shalt keep my porches; and I shall give to thee goers, of these that now here stand nigh. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, If thou shalt go in my ways, and shalt perform your duties, then thou shalt judge, or thou shalt rule, my House, and shalt keep charge of my courtyards, and I shall give thee the right to come and go amongst those who now stand here nearby.)

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 he said, Put ye a clean mitre on his head. And they putted a clean mitre on his head, and clothed him with clothes. And the angel of the Lord stood, (And he said, Put ye a clean turban upon his head. And they put a clean turban upon his head, and clothed him with clean clothes. And the angel of the Lord stood by,)

6 and the angel of the Lord witnessed to Joshua, and said,

7 The Lord of hosts saith these things, If thou shalt go in my ways, and shalt keep my keeping, also and thou shalt deem mine house, and shalt keep my porches; and I shall give to thee goers, of these that now here stand nigh. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, If thou shalt go in my ways, and shalt perform your duties, then thou shalt judge, or thou shalt rule, my House, and shalt keep charge of my courtyards, and I shall give thee the right to come and go amongst those who now stand here nearby.)

8 Hear thou, Joshua, great priest, thou and thy friends that dwell before thee, for they be men signifying thing[s] to coming. Lo! soothly I shall bring my servant springing up, either Christ born. (Hear thou, Joshua, the High Priest, thou and thy friends who be seated before thee, for they signify the things to come. Lo! truly I shall bring forth my servant, The Branch.)

9 For lo! the stone which I gave before Joshua, on one stone be seven eyes; and lo! I shall grave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall do away the wickedness of that land in one day. (For lo! the stone which I put before Joshua, and on that one stone be seven eyes, or seven facets; and lo! I shall engrave its engraving, or its inscription, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall do away the wickedness of that land in one day.)