A Brand Plucked from the Fire

Scripture Reading: Zechariah 3:2

Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?

As we continue to think about the message of Zechariah’s vision, we read the Lord’s rebuke of Satan as he comes to make accusations against Joshua the high priest. It is important to note that while, in one sense, the accusations are leveled against Joshua, they are, in another sense, against all of God’s people who lived during Joshua’s day.

Joshua, as the high priest, represented all of the people when he came before God. This was represented symbolically on the priestly garments where each tribe of Israel was represented by a different stone and was worn over the breastplate. This pictured the high priest carrying the people of God into the presence of God over his heart.

It tells us in verse three that Joshua was “clothed in filthy garments.”  The idea, then, is that Satan’s accusations were not unfounded. There was uncleanness. That was symbolized by the fact that the priestly garments were called “filthy.” Therefore, Joshua and the people were pictured as sinfully filthy.

The rebuke of Satan by the Lord is not based on the sinless perfection of God’s people, it is based on God’s sovereign and saving election of His people. The Lord rebukes by declaring, “The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!” And then by asking this rhetorical question: “Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

The word “brand” here doesn’t mean a branding iron like some of us in certain parts of the world who are influenced by Western cowboy culture might assume.   When you read “brand” here think of a stick that isn’t much good for anything except burning. It has no value to any carpenter or furniture builder. Maybe some creative type on Pinterest could come up with a use for it, but practically speaking, it has no suitable purpose other than to be thrown into the fire.

Also, notice that this brand is plucked from the fire. In other words, it is already on the verge of being destroyed. And for it to be plucked from the fire means that the person who pulled it out had to reach into the fire and suffer burns from touching a burning branch.

This is a beautiful metaphor for our salvation in Christ. Without Christ we live in the fires of judgment, slowly being consumed by God’s righteous wrath, until that final Day of Judgment when the lost are cast forever into the Lake of Fire. Jesus, through His death on the Cross, reached into that fire and pulled us out, being burned by God’s wrath Himself in the process.

When you think of how to describe your identity in Christ, you couldn’t do much better than to say, “I am a brand plucked from the fire.”

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash