CHOSEN BY GOD
CHOSEN BY GOD
RECLAIMED, REDEEMED AND RESTORED
Zechariah 3:1-7 (NIV)
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.
2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.
4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."
5 Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.
6 The angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua:
7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.
This message will show us what it means to be chosen by God.
Today’s key text from Zechariah chronicles the 4th of 8 visions recorded by him. He himself was probably among the exiles that returned from the Babylonian captivity to rebuild the Temple as well as their capital city Jerusalem. In the face of the tremendous amount of work and the opposition of their enemies, the people grew weary and stopped building. Zechariah along with his contemporary Haggai, exhorted the people to get back to work.
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.
Chapter 3 starts with the revelation of a High Priest named Joshua, who is standing before God, and satan the accuser of God’s people, standing at God’s right-hand accusing Joshua of falling short of God’s Standards.
2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"
Here the Lord rebukes the accuser for questioning the integrity of the one that He Himself reclaimed from the fire that was consuming him.
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.
4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."
Now the Lord orders that the High Priest’s soiled clothing be removed from him and promises to provide him with clean and beautiful clothing.
5 Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.
Lastly, Joshua’s head was wrapped with a clean linen turban.
Today’s text concludes: 7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.
Now Joshua was told if he kept himself clean by keeping the Lord’s tenets, and properly exercised his God-given dominion, that he would be given a place in His Presence.
Let me tell you why this passage is so important for you and I today.
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We too are people Reclaimed by God! God’s own possession, a holy nation of priests, chosen to declare the praises of the God Who reclaimed us from eternal doom.
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV)
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Our redemption was not accomplished by temporal things that eventually fade and lose value. Instead, we were Redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus, which will never lose it power!
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God then renews our minds, giving us the discernment to cast down every self-defeating, vain idea that comes into our heads while being transformed into the image of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ! This paves the way for us to be restored to our intended and rightful relationship with our Creator!
Rightstanding with God gives us access and accountability, proximity and protection, confidence, and consultation. Irrevocably bound to Him, even as our sin seeks to bring separation. His faithfulness and grace are unparalleled and His glory is unlimited!
No longer dominated by the sin that so easily besets us, trapped by the evil inclinations of our fallen hearts and minds. We rejoice instead, that Jehovah God has deemed us no longer guilty, our past failings expunged, sentences commuted and released to bring glory to the One Who Reclaimed, Redeemed and Restored us!
Isn’t it great to be Chosen By God?
Pastor King