Zachariah 3:4 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 fine garments on you.”
The Old Testament gives us a detailed account of the priestly garments. The priests wore a purple-blue skillfully woven linen robe, an ephod and breastplate detected with gold and precious stones. The priestly garments represent the inner beauty and the décor of the soul. However, the High Priest Joshua, clothed in the extravaganza was accused by satan. 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 (Zachariah 3:1). The filthy clothing of the High Priest is the quintessential portrait of our spiritual standards on goodness, generosity and godliness. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6a). We can never stand before the holy presence of the Lord with our so-called ‘righteous acts’. Good works don’t take us to heaven. Godliness, hours of prayer & fasting or generosity to the poor are indispensable to exhibit the love of Jesus but only the blood of Jesus qualifies us as ‘holy’ before His presence. The High Priest Joshua’s priestly garments had to be removed and replaced with the garment of salvation.
Garment of holiness is the attire of the mind. The angel of the Lord first put a clean turban on his head. “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him (vs 5). A clean turban is the allegory for pure thoughts. If the thoughts are pure, our meditation will be holy and our mouth will be sanctified. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check (James 3:2). Transformed mind reforms our words into the fruit of righteousness.
Take off filthy clothes:
1. Goodness: In the Holy presence of God, all our good deeds, kindness and service are only dirty rags! We cannot show-off the hours we spend cleaning the church or counseling a friend. Good deeds must follow godliness. Good deeds only exemplify the love of God that is bubbling in our soul. Be clothed in God’s goodness and not in your good deeds.
2. Generosity: Our lavish giving to the poor and needy does not make us holy. Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD and he will reward them for what they have done (Proverbs 19:17). Our giving is an expression of God’s love but it doesn’t make us pure or holy. We are clothed in holiness not because of our generosity but God’s generosity on the cross.
3. Goodwill: Neither the goodwill of people nor the accusation of the devil will stand in the courtroom of heaven. Only the opinion of Jesus is valid in heaven. His goodwill is far more precious than the goodwill of men.
Dress smart-casual in the clean turban and tunic of godly thoughts and holiness.
Zachariah 3:4b “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”
Prayer: Jesus my Saviour, help me to clothe myself with clean turban of godly thoughts and spotless tunic of holiness. Amen
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