Zechariah 3 - How was the High Priest "a log snatched out of the fire"?

[The Librarian]

3 And he showed me Joshua+ the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan+ was standing at his right hand to resist him. 2 Then the angel of Jehovah said to Satan: “May Jehovah rebuke you, O Satan,+ yes, may Jehovah, who has chosen Jerusalem,+ rebuke you! Is not this one a burning log snatched out of the fire?”  - Zechariah chapter 3

----------------------------------------------------

*Note to the Bible Trivia game players: Please do not be shy giving out "Likes" to those who answer the question best. This is how the game is played. Enjoy!

[Witness]

 

This is a good topic that seems to have gotten buried, but thought I’d give you a few thoughts on it. (sorry, they have come to be more than few)

Joshua represented the remnant of God’s chosen people and priesthood who had fallen gravely into the sin, including idolatry.  The use of the word, “log” in the NWT seems rather awkward; Strong’s defines it as, “from an unused root meaning to rake together; a poker (for turning or gathering embers):—(fire-) brand.”

In the account, Satan accuses them; while Christ stands as the Angel of the Lord and their advocate. 

And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”  Zech 3:2

Another reference where this analogy is used is in Amos 4:11 The account in Zech 3 shows the cleansing from sin directed toward the repentant remnant by their donning new garments, a new identity: 

 ^“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.⁴ Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”⁵ And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head. “So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

The prophetic words following these, show that by walking completely in God’s laws, his people become  “symbolic of things to come” with the coming of Christ, and is the present situation with God’s chosen priesthood.  Zech 3:8-10

 “Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple, (Matt 24:42; Luke 12:37)

Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

 “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.  Mal 3:1-3 (4-7)

The cleansing of the priesthood comes upon them because of conditions present among God’s people, as has always been the case.  For the sake of God’s holy name, a remnant is purified and cleansed from all defilement.  Ezek 36:22; Dan 12:1; Zech 3:2-4; (Rev 19:8) Zech 2:12; Rev 9:14

Walking into the WT organization does not signify the result of this cleansing, but rather, it represents a time of discipline God “sends” on his people.  God’s priesthood is lulled into a sense of “peace and security” (Micah 3:5,11; Jer 8:11; 1 Thess 5:3; Rev 3:2,3), and readily allow others to rule over them.  Dan 11:36; 2 Thess 2:4; Matt 24:24; Ezek 11:12; 8:10; Matt 24:15; Micah 6:16; 22;30; Dan 7:21,25; Rev 13:7; 9:4,5,10  It is from that state of stupor that a remnant awakes, becoming like a “brand” is snatched from the fire. 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light  (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)  and find out what pleases the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”  Eph 5:8-14  (Jude 1:20-23)

Any false doctrine that God’s chosen ones tolerate – false doctrine as either “new light” or interpretations based on man’s assumptions and rule, is spiritual fornication.  Rev 17:2; 18:3; 1 Cor 6:15,16 Only for the sake of God’s name does he cut short this deception, otherwise “no flesh would be saved”.  Matt 24:22; 2 Thess 2:4,9; Rev 12:9; 13:11,14; 14:8 Luke 13:23,24; 1 Pet 4:18; Rom 9:29; Isa 1:9; 10:21,22; Ezek 17:22; Psalm 72:16

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ^made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”   Eph 2:1-5 

Our identity is signified by where our loyalty and devotion lies.  The WT expects one at baptism to literally accept the identity of a “Jehovah’s Witness” with the WT organization, and that identity is seen through actions of service toward the organization and acceptance of all teachings. Matt 6:24 Could this be considered the same as donning white robes, clean of all defilement, since the WT teaches it is a “spiritual paradise”?  It cannot be when the organization is established in the world belonging to Satan, and having access to all of Satan’s tools.  Nothing in Satan’s world is clean and acceptable to our unchanging God.  God’s priesthood of anointed ones must wake up and “buy” this refinement now from Christ, not on the presumed timetable of man.

 "So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see." (Rev.3:18)  By following completely in the path of Christ, this refinement comes with a price, “death” for truth.  Rev 6:9-11  If we boldly claim our stand for the truth in Christ, this “death” is at the hands of the elder body (Rev 11:7) who received authority to disfellowship from the false prophet/harot/wicked steward.  Rev 13:15

 

Great Tribulation  http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2013/02/still-editing-comment-which-was-left.html