"Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH."
The first part of this verse we must attend to, before we enter upon the consideration of the latter. And here we must forget the Joshua we have been looking at in the former part of the Chapter, to consider One infinitely higher, concerning whom we may truly say, a greater than Joshua is here. If the Reader will turn to Isaiah 8:18, he will find Christ spoken of by the Spirit of prophecy, under this significance of character. And the Apostle Paul expressly refers the same to Christ. Hebrews 2:13. Hence, therefore, Christ and his people are one. See Psalms 45:7; Hebrews 1:9; 1 John 1:8
But how, on what account are Christ and his fellows wondered at? Oh! what a mystery of mysteries is that, which opens to our view the Son of God taking our nature, and becoming man for us, to make us sons of God in him! His people are also men wondered at; for angels are astonished at the love of the holy Jesus towards unholy sinners. The world is astonished, that they should forego all the pleasures of life, and bear afflictions, persecutions, yea, death itself, in its most frightful form, out of love to One whom they have never seen, and for whom they cheerfully endure the loss of all things. And they are the greatest wonder to themselves, that God the Father should have loved them, and chosen them in Christ Jesus before the world began; that God the Son should have loved them, and given himself for them, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savor; that God the Holy Ghost should have loved them, called them with an holy calling, regenerated, illuminated, convinced them of sin, and of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus; and brought them to the love of that which their own nature once abhorred. So that they are a world of wonders in themselves, and to themselves; and what yet tends more to heighten the wonderful mystery, is, that they live so unthankful, so unworthy, and so little to his glory, who by his distinguishing grace, hath called them out of darkness, into his marvellous light, while thousands all around are left to the blindness and ignorance of their hearts.
Reader! think of these things, and if so be the Lord hath, by his grace, made you one of the world's wonder, you will enter much further into the meditation of this miracle of grace, than all the writing of men or angels can furnish you with matter for the subject. But this verse records a promise also of God the Father, who saith, for behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch. Many of the Prophets were directed to speak of this glorious person. Isaiah 4:2. And the same Prophet calls him elsewhere, the Branch of the Lord. Isaiah 11:1. Jeremiah also had the same commission. Jeremiah 33:15; Jeremiah 33:15
But the most eminent is Zechariah 6:12. because the Prophet there adds, and he shall grow up out of his place. Now the place was Nazareth, from Netzar, a plant. This defines Christ. This is the plant of renown. Ezekiel 34:29. This is the Branch which God's right hand planted. Isaiah 60:1-2. A man of Nazareth. Hence the Evangelist had it in commission to say, that he came and dwelt in Nazareth, that he might be called a Nazarene. So that never was there a more direct reference to one identical person, than by all these prophecies. I beg the Reader to consult them. Matthew 2:23; Jdg 13:5; 1 Samuel 1:11; Numbers 6:5.