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Are You Ready And Able To Rule?

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• Book of Zechariah chapter 3, right before the book of Malachi. Zechariah chapter 3, we're going to read verses 1 through 7. The title of the message is "Are You Ready and Able to Rule?" You're going to think that might be a strange title, but I think you're going to see the application. So notice, if you would please, Zechariah chapter 3, beginning there with verse 1. The Word of God says, "And he showed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee."

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• "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then shalt thou also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by."

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• Now the book of Zechariah is much like the book of Daniel in one sense of the word, because it is a book of visions that must be interpreted and applied. But thankfully, when you compare scripture with scripture, the applications are much easier and we can not only see how they applied to God's people in the Old Testament, but also how they apply to each of us in the New Testament era as well. I've spoken to you before about prophetic telescoping, and that works in several different ways. For instance, the easiest way to explain that is like when you read the prophecy concerning David and Solomon and for Abraham and Isaac. And although when God is speaking about David's son, in the immediate context, of course, he is talking about Solomon. But in the long distance, he is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the greater Solomon. Likewise, when he talks about Isaac and all the promises given to Isaac, he's still talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the greater Isaac. That is why the New Testament begins in Matthew chapter 1 and verse 1 with these words, "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

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• And so when you're looking through that telescope and you see Solomon and you see Isaac, way back beyond them is the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the same is true when it comes to prophecy, because there are a lot of prophecies that relate to the immediate context and to the people here mentioned in the Old Testament. But also, if you look down that prophetic telescope, you can see how it applies in New Testament times and especially to the Lord Jesus Christ as well. Now, the book of Zechariah has, indeed, immediate reference to God's people in the Old Testament, that is for sure. But it does have that telescopic reference to each of us in the New Testament. In fact, if you look in Zechariah 1 in verse 13, these good and comfortable words that were spoken to these Old Testament saints are applicable to New Testament saints, where he said, "and the Lord answered the angel that talked with good words and comfortable words."

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• Now, let me just tell you that chapter 1 basically deals with the overthrow of the enemies of God's people and teaches them concerning the ultimate restoration of His people. In fact, you'll find that in Zechariah chapter 1, verses 18 through 21. But then when you get to Zechariah chapter 2, you see this is absolutely confirmed. So if you look in chapter 2 verse 4, "And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her." So clearly then, there is the restoration that is spoken of here. Now the problem that existed during the days of Zechariah is the same problem that exists today, and that problem

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• is the depravity of man. And because Israel at this point had sinned exceedingly grievously against God, there was rebellion, there was wickedness, there was moral defilement. And any and all of these were sufficient to forfeit all of the blessings of God. And it was not just simply the people that were immoral and wicked. It was every strata of society. Let me show you. I want you to hold Zechariah 3, but if you would turn back in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 22, Ezekiel chapter 22, and I want to begin reading there in verse 25. And I'm going to show you some other scriptures in the book of Ezekiel that will still throw additional light on the situation. So in Ezekiel chapter 22, beginning there with verse 25, watch carefully. God says, "There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion, ravening the prey."

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• "They have devoured souls, they have taken the treasure and precious things. They have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law and have profaned mine holy things. They have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither do they show difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain."

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• "And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully."

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• Now, I just simply want to point out, if you'll notice in verse 25, he spoke against the prophets. In verse 26, he spoke against the priests. In verse 27, he spoke against the princes. And then in verse 29, he spoke against the people. So it was not just simply the people who were wicked and ungodly. The government was wicked and ungodly. That's the princes. The religious establishment was wicked and ungodly. That's the prophets and the priests as well.

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• Now, there were a few priests that remained faithful to God. However, most did not. If you would turn over your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 44. Here all of the Levites basically forsook God, went astray, went into idolatry. And so you'll find this in Ezekiel 44 and verse 10. Look what God says, "And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols, they shall even bear their iniquity." So here the whole Levitical priesthood basically deserted God for idolatry. And God said they're going to bear their iniquity. Now if you'll skip down to verse 15, there were a few priests that remained righteous. He says, "But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God." So there was just a few of those priests then that remained true to God.

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• So generally speaking then, every strata of society was totally, completely wicked and defiled and corrupt. Corruption was on every hand and every individual happened to be guilty as well. So the corruption of the priesthood and the people in Zechariah chapter 3 is represented by Joshua. Now just remember, number one, the priest represented the people. You remember the people said, "Let not God speak to us," told Moses, "You speak to us in the place of God." Well, that's what the priest did in those days. The priest represented the people to God and they prayed to God for the people. But Joshua also represented the priesthood because he was the high priest. So here stands Joshua now, the Bible tells us, in filthy garments. And the filthy garments symbolize the sin and the pollution and the depravity in which the people and the priesthood existed at that particular time. Now, when you read the prophet Haggai and the prophet Zechariah, it was these two prophets then that stirred up the people to rebuild or to build the second temple that was completed in 516 BC. In other words, everybody had become remiss. Everyone had become totally concentrated upon themselves instead of God, instead of God's

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• Word, instead of God's worship. And consequently now, God uses Haggai and Zechariah to stir them up. Now the priesthood especially was facing a dilemma. This dilemma is occasioned by those individuals who happen to be awakened by the Holy Spirit. There's a sinner that is content in his sin, enjoying his sin, loving his sin, and wanting more and more sin. And all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit of God comes along and convicts him and opens his eyes, and now he sees his sin and he sees it in a totally different light. He sees that sin is meriting punishment. Yes, he sees it meriting death. He sees how corrupt and polluted he really and truly is. And now all of a sudden, hence, he goes into what you and I would call depression and despair.

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• And we have to ask why. And the answer is very simple. And that is because someone who is awakened to their sins and the depth of their depravity and the corruption of their morals and their person, the first thing they need to ask themselves and usually ask themselves, "What am I doing here? How could God possibly use me? How could God possibly use anyone like me?" Because God is infinitely holy and righteous, and here I am. I'm unholy. I'm unrighteous. I have no right to stand before a holy God. I have no right to worship him. I have no right to minister unto him whatsoever. Now I know the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7, talking about man ministering, he said that we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency and the power may be of God and not of man. Well, that is true. God does use men. However, when I think of my sins and the sins of other men, men that I have known intimately, godly men, and yet I have to ask this question, "How in the world could God use me?"

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• How in the world could God use anyone? I mean, when you stop and think about this, there are no perfect men. There are no perfect preachers. There are no perfect pastors. How can we progress? How can we continue? How can we overcome? How can we be in a position where God could seriously use us? Well, the answer to those questions is found in Zechariah chapter 3. And what applies to Joshua the high priest in Zechariah chapter 3 applies to a greater degree to you and I in the New Testament. It occurs and applies to us today. Well, how can I say that? Well, you have to understand that as we consider Joshua and the priesthood, you have to also remember that we are priests.

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• In fact, the Bible tells you in 1 Peter 2 and verse 9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, listen to this, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." What did he say? That you are a royal priesthood. And then when you get to the book of Revelation chapter 1 and verse 6, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father."

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• "To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." And then in Revelation chapter 5 and verse 10, "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests."

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• Now listen, "and we shall reign on earth." Now, when you look at mankind by nature, when you look at yourself by nature and you see that you're sinful and polluted and fleshly and worldly, you would have to come to the conclusion and the realization, we're not fit to rule anything. We cannot even rule ourselves. How in the world could God ever possibly use us? How in the world could we ever be an instrument in the hands of God? Well, once again, Zechariah answers this. There's three things I want you to see about Joshua, the high priest.

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• First of all, he was accused, but acquitted. So if you look in verse one, Zechariah 3, "And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him." Now, if you'll notice verse 1 very carefully, you'll see that there are three individuals who are mentioned there. First, there is Joshua the high priest. Second, there is the angel of the Lord, which is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a Christophany, that is, it is a pre-incarnate appearing of Christ in the flesh in the Old Testament.

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• It may be in a vision, but he is there. And of course, he is known as the messenger of the covenant as well in the book of Judges chapter 2 and verse 1 and Malachi chapter 3 and verse 1. And thirdly, there is Satan who is the accuser of the brethren. "And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh or Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him." Now let me just point out a very important truth right here. All my life I've heard this saying, and I think this verse disproves it. But all my life I've heard this: "Satan flees when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees." Sounds good. But here's Joshua the high priest, Satan standing at his right hand, the Lord Jesus Christ is there, and he's standing there to resist him. He wasn't fleeing in this particular instance. That is for sure. I want to give you a quote from Matthew Henry, because he's talking about the word Satan here. He says, "Etymologically, the enemy, as in the New Testament, your adversary the devil; etymologically, the accuser. It is a proper name of the evil one, and yet its original meaning, the enemy, was not lost.

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• Hence, here, as in Job, his malice is shown in accusation. The accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night." Now listen, in Job, the accusations were false. Here, doubtless, they are true. For he accused Job of what would have been plain apostasy. Joshua and Zerubbabel had shared or given way to the remissness of the people as to the rebuilding of the temple and the full restoration of the worship of God. For this, Haggai had reproved the people through them. Satan had a real charge on which to implead them, since also the whole series of visions relates to the restoration from the captivity. The guilt for which Satan impleads him with Jerusalem, and Jerusalem in him, includes the whole guilt which had rested upon them, and so that for a time God had seemed to have cast away his people. Satan stands at his right hand, the place of a prosecutor, to show that he had none to save him and that he himself was victorious. Wow. Now the sad truth was and still is that many of

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• the accusations that are made against the saints of God by our enemy and by our enemies are not false and malicious and slanderous. Many of them are true. Have you ever stopped to entertain this thought? There is no Christian and there is no preacher or pastor that cannot be assailed in some areas, because everyone has his own weakness. And the truth of the matter is, we know our weaknesses, we know our lusts, we know our desires, we know our private thoughts, we know our private temptations.

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• And such have been a source of sorrow and remorse to those who have genuinely repented and have a great desire to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, we find ourselves in the position where we must pray frequently and also fervently, "Lord, make me obedient. Lord, make me holy as Thou art holy. Renew my mind. Give me the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ." Every true Christian has sincerely regretted all of the sins that he's committed.

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• I've often said, I would not want to live my life over unless I could live it over with the knowledge that I have now. I'd be willing and able to correct a lot of things. But that's not possible. But the point I'm trying to make is this: that many godly men have mourned over the fact not only that they have sinned, but they still have a sinful nature in one sense of the word.

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• Let me put it another way. Our flesh is flesh, and our flesh will never be anything but flesh. And there's no such thing in us as holy flesh. And that is why I believe that one of the reasons we read in 1 Corinthians 15 in verse 50 where the Apostle Paul said, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." No, flesh and blood is not going to inherit the kingdom of God.

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• Therefore, this old fleshly body will have to fall off and there will be a new glorified body. But sadly, the truth of the matter is this: we are most often rightly accused by the adversary. And we must confess most of the time that we are guilty. We are sinners, we have sinned, and we will continue to be sinners until the day of our glorification.

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• Now, I want you to watch. So in verse 1 he is accused. In verse 2 he is acquitted. Look at it: "And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" So Satan is rebuked and our Lord says, "This is a brand plucked out of the fire." The enemy was instantly rebuked by Jesus Christ and Christ confessed that Joshua was one of his own, being a brand plucked out of the fire. Now, there is a passage in Jude verses 22 and 23 that says this: "And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." So here the Lord rebukes Satan, says he is acquitted. Let me read this from Matthew Henry again. I love this one. He said, "Satan is here checked by one that has authority, that has conquered him, and many a time silenced him. The accuser of the brethren, of the minister and of the ministry, is cast out.

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• His indictments are quashed and his suggestions against them, as well as his suggestions to them, are shown to be malicious, frivolous, and vexatious. 'The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.' The Lord, that is, the Lord our Redeemer, rebuke thee. That is, the Lord the Creator. The power of God is engaged for the making of the grace of Christ effectual. The Lord restrain thy malicious rage, reject thy malicious charge, and revenge upon thee thy enmity to a servant of his." Then he says this: "Note, those that belong to Christ have him to appear vigorously for them when Satan appears most vehemently against them." Listen, he does not parley with him but stops his mouth immediately with this sharp rebuke: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan." This is the best way of dealing with that furious enemy: "Get thee behind me, Satan." And what we have here in reality is a picture of Romans 8, verses 33 and 34. You remember that passage where the Bible says, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?

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• It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." And so, Joshua is accused, but then Joshua is acquitted. The reason for Joshua's acquittal and the reason for our acquittal is because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He paid our sin debt. We were guilty as charged and rightly accused, but He intervened as our substitute, as our sacrifice. We were personally guilty and legally guilty and deserve death. But by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we were given life, when the opposite is true concerning Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was personally innocent but was made legally guilty when our sins were imputed to him. And so here is Joshua accused and acquitted. And of course, now we are in Jesus Christ, stand in his absolute perfection. We stand in his obedience, in his righteousness, and in his holiness. And now God looks at us and pronounces us not guilty. We're acquitted only because we're in Jesus Christ.

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• So Joshua then was accused but acquitted. There's a second truth here. He was polluted but purified. Look at verses three and four: "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." So we're not only acquitted, we're also purified. We're not only justified, we're also sanctified. We're not only forgiven, we're also adorned.

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• We've been given that which is clean and white. We've been given the righteousness which is from Jesus Christ alone. So those to whom justification is imputed, sanctification is also imparted. Our Lord does not forgive us and then leave us in the filthiness of our sin in our flesh. He gives us a change of garments. According to Romans chapter 6, we're raised in newness of life. That means all habits have to be put off. They've passed away. We put on new habits, new attitudes, new ways of thinking, that as we learn to think biblically and scripturally, it is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from all sin. That's why the Bible says in 1 John 1 in verse 7, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Now once we have been cleansed, it is our duty and our responsibility to walk holily, to walk in sanctification, to walk in purity. That is why in 2 Corinthians chapter 7 and

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• verse 1 the Bible says, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Now listen to that: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." So it's our duty, our responsibility after God has acquitted us and purified us, to keep ourselves clean.

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• Here's what John Trapp said: "I will change thy rags into robes, thy stained clouts into clean clothing. Thou shalt be arrayed with the righteousness of the saints, that twofold righteousness, imputed and imparted, that of justification and the other of sanctification. That is an undercoat, and this is an upper, that clean and pure, this white and bright, both must be had from Christ, who is made unto us of God, not only of wisdom, but of righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." Now listen to this: "Surely as our apparel is not bred of us, neither grows out of our bodies, so neither does this change of raiment in the text.

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• But the blessed Lamb of God clothes us with his own fleece, which is long enough and large enough to cover all of our defects and deformities and to set us before—it's done—set us forth to the admiration of the angels. As he taken upon himself our sins, so he put upon us his righteousness. This is a blessed exchange indeed, a sure pledge of our peace with him and with God by him."

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• So that's exactly what he does for us in sanctification. Now, I want you to watch this. Joshua has been accused and acquitted. He's been polluted but purified. Here's the one I want to point and tie it all together for you. Number five: He was ruined but reigning. Look at verse 5: "And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by." So the clothing of Joshua here was putting on him the priestly garments of the high priest along with the fair mitre. Now you must remember that this is also known as

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• the covenant of peace. And you remember it was in Numbers chapter 25 when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, turned God's wrath away from the children of Israel by being zealous for the Lord God of hosts and accomplishing that which Moses and the others failed to accomplish. And God said, "I will give unto him my covenant of peace." So while Joshua is being clothed with the high priest's garment, he is now going to be complimented, that is completed, by placing this mitre upon his head. It was a holy crown with a plate of gold that had inscribed upon it, "Holiness to the Lord."

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• So I want you to hold Zechariah 3 and look back in your Bibles if you would to Exodus chapter 28. Exodus 28 and look, if you would please, at verse 4. Exodus 28 and verse 4, because here are the garments mentioned. Watch carefully: "And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office." Now skip down to verse 36. Watch verse 36: "And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things..." and he goes on. So here is this mitre that they're putting on Joshua the high priest. Now I want you to note something.

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• I want you to follow me. Okay. So here we go. Joshua has been accused but acquitted—justified. He was polluted but purified—sanctified. He is ruined now, but he's reigning—glorified. I want you to see something. Please turn in your Bibles, holding Zechariah 3, but turn to the book of Romans chapter 8 and look, if you would please, at verse 30. Romans 8 verse 30. Watch this. So before I read this, let me put it to you very plainly. Like Joshua in Zechariah chapter 3, we now as God's people have been justified, sanctified, and glorified in Jesus Christ. Now I can hear someone object and say, "Well, we're not yet glorified. We're still waiting for the redemption of our body. We're still waiting for that glorified body." Well, while that is absolutely true in one sense of the word, in another sense of the word, our glorification is so absolute and so certain it is spoken of as completed. So if you look in Romans 8 in verse 30, look at what is said: "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also

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• called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Now here's the interesting thing about verse 30. When you look at the word predestinate, the word called, the word justified, the word glorified, you're going to find that all of these words happen to be aorist active indicatives in the Greek. Past tense, true, already done, already accomplished. God predestinated us. God called us. God justified us. And God glorified us. So, yes, our glorification is complete in the sense that it is a done deal.

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• We're just waiting until this old fleshly body drops off. Now, I want you to go back to the book of Zechariah, chapter three, and look at verse seven. Zechariah 3, verse 7. So why? Why are we talking about Joshua? Why are we talking about the fact that he was accused but acquitted? He's polluted but purified. He was ruined but now he's reigning. What? Look in verse 6 first. He said, "And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua," or at least commanded or charged Joshua. And look what he did in verse 7: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts." This is the charge.

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• This is the protestation: "If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by." Wow. Notice if you would what he said. There were conditions to Joshua being a faithful high priest. There were conditions for Joshua being a righteous ruler. He said, "If thou wilt walk in my ways, if thou wilt keep my charge, then..." In other words, if you want to rule, if you want to reign, you must be submissive. You must be obedient. Obedience is required. Obedience to God's law, to God's way, and to God's charge is absolutely necessary. Why? And here's why. Listen carefully. Because we are to rule and reign under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and in submission to him, because he is the branch. Hang on, I'm going to show you this. But our rule is to emulate his rule. So we are only ready to rule and reign when we are obedient and submissive

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• to Christ. Now I've quoted this passage many times. I want you to listen to it again. 2 Samuel chapter 23 verses 1 through 3: "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." So anyone who's going to rule must rule justly, and you can only rule justly if you rule biblically and in the fear of God. That means you must be submissive. Now I want you to watch this. Look in verse 7 again. Now watch: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold,

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• I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH." Well, who in the world is God's servant the branch? Of course, it's the Lord Jesus Christ. So if you would turn back in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 23. Jeremiah 23 and look if you would please at verse 5. Jeremiah 23 verse 5. Here's what the Word of God says: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Then if you would turn to Jeremiah chapter 33 and verse 15, you'll see this again. Jeremiah 33 verse 15: "In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land." So yes, you could say, well, that's Solomon.

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• Yes, but there's a greater than Solomon, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, turn in your Bibles to Zechariah chapter 6, and look if you would please at verse 12. Zechariah 6 and verse 12. Watch carefully: "And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord." Now, what in the world is the branch going to do? Well, he's going to rule righteously, that is for sure, but he's also going to build the temple of the Lord. Now we're not talking about a resurrection of Solomon's temple or the second temple or Herod's temple. We're talking about the real genuine temple. So if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 2. Galatians, Ephesians, watch Ephesians chapter 2 beginning there with verse 19. And Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

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• and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." So the branch, Lord Jesus Christ, is building the temple of God. Now, Jesus Christ has accomplished that which the Old Testament prophesied. Now, hang on.

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• I want you to turn to two more passages. I want you to turn to Amos chapter 9 and Acts chapter 15. I believe it is Acts chapter 15. I am in Amos chapter 9 and then Acts chapter 15. So Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Let's look in Amos chapter 9 and look if you would please at verse 11. And here we go. Amos 9 verse 11. Here's the prophecy of Amos: "In that day

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• I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old." Now what did God just say? "In that day," that final day, that day of the righteous branch, "I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old." Now if you will turn to Acts chapter 15,

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• which of course is where the Council of Jerusalem is taking place. And of course you remember in Acts chapter 10, Peter and some of the men went to Cornelius who was a Roman soldier, they preached, and here all these people were converted. And Acts chapter 11 they questioned him, and of course then they rejoiced and said, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." And now they're having this council because some of the Judaizers are coming along saying, "Well, it's alright to believe in Jesus, but in order to be saved you just need to be circumcised and keep all the law," etc. Well, look what happens. Acts chapter 15 beginning there verse 14: "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name." That's back in Acts chapter 10 and Acts chapter 11 where he gave an account. Now watch: "And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord,

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• who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." You see what I'm talking about? That which was prophesied in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. And here Joshua the high priest in Zechariah chapter 3 has real implications for you and I today. Now if we are kings and priests unto our God, and if Jesus Christ has raised up the tabernacle of David, here's my question: Why are we not ruling?

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• Why are we not reigning? Why are we not even ready to rule? Do you remember what the Lord said to Joshua back in Zechariah 3 and verse 7? He said, listen carefully now. He said, "If you will keep my charge, if you will keep my ways, then, then." In other words, nobody's going to rule and reign as long as they're disobedient and wicked and ungodly. Nobody's going to have the power of God upon them. No one's going to be the head apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Zechariah. I want to show you where so many of us fail and fall down flat. Look, first of all, in Zechariah chapter 8 and verse 16. Zechariah chapter 8 in verse 16. Look what the Bible says. Remember God said we must keep all of his charge, keep all of his ways. He says, "These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.

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• That is, you've got to have a righteous and just society in government. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord." Now go back to Zechariah 7 and let's begin reading in verse 8. Zechariah 7 verse 8: "And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts." Not amazing. God said, the reason you're not ruling is because you're not obedient.

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• The reason you're not reigning is you're not obedient. God told these people exactly what to do and they refused to do it. God said, "This is the lex talionis. This is the law of retribution. This is where God makes the punishment fit the crime." God said, "I cried through my prophets and told you what to do and you refuse to hear. Now therefore, when you cry to me, I'm not going to hear you." Wow. We will never rule. We will never be ready to rule until we learn to be submissive and obedient. That's all there is to it. God will never use us to rebuke others unless we're willing to be rebuked ourselves. God's never going to use us to lead others unless we're willing to be led by him. God's not going to use us to bring others into submission unless we're willing to be submissive ourselves. And God's not going to lead us to bring other people to obedience unless we are willing to be obedient ourselves. So here's my first application. The truth of the matter is we ruin our lives. We ruin ourselves. We ruin our families. We ruin the priesthood by our disobedience.

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• We expect God to hear us, but yet we refuse to hear him. If I could—and I would not and I do not—but if I could convey to you just 10% of the phone calls that I get of people who are in trouble, Christian people, husbands and wives, families, it would blow your mind. I don't even tell Alice. I don't want her to be burdened down with it. I'm just simply saying, we live in our own little world and we don't understand that there are people around us that are falling apart. Husbands, wives, families, children. Everything's alright in our little group. But we don't see it. I'm just simply pointing out the fact: if we want peace, if we want prosperity, it's only going to come through obedience. Let me show you something. Look back in Zechariah chapter 3 and look if you would please at verse 10. Zechariah 3

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• in verse 10. The Bible says, "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree." And if you take this phrase "under the vine and under the fig tree," you will find this is a symbol of God's blessing of peace and prosperity and happiness and comfort. And here's what God's saying: You're not going to find peace and prosperity and happiness and comfort until you learn to submit and obey. It's just that simple. However, obedience in time and in history is inevitably going to bring back and bring around at least a certain amount of peace and prosperity. I'm just pointing out the fact: we don't understand the implications of this. God is never ever going to use us to rule until we are learning to be submissive and obedient. It's just that simple. Now I want to make an application.

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• I want you to think about this. There's a motive in bringing this message. The truth of the matter is we are facing a most certain societal and governmental collapse. In fact, the truth of the matter is our society has already disintegrated. Our economics have disintegrated. Our government is a farce. There's no justice in the Justice Department. The laws are not laws. They're contrary to the Constitution. They're contrary to the Word of God.

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• We're not even ruled by rulers. We're ruled by a secret group that control the rulers. I'm just simply saying we're going downhill faster than you can imagine. So here's my question. I want you to think about this. Let's say the society collapses completely tomorrow, and with about a million and a half illegal immigrants, factions or run—who knows? Let's say it collapses tomorrow. You don't have a local government. You don't have a state government. You don't have a federal government. You don't have anything because everything is collapsed.

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• Your money is basically worthless. And you're facing dog-eat-dog people. They're killing. They're raping. They're looting. It doesn't bother them. That's the way they were raised. That's how they live. Yeah, do you remember that message I preached years ago? The title of the message was "Theology and Culture," and I used an illustration out of a movie, Black Hawk Down. Saw that movie years and years ago on TV, and we hadn't had TV in years, so I don't know how long it's been. But that movie came on the TV a second time and I decided, well, yeah, I'll watch it a second time. And I was so glad I did because there was

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• a scene that I missed the first time. One helicopter pilot, one Blackhawk pilot, was captured alive. He was beaten to a pulp, bloody pulp. He was tied up. He was thrown in a corner. I mean blood coming down everywhere. And one of—not Edie, but what was the man's name? The warlord of Mogadishu. I forget his name right now. He said, he looked at the pilot and he said, "You stupid Americans.

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• You think you can come over here and cram your democracy down our throats and keep us from killing each other when killing has been a way of life for us for a thousand years?" That's what he said. What about all these people that are coming in? Killing's been a way of life for them for thousands of years. These gang members don't care anything about your life or my life or anybody else's life.

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• I'm just simply pointing out the fact: if this collapsed tomorrow, here's my question. Who can hold a community together? Who can start a society back the way it should be? And the answer is only those who know the Word of God and how to apply the Word of God. Those who are willing to do what is right. Those who are willing to submit to obedience and submit to the truth of the Word of God and build upon the Word of God. Yeah. It's time that we really become serious about submission and obedience to the Word of God. Our individual lives, in our family lives, in our church lives, in our societal lives, and every area and every sphere. God will never use us to rule and reign until we are willing to be ruled over and reigned over by him. That's why he said, "Joshua, if you keep my charge, if you keep my way, then I'll give you places to walk in. I'll give you places to rule in. I'll give you places to take charge over.

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• But you must learn obedience and submission. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. Lord, I pray that you would encourage us, that you would strengthen us and give us a holy determination, Lord, to be submissive to thee, submissive to thy word and to, Lord, guide our lives according to thy precepts and thy principles. Stir thy people, move us, O Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

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• ♪

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:29:20Z