The “Branch” is King and Priest.

Zachariah 6:9-15

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

in the first half of chapter six, Zachariah had just seen the vision of the Four Chariots relating to severe global tribulation. Now, is the talk of Jesus Christ being the King in Heaven and the Priest over our soul (we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit). The Holy Bible consistently reveals to us that this earth will experience tremendous turbulence before Jesus Christ returns as King. However, Jesus remains with us through the storms as the Priest ministering to our soul through the Holy Spirit.

• Gifts from the followers of Christ crowns Jesus as King who is also our High Priest.
• Jesus builds the Temple of the Lord in us and sits on His throne in Heaven.
• The Church and New Jerusalem includes many people from all around the world.

Gifts from the followers of Christ crowns Jesus as King who is also our High Priest. “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Receive the gift from the captives—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon—and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.” Zechariah 6:9-11

At this time, the Israelites have just been released from captivity to Babylon, and the names mentioned above are those among the newly released captives. They would give their gifts of gold and silver to make a very precious crown to place on Joshua’s head, which is also the high priest. It’s an extremely rare event that a person is both king and priest.

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are captives under the thing which forms what people think, feel, do, and think. We are not free to go where we want to go, to be with who we want to be with, to do what we want to do, etc. Especially, there is no freedom for the testimony of Jesus.

Today, people everywhere are required to allow the image of the beast to live and speak through us (by the thing forming thoughts and feelings) if we are to have any resemblance of freedom at all. Even so, we continue to offer up praise to God through Jesus Christ. Those offerings of praise create a precious crown for the head of Jesus. We recognize Him as the King of kings who has ultimate victory over this present world’s system. We also recognize Him as the High Priest of our soul as we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is both King and High Priest. Meanwhile, those of this world are conformed to the anti-Christian global culture as they are groomed to the mark of the beast.

There is a blasphemous thing in this world which wants to be both king and priest within our heart and mind. It sets itself up as the global king through the United Nations and establishes itself as a priest within people in every city around the world. It exalts itself above all others as it sits in the temple of God, our body, as if it is God, as quoted, “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 It does that through the thing forming what people think, feel, do, and say. Click here for a post on the “man of sin.”

Jesus builds the Temple of the Lord in us and sits on His throne in Heaven. “Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall sprout up, and He shall build the temple of the Lord; Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between both offices.” ’ Zechariah 6:12-13

Both offices of the “Branch” includes building the temple of the Lord as well as sitting on His throne in Heaven. He is King and Priest. His eternal Kingdom is one of peace and He gives peace within the soul while we live on this earth.

The “Branch” is Jesus Christ who is both King of Heaven and Priest over the temple of God, our body. When our Lord Jesus came the first time, He built the temple of the Lord, as quoted, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 Jesus Christ is also the King who sits on His throne in Heaven, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21

The blasphemous thing which wants to be the king of the global culture and to be the priest of our soul, detests Jesus Christ. It persuades the masses in every city around the world to deny the existence of God, to discard the need for the remission of sin through Jesus Christ and to ridicule the Holy Spirit. Its earthly kingdom has no peace at all and is destined for global tribulation. In the afterlife, there is no peace in the eternal torment of hell. While it wants to sit in the temple of God, our body, Jesus Christ has made us the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit says to us, “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” 2 Corinthians 6:16

The Church of Christ includes many people from all around the world. “Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial in the temple of the Lord for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the Lord. Then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.” Zechariah 6:14-15

Our Lord Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin and death and wears that crown eternally. That royal crown will always be a memorial within the heart and mind of Believers. He has put our sin in remission, and we will inherit eternal life to live with Him forever. As the temple of the Holy Spirit, we lift up the Gospel of Jesus Christ which memorializes His victory over sin and death, and is memorialized in this verse, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Through the victory over sin and death, the Gospel of Christ has spread around the world and people from afar are part of the family of God through His Son Jesus. We are part of building up the temple of the Lord by sharing His testimony to whoever we can. We know that Jesus Christ has been sent from the throne of God to atone for sin and give us eternal life. He is King and Priest. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, Holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens, who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

Hebrews 7:26-27

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1