He shall be called A Nazarene

And he (Joseph) came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,

“ He shall be called a Nazarene”

Matthew 2:23

In prophet Zechariah’s prophecy in chapter 3 there is an awe inspiring story of spiritual cleansing of the priesthood by one Man Whom Zechariah is calling Him “The Branch” the same name Isaiah the prophet is calling the Messiah in Isaiah 11: 1 “ Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch from His roots will bear fruit”.

This double prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 2:23, by Matthew’s proclamation of Him as   “ A Nazarene” or “ A Branch” .

According to many Theologians one of the many translations of the name Nazarene is a branch and although there is no specific verse in the Old Testament that would validate Matthew’s claim, but many are convinced that it completely matches the references of prophets like Jeremiah, Isaiah and Zachariah of the coming Messiah who was the Yeshua of Nazareth or the Nazarene or the Branch.

Now prophet Zechariah in his vision in chapter 3 of his prophecy sees the Lord’s first and second advent and How the

priesthood being the Church is cleansed and restored and is called for obedience for her reign in the next age to come. This is her full reward in the age to come, to inherit His kingdom to rule with Him eternally.

“The angel who talked with Zechariah showed him “Joshua the high priest”; meaning the priesthood and his standing before the Lord. The angel also revealed the need for the  priesthood of Israel.

Also today the Church’s main calling being the same the angel revealed the cleansing and restoration of the priesthood of the New Covenant bride and having said all this angel showed Zechariah Joshua’s spiritual meaning in pairs . First the one bringing people out of the wilderness and now the second one the priesthood.

According to  Matthew Hennery’s commentary we can read  an awesome interpretation of this passage of the scripture.

Matthew Hennery explains it in this way ….

“ Guilt and corruption are our two great discouragements when we stand before the Lord rebellious towards His Justice and odious to His Holiness.

1.- Joshua is accused as a criminal, but is justified.

1.    A violent opposition is made to him. Satan stands at the right side to accuse him as the prosecutor or witness, When God is about to re-establish the priesthood Satan objects concerning the sins that were found among the priests.  It is by our own folly that we give Satan the advantage against us. We must expect to meet with all the resistance that Satan’s subtly  and malice attacks can give us trouble. Let us then resist him and he shall flee from us.

2.-  A victorious defense is made The Lord

( Meaning the Christ Yeshua the Branch)  said to Satan the Lord ( Hashem= Father) rebuke you. It is the happiness of the saints that the Judge is their friend. Satan is here checked by one who has authority, The Lord said ( That is the Lord our Redeemer), The Lord rebuke you, that is the Lord Creator. The power of God is engaged to make the grace of Christ effective. Satan resists the priest, but his resistance will be to no purpose against Jerusalem, for The Lord has chosen her. He knew the worst when he chose them.

Is not this man a burning stick snatched  from the fire? Joshua ( The Church the priesthood ) The Lord Jesus the Branch says  to Satan. Christ has that to say for them for which they are to be pitied. These are the ones who are wonderfully delivered out and  snatched from  fire. Though once weak and captives in Babylon, yet now they are free and well spoken for.

These appear before God in that, and with the graces of His Spirit, which is like ornaments to them.  Joshua  is reinstalled and established  in his office.

The crown of priesthood is put on him. This was done at the request of the prophet. When God intends the restoring or reviving of religion He stirs up His prophets and people to pray for it, and does it in answer to their prayers. Zechariah prayed that angels might be ordered to set the turban on Joshua’s head, and they did it immediately, and clothed him with the priestly garments.

The covenant of the priesthood is renewed with him, which is called God’s covenant of Peace, Num 2.12. It is the seal of his office, which is here declared and delivered to him before witnesses.

Joshua or the renewed priesthood of the new covenant Church must walk in God’s ways, must go before the people in paths of God’s commandments and walk

Circumspectly. He the priesthood must keep God’s requirements and must see to it that the lesser priest performed the duties of their place. Let him be sure to do his part and God will acknowledge him.”

This way I trust that Matthew Hennery’s comments teaches us that in these last days of divine restoration God will strengthen His Church by the cries of His prophets and priests for a higher level of restored righteousness in obedience through faith and accomplished by the flooding of His  grace, so that the Church of the final days will walk in complete reassurance of God’s love and acceptance of her for His name and His righteousness sake.

In this final restoration I believe the new Covenant priesthood will include the remnant  awakened Israel after the flesh also.  And by this a final call is going to be made for all to be awakened forIn this massive revival the restored priesthood will be like those who crossed the Jordan river entering to the promise land. Their shoulders will carry the ark of God’s covenant law fulfilled in the Son by whom they are restored for a final time and their feet will stop the waters of the war stricken Jordan of their world to allow their loved ones to pass through in result of the obedience they will show to their restored positions in God.

Meaning the joy of their restoration of acceptance by God for redemption will cause their hearts to obey the Holy Spirit’s cry in them to yield the way to the Lord. This obedience not only will win them the crown to rule and reign with Christ in the age to come, but will open the way for their unsaved loved ones to cry out for salvation, before the close of this age. May this be the cry of everyone who is awaiting this final ingathering of souls and the hope of a better resurrection called the first resurrection.