JP: What's Your Crown a Memorial To?

“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.” Zech 6:9-11

We all know the story of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon ransacking Jerusalem and taking Daniel and thousands captive. Seventy years later, Cyrus king of Persia overthrew the Babylonians and ordered the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. So, here we find three of the exiles - Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah - returning to Israel bearing a gift of silver and gold from the exiles in Babylon. Only a relatively small number of the Jewish exiles returned with Zechariah the prophet to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The rest either stayed behind in Babylon because they weren’t physically able to make the journey or because they knew that Jerusalem was the “hood” compared to Babylon.

The Lord commanded that the silver and gold be taken from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah. Why did He choose these three? The Lord reveals a lot about Himself as we examine their names (Heldai means vigor, Tobijah means God’s goodness, and Jedaiah means God knows). Our Heavenly Father knows that through His goodness, He will put His King on the throne, and He will do it in a vigorous manner.

This gift was to be taken and made into a crown to be placed upon the head of Joshua the high priest. It was really unusual to crown a high priest, because priests were never crowned as kings and kings were never priests. Throughout the history of Israel there has always been a separation of religious and civil leadersship. For example, 2 Chronicles 26 tells us the tragic story of King Uzziah who tried to function as a priest and as a result was stricken with leprosy for the rest of his life. Imagine what was running through Joshua's mind as they came to put this newly fashioned crown on him!

However, this was to be a symbolic act of crowning the high priest as one would crown a king. Joshua was crowned because he was representative of the character of the Messiah. He was a picture of the ruling Priest-King in the future. It will be Jesus who will be the only King who will also function as priest upon His throne and everlasting peace will be between His two offices.

"Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial in the temple of the Lord for Helem (healing), Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen (gracious) the son of Zephaniah" Zech 6:14

Here, the Lord tells us that the crown was to be a memorial in the temple of the gift given by the exiles from Babylon. They endured much to bring their gift to the Lord. Leaving the beauty of Babylon and going to ashes of Jersusalem. Conversely, when we invest our time, finances, and talents into reaching others for the kingdom, the people that are rescued and saved trade their ashes for the beauty and joy of the Lord. They become our crown memorials in the heavenly throne room.

If He asks, how much are you willing to endure in order to bring your?

Is 51:11 Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Jeff