Intro: In our text verses the prophet sees Joshua the priest standing by the “angel”
or messenger of the Lord (who we believe to be the Son of God) and Satan standing by as well. It seems to be a scene much
like that in Job where Satan presented himself before God along with the sons of God. He appears to accuse the brethren and
attempt to validate himself and his power (though he is always disappointed in the outcome). It appears that there is a dispute
here, and quite possibly this is the dispute to which Jude makes reference in which Satan and the Lord fought over the “body
of Moses.” This “body of Moses” has been buried for about 1,000 years by the time this is written, and this
leads me to believe that they make no reference to the literal body of Moses but to the body of work Moses left behind- the
Law of God. Satan had done all he could to rob Israel of the Law and to wipe them from the earth. (He still is trying to do
all he can to take away the Law of God from his people.) Were it not for the mercies of the Lord, they would have been utterly
consumed by the Babylonians (Lamentations 3:22). The day of Zechariah was during the restoration of the nation of Israel and
return to Jerusalem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the people of God were a people seen in filthy garments. They seemed
to have been as it were a brand plucked out of the fire... almost consumed by sin and the judgment of God, but mercy was great
toward them. But the Lord promised a new clothes for them!
This passage speaks about the change the Lord makes in the
life of everyone who comes to Him by faith. Today, I want to zero in on the last phrase in verse 4. God says,
“I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”
It has been said that clothes make
the man. Our world places a lot of emphasis on external appearances. But while the world may concern itself with what a man
wears on the outside, God is far more concerned with what a person wears on the inside, 1 Sam. 16:7.
You
should examine yourself and see what garments you are wearing. If you see that you are dressed in less than heaven’s
best, then today is the day when you can come to the Lord for a change of raiment. I would like to preach on The Best-Dressed
Man In Town. Notice:
I. THE STAINED RAIMENT OF SIN: v. 3, Filthy Garments (Isa. 64:6).
This is where everyone who has not accepted Jesus into their lives through faith resides in the unrepentant filth of sin.
Joshua was unfit to stand in the presence of the Lord like this, and so are we! Israel had been preached the truth, but they
would not accept it. They had the law of God, but they utterly rejected it, and it left them standing before God with their
filthy raiment on. So will be many on the Day of Judgment before the Lord filthy and unfit for Heaven because of unbelief!
II.
THE STRANGE RAIMENT OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS: v.4, the Lord gives a command for the filthy garments to be removed from
Joshua, and for new garments to be placed upon him. It’s a blessing when the Lord removes our filthy, sin-stained rags
and gives us a new suit of clothes. It is another thing altogether when we try to do it ourselves. Our world is filled with
billions of people who have tried to take care of their filthy garments themselves. They have sought to trade their dirty,
filthy garments for ones of their own design. Adam and Eve sought to cover their nakedness by garments of their own making.
Many know they need to be in a relationship with God. They know they need something more. They know their garments are rags,
but rather than seek God for new ones with repentance and faith, they follow religious creeds that make failing promises to
people who seek to earn their new raiment.
III. THE STUNNING RAIMENT OF SALVATION: These verses tell
us that the Lord took away Joshua’s dirty, filthy garments and gave him a glorious change of clothes. He gave him a
suit of clothes that would allow him to stand in the presence of the Lord. The clothes he wore before denoted he was in mourning
over the judgment of God that hung over him, but God gave him new clothes demonstrating that he should mourn those things
no more. God had removed them and he was now a new creature. It is reminiscent of when the prodigal son came home (Luke 15).
The father commanded he be adorned again as a son. We could speak of when the marriage supper was called (Matt 22:12). There
was a man who tried to come to the wedding without the garment, but he was cast out. The garment was provided, pure, and personal,
but no one without it was welcome at the supper. So, I must say, “the very best thing that I ever did do, was when I
took off the old coat and put on the new!”
Conclusion: The best-dressed man in town isn’t
wearing an Armani. The best-dressed man is that one who is saved by the grace of God and is dressed in the righteousness of
Christ. I wonder, when the Heaven’s list of the best-dressed people is updated, will your name be on that list? What
kind of garments is your soul clothed in today? If you cannot honestly say that you are saved by grace, washed in the blood
of Jesus and headed to Heaven, you need to come to the Lord this morning and be saved. Are you wearing the old coat or the
new?
Song:Two Coats
Two coats were before me, an old and a new
I could have either, so
what must I do
One coat was ugly and terribly torn
The other a new one, had never been worn
Chorus
I'll
tell you the best thing I ever did do
I laid of the old coat and put on the new
The old coat was earthly and not
fit to wear
I thought of it often and shed many a tear
Then there was a clean one presented to view
I laid
off the old coat and put on the new
The first man was earthly and made on the ground
We all bore his image, the
whole world around
The next was my Savior from Heaven so fair
He gave me this new coat you now see me wear
Now
this coat, it fits me and keeps me so warm
It's good in the winter, it's good in the storm
My savior has
dressed me in garments so rare
He fills me with glory, his image I'll bear
