Introduction: God’s work in the present is always contributing to something greater than the present. And everything that God is doing in the lives of His people, both now and forever, finds its ultimate purpose and final explanation in God’s Son. ESV Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ESV Romans 13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But WE don’t do that. GOD does that. GOD DOESN’T NEED OUR HELP TO UNITE EVERYTHING IN HIS SON. Specifically, we honor God — not by artificially imposing Christ on verses of Scripture — but by simply hearing what God tells us He’s going to do. NOTE: We must not flatten what the Scriptures say regarding DETAILS. Rather, we must learn about a wonderful diversity that exists within unity. God is accomplishing many diverse things that will ultimately find their unity in Christ. God was working in Zechariah’s day encouraging the people to finish the work of rebuilding the temple. He gave Zechariah 8 visions in a single night, each one encouraging the people for their work, but with the knowledge of the future — the future arrival of the Messiah and the glorious conditions that He would bring to pass. After God gave those 8 visions, Zechariah was called to declare a message in connection with a sign. He was called to carry out a symbolic act. He was then given a message to declare that explained that act. He was then called to carry out an action that would memorialize it. I. A SYMBOLIC ACT (vs.9-11) We are told of some men who had come with a caravan from Babylon. It is likely that they had come to bring financial support that would contribute to the work of rebuilding the temple. There are four men mentioned in all. Three of them are said to have come from Babylon and they were now staying in the house of the fourth man mentioned. Each of their names seem to have some reference to a relationship with God, pointing to the faith of the Jewish people despite the exile. Joyce Baldwin — “From the position of the verb have arrived at the end of the sentence in Hebrew, the inference is that all four men had come together. Josiah, the son of Zephaniah is apparently the most distinguished of the four, to judge by the mention of his lineage, and of his dwelling house. The names of at least three of the four express a relationship to the Lord, as E. B. Pusey points out.61 So faith expressed itself during the exile.” Zechariah was to take silver and gold from these men, form it into a crown which seems to have been formed in a way that it was more than one piece – so it was ornate – and place it on the high priest Joshua. THAT IS, HE WAS TO TAKE A CROWN THAT SPEAKS OF A KING AND CROWN THE HIGH PRIEST WITH IT. II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ACT (vs.12-13) What was the purpose of this? Well, clearly this was symbolic. And Zechariah is given instruction that makes that clear. He is given a message to declare regarding this sign. Joshua is serving as A TYPE OF A MAN WHOSE NAME IS BRANCH. God is providing a visual that drives home the point being conveyed by these 8 visions. God is working in the present with those returned from exile, but that present work speaks of an even greater work, a work to be accomplished by the Messiah. This is the same message that had already been conveyed in the 3rd chapter. What God is doing to encourage the people in Zechariah’s day, is meant to point them to a future day, and to the promised Messiah.