We earlier brought in the Scripture of the High Priest as the Branch to show that the roles of High Priest and King Messiah would be fulfilled in the Son of God.  However, we can also understand from Scripture that the Son of God would rule in glory, but He would also suffer for sin.  The Branch of David will rule the nations as King Messiah, the Son of God.  He will be called the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

The Branch of David is a title for the exaltation of King Messiah the Son of God, but the engraving of the Branch is responsible for removing the iniquity of Israel in one day.  In Zechariah 3, the Branch is called God’s servant and is compared to a stone.  This Stone is engraved or marked and is connected with removing the iniquity of the nation in one day.

Zechariah 3:8 “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Zechariah 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.”

The Hebrew word in Zechariah 3:9 for engrave means “to open wide, plough or carve.”  The opening wide of the Branch will cause the iniquity to be removed in one day.  This verse does not provide what the opening will be or how it occurs.  It simply states the engraving of the Branch will be connected with the removal of sin.

However, the prophet Zechariah later in his book shows exactly how the iniquity is removed.  A fountain will be opened (the same Hebrew word as engrave) to cleanse the people from sin and uncleanness.  The fountain comes from the engraving of the Branch, the Son of God.

We know King Messiah would be beaten and die for sin, but we can further see that the beating and scourging engraved Him with stripes and marks which will remove iniquity and sin in one day.  This would open a wide fountain of His blood to cleanse the people from their sin and iniquity.

Zechariah 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”

In Isaiah’s fourth Servant Song, chapter 53, we clearly see the reason why King Messiah, the Son of God, was beaten and the reason for His death.  He was going to take the punishment that was due for sin.  He was going to die in the place of others.  We see that 2 Samuel 7:14 describes the punishments which were due Solomon for his sins, but centuries later, King Messiah received them in his place.

The punishment that the Son of God took for Solomon was a picture of what He was going to do for all of mankind! Through the Lord Jesus’ suffering and death, all of mankind could be reconciled to the holy God of Israel.

God’s righteous Servant, the Son of God was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for iniquities; and with His scourging we are healed.  He was sinless, with no deceit in Him. The LORD laid on the Son of God the iniquity of us all:

Isaiah 53:9 “...he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

The prophet also shows that God’s righteous Servant, the Son of God, would pay the death penalty for sin.  By His death, those who believe in Him would be justified before the holy God of Israel.  King Messiah would take upon Himself the sins of the people to bear the punishment for all their sin.

Isaiah 53:8 “...for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (10)...when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin...

(11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (12)...he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many...”

However, before King Messiah could rule over His people, the problem of sin had to be addressed.  God had to deal with the sin of man before the Son of God could sit on His throne in the temple on Mount Zion .  Man’s sin is a serious matter with God, and sin must be reconciled before He could rule in glory upon the earth.

Jesus of Nazareth, the sinless, only begotten Son of God was beaten and died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind.  For the promised punishment for sin, He was beaten with rods and scourged with a whip just as 2 Samuel 7:14 states should have happened to Solomon for all his sin.

The sinless Son of God took not only Solomon’s punishment for sin, but the punishment due all of mankind.  Anyone who repents of sin, and comes under the death of the Son of God, is then forgiven and reconciled with God.  The message of the New Testament is in perfect accord with the Hebrew Scriptures.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Hebrews 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Revelation 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

The New Testament is in perfect agreement with the Hebrew Scriptures.  The Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth is not something that was invented 2000 years ago.  The Gospel is the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures showing that King Messiah, the Son of God would be the sin bearer of mankind.  The death of the Son of God reconciled sinful man with the holy God of Israel.

God is now establishing His church where Jew and Gentile are one in King Messiah.  At the conclusion of the church age, the Son of God will return in His awesome glory and power.  He will then establish the promised glorious kingdom on earth.  He will rule and reign from His throne in the holy place of the temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem .

The Son of God came the first time exactly as the prophets foretold.  He will come literally the second time just as the Hebrew Scriptures report.  His believers wait in anticipation:

Revelation 22:20 “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

By John McTernan: Defend and Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name