The King Who Comes Close
Finding Jesus in Zechariah
Some passages of Scripture feel like thunder in the distance; you hear them before you understand them. Zechariah is one of those books. To my absolute delight, it is full, I mean FULL of the word, “behold.” It is also full of visions and symbols — crowns and horses, lampstands and scrolls — but woven through the imagery is a heartbeat. The heartbeat of:
A Person.
A King.
A King who does not stay distant.
A King who draws near.
Zechariah writes to a weary people: a people who returned home from exile with hope in their hands and disappointment in their eyes. The temple was only a shadow of what it once was. Their joy was thin. Their faith was tired.
And into that moment of joyless and faith fatigue, God speaks:
“Behold!”
Look again. Not at your lack. Not at your delay. Look at Me. Zechariah invites the people, and us, to put our eyes back where they belong. To behold the King.
Behold: The Priest Who Cleanses
In Zechariah 3, we meet Joshua the high priest — standing before the throne of God wearing filthy garments.
Joshua in Zechariah is not just a symbolic figure; he is Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest who survived the fall of Jerusalem and returned from exile, his story marked by disruption and loss. His father and grandfather had served in the priesthood before Babylon tore everything down (2 Kgs. 25:18–21; 1 Chron. 6:15), so Joshua carries the weight of a broken priestly line, standing in the ruins of what once was. When he appears in Zechariah 3, clothed in filthy garments, he represents the spiritual condition of the people — weary, stained, and unable to repair themselves. And yet, God cleanses him, clothes him, and crowns him (Zech. 3 and 6), declaring that his restoration is a sign of the One who is coming.
Joshua is a living prophecy: a wounded high priest restored by God to point forward to a greater Yeshua — Jesus — who would not only stand before God on behalf of the people, but who would be the cleansing, the righteousness, and the rebuilding Himself. (Don’t worry, we’ll come back to this priest’s name in a bit). But first, take a step back and recognize that in the place of Joshua stands a representation.
This is Israel.
This was the high priest, Joshua, son of Jehozadak — a man carrying a broken lineage, a weary story, and the weight of his people.
This is us.
This is me.
This is you.
Ashamed. Unprepared. Covered in our filth. Aware of our failure. But the Lord does not shame him. He replaces his garments.
“Remove the filthy garments from him… behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you” (Zech. 3:4).
And then — something unusual happens.
“Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord. Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”
Zechariah 6:11-13
Joshua, the priest, is symbolically crowned as king!
Yep. You read that right.
One role.
One person.
A priest-king.
But hold on a second- only One would ever fulfill this fully.
Jesus, the Priest who cleanses.
Jesus, the King who reigns.
Not a distant king that we can never know, or one we can never put our hope in.
A King who kneels first. Who washes feet. Who heals and breaks down cultural barriers to have theological discussions.
Behold: The King Who Comes Humble
Zechariah 9 gives us a picture we know well:
“Behold, your king is coming to you… humble and riding on a donkey.”
This verse should immediately remind us of the narrative of Jesus riding into Jerusalem, crowds shouting, palm branches waving —
but the moment is quieter than we often imagine.
He doesn’t arrive with chariots.
Or soldiers.
Or spectacle.
He comes humble. Approachable. A King who does not crush those who are bruised by life, but gathers them up. This is not the kind of king the world expects. BUT- this is the King our hearts long for.
Behold: The Shepherd Who Is Pierced
And then Zechariah gives us a prophecy that feels like it should make us tremble:
“They will look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced…” (Zech. 12:10).
Wait. How theologically rich is this book of the Old Testament? How can all this be in here?!?!? (It may just become my new favorite).
The God of glory says: I will be pierced for My people. He doesn’t say: I will be seated on a throne far above everyone else to the point that they cannot reach Me, understand Me, or hear Me. And the prophet Zechariah continues with yet ANOTHER foreshadowing of the Messiah. He writes that this Shepherd/King/Priest who feeds, leads, heals, and restores is betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12–13). He was rejected, wounded, and crucified. Not because He was powerless —but because love chooses to suffer for the beloved. He is the King who does not rule from a throne above pain, but a cross inside it.
Behold: The Fountain That Never Runs Dry
Zechariah 13:1 gives a promise so gentle it feels like breath:
“On that day there shall be a fountain opened… to cleanse from sin and impurity.”
Not a drop. Not a sprinkle. Not a ration. Not a pour from a pitcher. A fountain. Gushing from within the earth. Living water. From Him.
Grace that keeps flowing.
Mercy that never empties.
Forgiveness that is fluid.
This is Jesus — pouring out love that washes shame away. How do you sit with this? How does your life reflect this limitless fountain of redemption?
Behold: The King Who Returns in Glory
Zechariah doesn’t end in sorrow. It ends in music and laughter with the people experiencing restored joy. The same Jesus who came humbly will come again in glory.
His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. (Zech. 14:4)
The Lord will be King over all the earth. (Zech. 14:9)
Every tear dries. Justice reigns. Peace is not fragile anymore. This is the end of the story in Zechariah. But it’s hinting toward the beginning of eternity.
So, Where Is Jesus in Zechariah?
Everywhere!
He is the Priest who cleanses.
He is the King who reigns.
He is the Shepherd who is pierced.
He is the Fountain that restores.
He is the Lord who returns.
He is the King who comes close and steps into our story so we can step into His vision, mission, and story.
Behold: The Priest-King Whose Name is Jesus
There is a moment in Zechariah that feels almost like a whisper from God to anyone willing to pay attention. (Remember all those “beholds?”) In chapter 3, we meet the high priest — a man standing before the Lord, covered in shame, covered in failure, wearing garments that tell the truth about the condition of the people.
His name?
Joshua. (Did you catch that?)
In Hebrew, it’s written as: Yehōshua → which shortens later in Hebrew and Aramaic to → Yeshua.
The same name we speak in English as: Jesus.
Whoa.
This is no coincidence; it’s not even an accident. As I stated earlier, it’s a foreshadowing because God is showing us something long before Bethlehem ever saw starlight from that celestial phenomenon.
Joshua, this high priest in Zechariah’s day, stands there on behalf of the people.
He cannot cleanse himself.
He cannot fix himself.
He cannot carry the holiness required.
But the Lord steps in.
“Remove the filthy garments from him… behold, I have taken your iniquity away.” (Zech. 3:4)
Then — astonishingly — Zechariah shows this same Yeshua crowned (Zech. 6:11).
Priest and King.
One person.
One office.
One mission.
One Savior
This was unthinkable in Israel’s history — kings came from David’s line, priests came from Aaron’s. They were always separate.
Unless…
There was Someone coming who would unite what was once divided. Someone who would not just offer sacrifice — but be the sacrifice. Someone who would not just intercede — but reign. Zechariah is holding a lantern up for us:
Behold the Name.
Behold the Priest.
Behold the King.
Behold Yeshua.
Centuries later, Mary holds a newborn, and an angel tells Joseph:
“You shall call His name Yeshua — Jesus —
for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
And suddenly the story comes full circle.
The one cleansed and crowned in Zechariah was a sign. He was a shadow. A glimpse into God’s plan. But the One who came in Bethlehem, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, was pierced, and rose — He is the complete fulfillment.
He is the:
Priest who cleanses
King who reigns
Shepherd who was pierced and still loves
Fountain opened for grace that never runs out
His very name carries His mission: Yeshua — the Lord saves. And He does.
