Di Man Wey Dem Dey Call di Branch

Dem melt silver. Dem hammer gold. Dem make crown. But dem no put am for king head. Dem put am for di head of priest.

Na still di early days of di return from exile, around five hundred and twenty years before Jesus. Jerusalem no get king. Di children-children of David dey live under Persian rule, and Zerubbabel, from di family of David, na governor, no be king. Di high priest Joshua dey lead di people for worship. Now three men arrive for Jerusalem from di Jewish community wey still dey live for Babylon. Dia names na Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah. Dem bring gifts of silver and gold, and dem dey stay for di house of one man wey dem dey call Josiah, son of Zephaniah. And God get one work for Zechariah wey concern dat gifts.

Di word of di Lord come to Zechariah. Collect silver and gold from dis exiles. Go dat same day to di house of Josiah. Make crowns, and put am for di head of Joshua, son of Jehozadak, di high priest. Imagine di surprise. Na kings dey wear crown. Priests dey wear turban. For Israel, dem keep di two work separate. King wey try act like priest enter serious trouble. And yet here, by di command of God, dem crown di priest. Na sign, one kind prophecy wey dem act out, and God explain am.

Zechariah go talk to Joshua. Na so di Lord of hosts talk: Look di man wey im name na di Branch! E go grow comot from im place, and e go build di temple of di Lord. E go build di temple of di Lord, e go carry di glory, and e go sit down rule for im throne. E go be priest for im throne, and peace go dey between di two. Di Branch go be king, wey go sit down for throne and rule. But e go also be priest. And between di two roles, di royal one and di priestly one, peace go dey, no be competition. One person go carry both.

Then God tell Zechariah wetin to do with di crown after. E no go stay for Joshua head. Dem go keep am inside di temple of di Lord as memorial, something to remember, for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen di son of Zephaniah, di men wey give am. And one promise follow. People wey dey far go come build for di temple of di Lord. People go come from far place to help. And then una go know say na di Lord of hosts send me to una. Dis one go happen, na so di Lord talk, if una obey im voice with all una heart.

See one detail wey go surprise you. Di name of di high priest, Joshua, for Hebrew na Yehoshua, wey mean di Lord dey save. When Jewish scholars translate di Hebrew Scriptures enter Greek, for di centuries before Christ, dem write im name as Iesous. Na exactly di same Greek name wey di gospels later give Jesus. For di Greek Bible of di first Christians, di priest wey dem crown for Zechariah chapter six and Jesus of Nazareth get di same name.

Di Man Wey Dem Dey Call di Branch. You go find am for Zechariah chapter six, verse nine to fifteen. Crown for priest head, wey dey point to person wey go come be both. Di New Testament call Jesus di son of David, wey dem born to be king, and di great high priest wey dey bring people come meet God. For Christmas, Christians dey remember say di baby inside di manger, dem born am to carry both. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Di Branch go be priest and king together. Wetin e mean for you say Jesus na both your king and di one wey dey bring you come meet God?