Zechariah 3

The High Priest represents the people to God, and God to the people. It was known their sins could see him die on the Day of Atonement when he entered the Holy of Holies with the incense offering (Leviticus 16:13). The High Priest might appear pretty nice in the vestments of his office, but that’s what the eyes of men see. Could we see things from the Spirit Realm, we would see the High Priest clothed in whatever state of covenant purity the people stood.
In this vision, the High Priest stands before the Angel of the Lord. At his right hand the Accuser stands to denounce him before the Lord. First, the voice of God through the Angel rebukes the Accuser. Doing so twice rather confirms he must shut his mouth. It’s not as if he has no case, but the Judge has other priorities. He refers to the High Priest as a piece of wood snatched from the fire, and put out so as to preserve what was left. For whatever reason, the Judge has decided He wants to keep some portion of the Nation of Israel awhile longer.
So we are treated to the scene where the Judge recognizes the High Priest is wearing sewage-stained garments. Nasty smelling in God’s nostrils, but there is provision to fix this problem. He is stripped clean and clothed in fresh clean garments so his service is acceptable. This is rather like God saying He will absorb the costs of sin and allow the people to try again. Thus, the Lord speaks through His Angel to announce the condition for this rescue. Should the people give themselves to living according to eternal purposes, they will be permitted to live in the company of angels. That is, the angels of God will hang around the people and keep the Accuser at bay. They will abundantly supply all the promises of the Covenant.
This rescued firebrand symbolizes a branch which serves a purpose, and it’s a good Hebrew pun, because the terms “Branch” (sprout, bud, a green shoot) and “Servant” combined have long symbolized the Messiah. The Lord wants Judah to understand their holiness will prepare them to receive the Messiah when He comes. Their failure will not hold Him back, but would limit their participation in the blessings of His reign. He wants them to build a life on the cornerstone of this promise: The Lord can remove their vast long catalog of national sin in a single act if they embrace the calling He offers here. The promise closes with the traditional image of shalom — everyone in the shade of his own vine and his own fig tree with enough to invite friends to share the bounty.