Discuss the story in small groups using the following questions. {10–15 minutes}
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When God told his people to be holy like him, how were they supposed to treat other people? And who were they supposed to worship? Why can’t God be around unholy people?
Takeaway
Because God is holy, only holy people can be in his presence.
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If we picture God’s holiness as something perfectly clean, what would it look like to be unholy? What things make us unholy, or dirty, in God’s eyes (since we know it’s not dirt)?
Takeaway
Our sin makes us dirty, or unholy, in God’s eyes.
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Why couldn’t God’s people go into the temple and meet with God? What did the priests have to do to be allowed to be in God’s presence? What did Joshua fail to do? What did God do for Joshua?
Takeaway
To be in God’s presence we must be cleaned from our sin.
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Who did the angel of the Lord say was coming to remove the sin from Israel in a single day? Who is the Branch? Since we have all sinned and become unholy or dirty, how can we become clean? How does the story in Zechariah end, and why is that the perfect response?
Takeaway
Let’s celebrate that Jesus, the promised high priest and Branch from David’s family tree, has removed our sin.
