Scripture
Zechariah 3: 1-10 (ESV)
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by. And the angel of the LORD solemnly assured Joshua, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven [facets], I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”
AI Prompt
Create an image in the style of the Nuremberg Chronicle (circa 1493), depicting a gemstone with seven sides resting in a man's cupped hand, illuminated by heavenly lighting. The image should mimic the distinctive woodcut illustrations of the Nuremberg Chronicle, known for their detailed line work and a somewhat gothic aesthetic. The gemstone should be portrayed with its rich red color and detailed surface, reflecting a cross within it in a style consistent with the late 15th-century art. The man's hand and the background should also match the historical artistic style of the Nuremberg Chronicle, with an emphasis on the linear quality and the stark, dramatic contrast typical of woodcut prints from that era, contributing to the mystical and historical atmosphere of the scene.
Process/Reflection
In Zechariah's fourth night-vision, he is given the promise of the coming of the Branch (a term for the Messiah) who will remove the sin of the land in a single day. This promise is symbolized by a stone given to Joshua, the high priest. God's own promise to bring this cleansing about is engraved on the stone as a guarantee of its fulfillment. This promise was ultimately accomplished in the atoning death of Christ on the cross. I am continuing to experiment with different styles. For this image, I prompted AI to produce an image in the woodcut style of the 1500's. I love the serendipitous detail of the two figures in the lower corners. One figure looks evil and demonic and the other beneficent and holy. These details tie in well with the scene described in the text of Joshua the high priest standing before God in dirty clothing and being accused by Satan. Joshua's deliverance comes when another intercedes for him and he is given clean garments to wear. Then the promise is given that the cleansing that has been done for Joshua is a sign of what God will one day do for all the people.