Joshua foreshadowing Jesus in Zechariah

Many years ago, I was asked  why the Old Testament didn't just give us the name "Jesus" in prophecy.

Most people probably don't know that the Hebrew name translated "Joshua" is the name "Jesus." If you take the Hebrew name for Joshua and transliterate it into Greek (Greek letters in place of the Hebrew), and then transliterate it into English (English for the Greek), you have the name Jesus.

The Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament, uses the Greek name for Joshua from which we get Jesus.

The book of Zechariah gives an account about the High Priest of Jerusalem (after Babylonian captivity) whose name was Joshua which looks prophetically to Jesus.  The account looks to the day when priest and king will be a united role in one person--not two people but one.

 Jesus will fulfill that role, being both high priest and king.

"Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua [Jesus--LXX] the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

Then speak to him, saying,

'Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying:

"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!

From His place He shall branch out,

And He shall build the temple of the Lord;

Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.

He shall bear the glory,

And shall sit and rule on His throne;

So He shall be a priest on His throne,

And the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'  Zechariah 6.11-13

It's surely not a coincidence that the high priest spoken to in this prophecy had the name Joshua, which is Jesus after the transliterations.  Amazing stuff!