In the post-Exilic prophets, צֶמַח (Tzemach, "Branch, Sprout") functions as a veiled title for Melech HaMoshiach, the Davidic King who was to come. Yirmeyahu had already tied the title to David's line — "Hinei yamim ba'im... va'hakimoti l'David Tzemach tzaddik" (Jer. 23:5; cf. 33:15). Zechariah takes up the same code word twice, and both times he attaches it to a Kohen, a "mofet" Kohen (Zech 3:8) who is a portent of the coming Tzemach, the Moshiach whom David said would be a Kohen after the order of Melki-Tzedek (Psalm 110:4).

In Zechariah 3:8 Hashem first names עַבְדִּי צֶמַח, "My Servant the Branch," in a vision centered on Yehoshua/Yeshua the Kohen Gadol, specifically his personal name, which is declared to be the Moshiach's name, yes, Zechariah actually says that this Yeshua, that his name is the Moshiach, "Hinei, Ish; Tzemach is his name." See Zech 6:12. "Hinei ish, Tzemach shemo."

The navi's finger is pointed at a living man as a portent (Zech 3:8), and the very Name borne by this Kohen Gadol standing there, the very name — Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), "Hashem is Salvation," contracted in this post-Exilic period to the shortened form יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua, see Ezra 3:8) is also the very Name later given by the malach to Yosef Ben Dovid: "v'karata es Shmo YESHUA, ki Hu yoshia es amo mei'chatoeihem" — "you shall call His Name YESHUA, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Mattityahu 1:21).

This post-Exilic figure, this Kohen Gadol named Yehoshua/Yeshua, stands as a signpost of a greater Namesake to come. And the Moshiach will indeed build Hashem's House (Mt 16:18) as men make hoda'ah (acknowledgment) of him before men. In Isaiah 4:2 the ‘Branch of Hashem’ is the Davidic sonship in its human (‘fruit of the land’) nature as well as its divine nature (‘Branch/Scion/Heir/Son of Hashem’). As the sh'lichim later proclaimed of that final Yeshua: "v'ein b'shum acher ha'yeshu'ah, ki ein shem acher natun tachat hashamayim la'bnei adam asher bo yivashe'nu" — "there is salvation in no other, for there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Ma'asei/Acts 4:12). Why not pray this prayer, that is, what is in CAPITAL LETTERS STARTING "WHY NOT PRAY THESE (JEWISH) WORDS FROM THE (JEWISH) TANAKH"? See also from our AFII DIGITAL LIBRARY HOW TO POINT TO YESHUA IN YOUR RABBI'S BIBLE Now these three videos in this order Play the First Video and now Play the Second Video and finally Play the Third Video in preparation for the faith ordeal test of the mikveh whereby you receive the Besuras HaGeulah (the Good News of Redemption) in the Name of the one G-d who is One in His underlying being but three-fold in the Kedushah in the personal distinctions of His Personhood, being buried with Him in the Name of Elokim HaAv and Elokim HaBen and Elokim HaRuach HaKodesh to rise with Him to new life in preparation for Moshiach's Tish.