In an unusually recorded, but perhaps not so unusual occurrence, Satan is seen standing before the Angel of the Lord to accuse Joshua, the high priest. This mean adversary is descriptively indicting Joshua, and in so doing, accusing all of Israel of their unworthiness, sinfulness, filthiness, and inability to stand before the Holy Lord. The enemy’s clear intention is to bring ruin to the people of God, and for the Lord to cast them from His presence. The adversary is quickly and emphatically rebuked. The Sovereign Lord will accomplish His purpose and perfect design. The accused had been specifically chosen by God, as a burning stick taken from a raging fire; God’s people were preserved when it appeared they would never again see Jerusalem or the temple; they were delivered from the bondage of captivity and restored. The Angel of the Lord spoke clearly, “‘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’” (Zechariah 3.4). Israel belongs to God; God had brought cleansing; they are His; they will not be lost; they will not be removed.
In this we also see the character of Christ and His redeemed people. We see the enemy attempting to accuse believers of the filthiness of their sin; he wants to render believers powerless. But our God will not be moved; His church will not be destroyed; His people will not be lost. Though deceitfully and miserably accused by the enemy, our Lord has clothed us with the righteous garments of Jesus Christ; though we have been filthy in sin, despicable in His presence, and unable to do anything to make ourselves acceptable, we have been cleansed, freed, and welcomed into the Holy presence of the eternal God through the blood of Christ. Not from what we have done, but by His grace He picked us from the fires of destruction and clothed us with His purity, enabling us to forever stand in His presence. All glory be to our God!
Secure in Christ – we have much to be thankful for –
Terry Burlingame
My Morning Desk 