FBC Morning Light – December 14, 2022

The Accuser in Revelation and Zechariah

Well, a good Wednesday morning. Yesterday, if you saw the video, The Devotional, we talked about the accuser of the brethren in Revelation 12 and how he is overcome by the brethren, by means of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

They demonstrated the genuineness of their faith by loving Christ more than they love even their own lives. Well, that accuser doesn't just show up in the book of Revelation. He also appears in today's reading in the book of Zechariah chapter 3.

Joshua the High Priest and Satan's Accusation

Zechariah has a vision of the person who was serving as the high priest at that time, his Old Testament, of course, and that was a man by the name of Joshua. And don't confuse that with Joshua who fit the Battle of Jericho.

This is many, many years later, centuries later. This is another Joshua, and he's the high priest. But verse 1 says that Satan was standing at Joshua's right hand to oppose him, and Joshua is standing before the angel of the Lord.

Satan is there trying to oppose, to be an accuser against Joshua. And as the story continues, as this vision continues, we might say there's some justification for that accusation, because after all, it goes on to say that Joshua was, in verse 3, he was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel.

Filthy Garments, Sin, and the Need for Cleansing

What I want us to realize here is that Joshua, in this passage, in this vision, really represents all who are in Christ Jesus, because the reality is we all are clothed in filthy garments. All of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, the Scripture says.

There is none who does good, no, not one. And so, we could say there is justification for Satan's accusations, right, because of our filthy garments. And is there any one of us who has come to the place in our lives where we can say, I have no sin, no, I have absolutely a pure life, pure mind, pure heart, pure motives, I am absolutely perfectly sinless.

Yeah, right. No. Our best garments are stained by our sin, our indwelling sin. And so, therefore, Satan has something to accuse us of, doesn't he? Doesn't he have a point? Doesn't he have a justification for accusing us?

And is his accusation going to stand? No, because as the vision continues, the Lord says to Satan, the Lord rebuke you, Satan. The Lord rebuke you. Is not this, speaking of Joshua, a brand plucked from the fire?

Just like you, if you are in Christ Jesus, a brand plucked from the fire. But there is more. In verse 4, it says, he answered and spoke to those who stood before him, before the Lord, take away the filthy garments from Joshua.

And to him he said, see, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes. And what the Lord did for Joshua, so he does for you who are in Christ Jesus. You overcome him by the blood of the Lamb.

And the blood of the Lamb cleanses us from all sins, and you are then robed in the righteousness of Christ. Your filthy garments are taken away from you, just as they were from Joshua the high priest.

They're taken away from you. Your iniquity is forgiven. It is removed from you. He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. He casts them into the depths of the sea, never to see them again.

Your iniquity is removed from you, and you are then clothed in the righteousness of Christ, in these white robes of Christ's righteousness. What a wonderful image this is. I hope as you read Zechariah chapter 3, you see application of this to more than to Joshua.

It applies to every New Testament believer in Christ, we who have overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony. Let's give thanks to God for his grace, his wonderful, amazing grace.

The Clean Turban and the Purified Mind

This passage goes on to say, they also put a clean turban on his head. They put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him as the angel of the Lord stood by. Here is the priest, Joshua the priest, standing with clean clothes, a clean turban, which refers to his mind is then purified and cleansed as well.

It is transformed. He just represents you, a New Testament priest of our God. Let's give thanks to the Lord for his grace. We are so thankful, Father, for your saving, cleansing grace, that you take away our iniquity, and you put on us the righteous robes of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you, gracious Father, for your amazing grace. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, listen, have a great Wednesday. May the Lord bless you in it.