“AND he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zech. 3:11And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (Zechariah 3:1)). Consider, reader, this remarkable scene! Joshua was clothed with filthy garments (vs. 3). What a striking picture of the sinner’s state before God! He who ought to have been clothed in spotless white, covered with garments steeped in filth, standing in the holy presence of the angel of the Lord, and the arch-enemy of God and man, Satan, the adversary, there to resist him! What will be the issue of such a solemn state of affairs?
Firstly, what will Joshua say for himself and those he represents? Not a word. How is this? Is there no excuse or remedy for the filth? None whatever. His mouth is stopped, he is convicted and silent in the presence of the Lord, waiting to hear the accusation of the foe, and the sentence of the just Judge.
And what saith the adversary? What, silent also! How is this? Does he not behold the filthy garments? Surely. Has he any question as to making his accusation good? There could be nom. Is he not well aware that Joshua’s case is without remedy? Unquestionably. Why then does he not accuse? All, the Lord Himself, the Judge, has taken the guilty culprit’s part. Here lies the solution of the Gospel enigma, that only faith can understand. Where is the earthly judge who can silence the accuser, clear the guilty culprit, and maintain his character for justice? Such an one is not to be found. But God has found a way, as we shall show, and here it is strikingly illustrated in relation to Joshua, Israel’s high-priest. Yes, God can save, yet righteous be.
Joshua is silent; Satan is silent; but “the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (vs. 2.) And Satan answered not a word. Sinner, see yourself pictured by Joshua. There you stand, clad with the filthy garments of sin, in the presence of infinite holiness. Dare you open your lips to justify yourself before God? Have you the least shred of an excuse for your state? Steeped in sin, you deserve the judgment of God. Your condition convicts you hopelessly before Him. If He dealt with you on the ground of what you are, or what you have done, naught but endless banishment and woe could be your portion. If He allowed the adversary to open his lips against you, your eternal doom would be sealed.
But, oh, what surprise and joy must have filled the heart of the mouth-stopped Joshua, as he heard the Lord’s words, rebuking and silencing the foe, and telling of His gracious choice and delivering power! And what surprise and vexation must have filled the adversary as he saw his prey plucked from his greedy clutch, and the fire of richly deserved judgment. “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”
Have you ever heard and believed the word of the Lord, the word that silences the enemy, and assures you that you are delivered from everlasting fire? A brand fit for the flame is every sinner, filthy with sin, upon the face of the whole earth, but the Lord’s grace has plucked many out. How can these things be? Is God unjust? Nay. God has devised a scheme whereby He can deliver us in righteousness. Joshua was protected and delivered on the ground of what God would do. We are delivered and blessed on the ground of what God has done. He looked upon us in our miserable, guilty, and lost estate, and gave His Son, His only begotten, to bear for us the judgment we deserved, Jesus died on Calvary. There He bore the curse on our behalf; there He once for all exhausted the judgment of God, and glorified Him. On that ground alone, His finished work, God rebukes and silences Satan, and saves the lost. God is “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)).
Reader, is your heart rejoicing through His blessed word? Are you still trembling with a guilty conscience, dreading the accusation of the adversary? Or are you rejoicing, knowing that the enemy is silenced, and that the fire of judgment is behind you forever? Are you still a brand fit for the eternal burning? or are you plucked out by the mighty arm of the Lord, through His infinite graze?
But there is much more. “And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by” (verses 4, 5).
Not only does the Lord set Joshua’s conscience at rest, but his filthy garments were taken away; and the Lord’s own word assured him that his iniquity was caused to pass from him, and that He would clothe him with change of raiment. So is it with every soul who believes in Jesus. Do you believe in Him? Then, are your filthy garments removed forever, your sins eternally blotted out? for the Lord says, “Thy sins and thine iniquities will I remember no more.” “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom. 4:7, 87Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Romans 4:7‑8)). And God clothes us with Christ. He, so to speak, is our best robe before Him. God hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)).
And not only so, but Joshua was crowned with a pure miter upon his head. He was fitted by the Lord to be His priest. So also, believers in Jesus are set apart to be priests to God, a holy and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5-95Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:5‑9)). We are mitered, so to speak, to worship and serve Him. We are cleansed, clothed, and crowned through the riches of God’s grace; cleansed by the precious blood of Christ, clothed with divine righteousness, crowned to worship Him.
“And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts; and I will give thee places to walk among those that stand by” (verses 6, 7).
Here follows responsibility. Made meet in every way for the presence of God, we are called henceforth to walk before Him, and worthy of Him; to walk in His ways. Walking in our own ways, we clothed ourselves with the filthy garments of sin, and were in danger of the eternal fire (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). But now, reclothed with garments of His own providing, we are called to walk in the steps of His Son, and to glorify Him in all our ways. Privilege, blessing, and reward are the consequence, both now, and in the eternal future.
Sinner, how is it with you? Where does this little paper find you? Does the eye of a holy God still behold you in garments of filthiness? or are you cleansed, clothed, and crowned, and walking before Him to His praise?
E. H. C.