By Kingsley Baehr
Let me set the scene.
We are in a courtroom. A trial is set to commence. The Judge is seated. The prosecuting attorney has his brief ready. The defense attorney is surprisingly not mentioned. There are spectators standing around as well.
The one on trial is named Joshua. He is a high priest. He is dressed in filthy garments.
The prosecuting attorney opens his mouth to speak—:
We are in a courtroom. A trial is set to commence. The Judge is seated. The prosecuting attorney has his brief ready. The defense attorney is surprisingly not mentioned. There are spectators standing around as well.
The one on trial is named Joshua. He is a high priest. He is dressed in filthy garments.
The prosecuting attorney opens his mouth to speak—:
“The LORD rebukes you, Satan!” pronounces the Judge.
“But—“
“The LORD, who has chosen the people represented by this high priest, rebukes you!
“I have snatched this man from the fire of judgment. I will hear no accusations against him. Case closed!”
Then the Judge turns to those who are witnessing this incredible non-trial.
“Remove Joshua’s filthy clothes.”
He turns to Joshua and tenderly says to him, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”
This is speedily done. A clean high-priestly turban is fitted on his head in place of the filthy one that was removed.
“But—“
“The LORD, who has chosen the people represented by this high priest, rebukes you!
“I have snatched this man from the fire of judgment. I will hear no accusations against him. Case closed!”
Then the Judge turns to those who are witnessing this incredible non-trial.
“Remove Joshua’s filthy clothes.”
He turns to Joshua and tenderly says to him, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”
This is speedily done. A clean high-priestly turban is fitted on his head in place of the filthy one that was removed.
“But,” you will say to me, “that is the craziest trial I have ever heard of! How did you dream that one up?”
I answer, “It is not my dream. It is part of a prophecy given by God to Zechariah in His Book, the Bible [Zech. 3:1-7].
“But,” you ask, “what does it all mean? Who is the Judge? Why wasn’t the defense attorney in the courtroom? Who is Joshua, really? Why the filthy clothes? What crime had Joshua committed? Why was Satan not allowed to bring any accusation against him? Why was he not punished? What’s the deal with the turban?”
“I understand it this way:
The Judge is the LORD Jesus Christ. John 5:22,23
The defense attorney who is Jesus Christ is also the Judge, so, in fact, He is there. John 10:30
Initially Joshua represented the nation of Israel, but today, for us, he represents each one of us. Hebrews 5:1
The filthy clothes picture our sinful condition, the result of our crime of unbelief and rebellion against the Judge and His Father God. Isaiah 64:6
Satan is silenced and rebuked by the Judge, Jesus Christ, because He Himself has served the sentence and paid the punishment for our sin when He died and rose again on our behalf. 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; 1 Peter 3:18
We are not punished because the LORD Jesus Christ was punished for us. Isaiah 53:4-6
And if we accept His payment of our punishment, He gives us the right, as priests [pictured by the clean turban] to stand before Him and bring our offerings of service, worship and praise to Him.” John 3:17,18; Romans 8:1a;
SO THE QUESTION IS:
WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE STANDING BEFORE THE JUDGE WHO DIED TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR YOUR SIN,
WILL YOU HEAR HIM SAY TO YOU,
“SEE, I HAVE TAKEN AWAY YOUR SIN”?
WILL HE GIVE YOU HIS CLEANLINESS IN PLACE OF YOUR FILTHINESS?
WILL HE GIVE YOU HIS CLEANLINESS IN PLACE OF YOUR FILTHINESS?
OR WILL YOU HEAR HIM SAY, “DEPART FROM ME; I NEVER KNEW YOU.” Matthew 7:23
IT IS YOUR CHOICE.