As Pastor was preaching this evening from Revelation 12:1-12, I was thinking about that "great dragon," the "ancient serpent," the Devil (which means "the slanderer") who accuses us before God. Job, a righteous man, was maliciously discredited by the Accuser (Job 1:6-11). Joshua the high priest was also discredited because of his filthy garments (Zech 3:1-10). There can be no doubt that Satan can find much with which to accuse us before the Lord.Praise the Lord for our Advocate, our divine Defense Attorney, who pleads our case! I love to meditate on the words of 1 John 2:1-2:
"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world" (ESV).In my mind's eye, I can picture the Righteous Judge of the Universe, God the Father presiding at his heavenly bench. When asked to present the case, the prosecuting attorney, an unctious and vicious lawyer, marches directly to the bench and with a sneer, begins to speak.
"Your Honor, I wish to direct Your attention to the life of one Mark Perry. While he claims to be Your child, he disobeys Your commands and fails to give You glory. Correct me if I'm wrong, Your Honor, but I believe You Yourself once said, 'The soul that sins shall die' and also, 'The wages of sin is death.' This pathetic human has sinned; he disobeys You with his actions, he dishonors You with his thoughts, and he fails to bring You glory with his words. It seems that if You truly are just and holy, Your Honor, this sinner must die! The prosecution rests, Your Honor."
There is a moment of awkward silence in the courtroom as the prosecutor saunters back to his seat and plops down with his arms folded across his chest, grinning smugly.
Suddenly there is a rustling from the courtroom and the Judge's own Son rises. "Your Honor, may I approach the bench?" he asks. "I have something to say in the defendant's behalf." The Judge looks up. "You may proceed, Son."
"Father, it is true that the defendant has sinned. It is true that even though he names Your name, he has failed to bring you glory. It is true that he deserves to die. But Father, that sentence has already been handed down and served. I took his death sentence and died in his place. My death on the cross paid the penalty the defendant's sin incurred. My death completely satisfied your righteous wrath."
"Furthermore, Father, if you will check the records, you will find under the defendant's name a balance of perfect righteousness--- my righteousness. The righteousness that I accrued by my perfect life was credited to his account at the moment he exercised saving faith in me. Therefore, I move that the charges be dropped because they have no merit."
The prosecuting attorney shifts nervously in his chair at this interjection. The Judge looks directly at the prosecuter and says sternly, "Counsel, I am dismissing all charges against the defendant since they are without merit. I rule that he is not guilty." With that, he brings his gavel down and the prosecuter slinks away, muttering under his breath.
What wonderful salvation! Because our Advocate lives forever, we experience complete and unshakeable salvation!
"Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7:25 ESV).
"Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died––more than that, who was raised––who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Rom 8:33-34 ESV).
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