At the time when the Jewish remnant returned to Israel to rebuild the walls, Joshua was the High Priest (Haggai 1:1, 2:4).
In verses one - four:
Satan “resisted” (accused) Joshua, who depicts the country of Israel here. The allegations were exact, Joshua remained in “filthy garments” (sins). In any case, God uncovered his benevolence, expressing that he decided to go ahead and save the Jewish people anyway. Satan is continuously blaming individuals for their wrongdoings before God (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-8). However, he incredibly misjudges the expansiveness of God's benevolence and absolution toward the people who trust in him. The accuser, Satan, will at last be annihilated (Revelation 12:10), while each and every individual who believes and accepts Christ as Savior will be saved (John 3:16). To be set we should request that God take off our attire of transgression and clothe us with his righteousness.
So, we see that Joshua is appointed and Satan stands to accuse him. With Joshua representing the nation of Israel, the allegations were precise, Joshua was standing in filthy rags, which represented sin. Joshua’s appearance / man’s appearance.
Ezra 9:15, O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
Isaiah 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
God chastised Judah through the fire of extraordinary tribulations, however he saved the people before they were totally obliterated, similar to a “brand plucked out of the fire.”
The vision that Zechariah has graphically depicts how we can receive God's leniency. We cannot do anything for ourselves. It is at God's drive that our dirty articles of clothing (“filthy rags”) (sin) are taken off, and God furnishes us with new, clean garments (righteousness) (2 Corinthians 5:21; Revelation 19:8). All that we require to do is to atone and request that God pardon us. When Satan attempts to cause us to feel grimy and shameful, we are to recollect that the perfect garments of the righteousness of Christ make us qualified to step toward to God.
2 Corinthians 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Revelation 19:8, And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
In verses five - seven:
Joshua is made acceptable, and he is given a mitre (crown) and he was given a charge. Joshua is the Greek name for Jesus, which means “Jehovah saves.” This Joshua ought not be mistaken for Joshua the warrior of the book of Joshua. Nonetheless, both the warrior Joshua and the High Priest Joshua, have been viewed as images of Jesus the Messiah (Exodus 28:37-40).
1 Kings 3:14, And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
In verses eight - ten:
The priesthood was nonexistent during the exile, so it had to be restored upon the returning to the Promised Land. In this vision, Joshua was introduced as the High Priest. One of the High Priest's obligations was to offer a penance on the Day of Atonement to set things right for every one of the wrongdoings of individuals. The priest was the go between person (mediator) between God and the Israelites. In this way, he addressed the approaching Christ (Isaiah 11:1), who would alter the whole decree of God's managing of the sins of the people (Hebrews 10:8-14). Jesus, the Messiah, was the High Priest who offered, unequivocally, the penance of himself to remove our transgressions. In his new requirement, each Christian is a priest who is to offer a blessed and purified life to God (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:10).
Imagine if you will a court room. God is the judge. Satan is the prosecuting attorney, and he is telling the court everything that we have done wrong. We are the accused. Jesus is the defense lawyer, and he has paid the price for our sins. Ever notice the prosecutor is to the left side of the judge and the defense is on the right?
Acts 2:33, Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Romans 8:34, Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Hebrews 1:3, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
We were appointed when we accepted Christ as our Savior. Satan is always trying to accuse us. In sin we had an old appearance, but in Christ we have a new appearance. We have been made acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus Christ. We have been given a crown of life, and we have also been given a charge to go and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Can anyone tell just by looking at us that we are Christians? Have we traded our old clothes for new clothes, our old walk for a new walk, our old way of talking for a new way of talking? Do we use the same language, the same jokes, the same whatever? Do we go to the same places that we did before we accepted Christ into our hearts? Do we project Christ in our lives, in everywhere that we go, and in everything that we do? Do we set the example? (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 6:17; 1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:15-16)
So, if you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Thanks to Calvary, I am not the man I used to be. Thanks to Calvary, things are different than before.
Courtroom Script
The first time I preached this message, we presented a short presentation to the congregation. I was the accused man.
In the following script, the accused man has a torn (cut into strips) black shirt on under his jacket that the congregation cannot see. Under that torn shirt he is wearing a white T-shirt. The pastor of the church plays the part of Satan. Two other men (deacon, choir director, Sunday school teacher, etc.) play the part of Jesus and God.
God:
Looks at Satan and says –
Satan, what do you have to say?
Satan:
Looks at the man then looks toward God and says –
This man is a liar, cheater, a drunkard, a thief, he's selfish, and has had immoral thoughts.
Satan pulls off the man’s coat, parades him around and says –
See, he is nothing but filthy rags, he is dirty, he is no good.
God:
Looks at Jesus and says –
Jesus, what do you have to say?
Jesus:
Looks at the man then looks back at God and says –
One day I heard him cry out to me asking for forgiveness. He accepted my sacrifice of dying on
the cross for his sins. I do not know of these things.
Jesus takes off the rags, and parades man around then says –
See here, he is clean!
Jesus looks at the crowd and says –
What sins are you talking about? I do not remember them anymore. From the Book of Life, they have all been torn out. I do not remember them anymore.
