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Royalty and Ruin
fire?”
Verse 2
. Because of their sins Israel had been nearly consumed
in the flame that Satan and his agents lit for their destruction, but
God had now set about to rescue them.
As the Lord accepted Joshua’s intercession, He commanded,
“Take away the filthy garments from him.” Then he said to Joshua,
“‘I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you
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with rich robes.’ ... So they ... put the clothes on him.”
Verses 4,
5
. The Lord pardoned his sins and those of his people. Israel was
clothed with “rich robes”—the righteousness of Christ imputed to
them. Despite Joshua’s former sins, he was now qualified to minister
before God in His sanctuary. If obedient, he would be honored as the
judge, or the ruler, over the temple and would walk among attending
angels even in this life. At last he would join the glorified throng
around the throne of God.
“Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, ... I am bringing forth My
Servant the Branch.”
Verse 8
. In the “Branch,” the Deliverer to
come, lay the hope of Israel. By faith in the coming Savior Joshua
and his people had received pardon and had been restored to God’s
favor. On the basis of His merits they would be honored as the
chosen of Heaven among the nations of earth.
In all ages Satan is “the accuser of our brethren, who accused
them before our God day and night.”
Revelation 12:10
. The contro-
versy is repeated over every sinner rescued from the power of evil.
Never is one received into the family of God without awakening the
enemy’s determined resistance. But He who was Israel’s defense,
their justification and redemption, is the hope of the church today.
How Satan Works
Satan accuses those who seek the Lord, but not because he is dis-
pleased with their sins. He gloats over their defective characters, for
he knows that he can only obtain power over them as they transgress
God’s law. His accusations arise solely from hatred for Christ. As
he sees in people the evidences of Christ’s supremacy, he works to
pull away from Him those who have accepted salvation. He leads
men and women to lose confidence in God and separate from His
love. He tempts them to break the law and then claims them as his
captives, disputing Christ’s right to take them from him.