"in the Hebrew scriptures, satan was the angel who was the counsel for the prosecution against men in the presence of God. he was the adversary of men." -w. barclay.
i came across this passage in a revelation commentary this morning, and i found it interesting to think of satan in this way, as a prosecutor in the presence of God, bringing before heaven all the evil things that humanity has done and bringing to God's attention the selfishness that consistently resides in our hearts.
our accuser.
highlighting what we once were,
emphasizing our crooked choices,
and reminding us of all we do not deserve.
and it was such a beautiful and moving thing for me to then compare that image to Jesus.
our beautiful, compassionate, generous, powerful, victorious, and faultless Defender, sitting at the right hand of God, intimately speaking with Him on our behalf.
making hollow all those accusations of guilt.
and God, the great and merciful Judge, choosing to listen to the voice and the witness of His Son, the great Messiah of humanity, rather than the adversary.
no longer is it our own lives that stand as witness.
it is now the life of the unblemished Lamb, Son of the MOST HIGH GOD, that stands on trial as evidence in the Kingdom.
and the verdict comes in: not guilty.
and the verdict comes in:
GRACE.
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"the forgiveness which is in the Cross has left satan the accuser no possible accusation to make." -w. barclay.
"be strong in the grace of Jesus." -paul.
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