“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.  Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes. And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head. So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.”

” –Zechariah 3:1-5

Is this not one of the most beautiful Gospel texts in all the Bible?!

It is a courtroom scene, a judgment scene. There stands Joshua, obviously guilty in His filthy garments. The author of that filth the one who made Joshua filthy is also demanding justice. He, Satan, is the prosecuting attorney. Isn’t it ironic the one that authors our sin, leads us into sin, is in the end the one that will ultimately demand our lives. How quickly evil turns on itself.

I love how in this passage we don’t see Joshua, the one accused, the one guilty, the one needing to defend himself even speak a word; but he doesn’t need to! The Lord stands up and speaks on his behalf. The Lord tells Satan to be quiet. The Lord then commands the filth, the guilt be removed. And then the Lord speaks again and commands that new clothes, freedom, guiltless living be put on Joshua.

We make the Gospel very hard, but when we stand before the Lord He reads our hearts. He reads our sorrow. He knows our regret and our desire for things to be different. And because God looks on the heart He speaks over us forgiveness and newness of life.

I pray today no matter how guilty you are, that you will be willing to stand humbly before the Lord and let Him clean you and make you new through the blood of Jesus.