Joshua and the Angel
Joshua and
the Angel
By Ellen White
If
the veil which separates the visible from the invisible world could be lifted,
and the people of God could behold the great controversy that is going on
between Christ and holy angels and Satan and his evil hosts concerning the
redemption of man; if they could understand the wonderful work of God for the
rescue of souls from the bondage of sin, and the constant exercise of His power
for their protection from the malice of the evil one, they would be better
prepared to withstand the devices of Satan. Their minds would be solemnized in
view of the vast extent and importance of the plan of redemption and the
greatness of the work before them as colaborers with
Christ. They would be humbled, yet encouraged, knowing that all heaven is
interested in their salvation. {5T 467.2}
A
most forcible and impressive illustration of the work of Satan and the work of
Christ, and the power of our Mediator to vanquish the accuser of His people, is
given in the prophecy of Zechariah. In holy vision the prophet beholds Joshua
the high priest, "clothed with filthy garments," standing before the
Angel of the Lord, entreating the mercy of God in behalf of his people who are
in deep affliction. Satan stands at his right hand to resist him. Because
Israel had been chosen to preserve the knowledge of God in the earth, they had
been, from their first existence as a nation, the special objects of Satan's
enmity, and he had determined to cause their destruction. He could do them no
harm while they were obedient to God; therefore he had bent all his power and
cunning to enticing them into sin. Ensnared by his temptations they had
transgressed the law of God and thus separated from the Source of their
strength, and had been left to become the prey of their heathen enemies. They
were carried into captivity to Babylon, and there remained for many years. Yet
they were not forsaken of the Lord. His prophets were sent to them with
reproofs and warnings. The people were awakened to see their guilt,
they humbled themselves before God, and returned to Him with true repentance.
Then the Lord sent them messages of encouragement, declaring that He would
deliver them from their captivity and restore them to His favor. It was this
that Satan was determined to prevent. A remnant of Israel had already returned
to their own land, and Satan was seeking to move upon the heathen nations, who
were his agents, to utterly destroy them. {5T 467.3}
As
Joshua humbly pleads for the fulfillment of God's promises, Satan stands up
boldly to resist him. He points to the transgressions of Israel as a reason why
that people should not be restored to the favor of God. He claims them as his
prey and demands that they be given into his hands to be destroyed. {5T 468.1}
The high priest cannot defend himself or his people from Satan's accusations.
He does not claim that Israel are free from fault. In
his filthy garments, symbolizing the sins of the people, which he bears as
their representative, he stands before the Angel, confessing their guilt, yet
pointing to their repentance and humiliation, relying upon the mercy of a
sin-pardoning Redeemer and in faith claiming the promises of God. {5T 468.2}
Then the Angel, who is Christ Himself, the Saviour of sinners, puts to silence
the accuser of His people, declaring: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even
the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked
out of the fire?" Israel had long remained in the furnace of affliction.
Because of their sins they had been well-nigh consumed in the flame kindled by
Satan and his agents for their destruction, but God had now set His hand to
bring them forth. In their penitence and humiliation the compassionate Saviour
will not leave His people to the cruel power of the heathen. "A bruised
reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench." {5T
469.1}
As
the intercession of Joshua is accepted, the command is given, "Take away
the filthy garments from him," and to Joshua the Angel declares, "Behold,
I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with
change of raiment." "So they set a fair miter upon his head, and
clothed him with garments." His own sins and those of his people were
pardoned. Israel were clothed with "change of
raiment" --the righteousness of Christ imputed to them. The miter placed
upon Joshua's head was such as was worn by the priests and bore the
inscription, "Holiness to the Lord," signifying that, notwithstanding
his former transgressions, he was now qualified to minister before God in His
sanctuary. {5T 469.2}
After thus solemnly
investing him with the dignity of the priesthood the Angel declared: "Thus
saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My
charge, then thou shalt also judge My house, and shalt also keep My courts, and
I will give thee places to walk among these that
stand by." He would be honored as the judge or ruler over the temple and
all its services; he should walk among attending angels, even in this life, and
should at last join the glorified throng around the throne of God. {5T 469.3}
"Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before
thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch." Here is revealed the hope of
Israel. It was by faith in the coming Saviour that Joshua and his people
received pardon. Through faith in Christ they were restored to God's favor. By
virtue of His merits (righteousness), if they walked in His ways and kept His
statutes, they would be "men wondered at," honored as the chosen of
heaven among the nations of the earth. Christ was their hope, their defense,
their justification and redemption, as He is the hope of His church today. {5T
469.4}
As
Satan accused Joshua and his people, so in all ages he accuses those who are
seeking the mercy and favor of God. In the Revelation he is declared to be the
"accuser of our brethren," "which accused them before our God
day and night." The controversy is repeated over every soul that is
rescued from the power of evil and whose name is registered in the Lamb's book
of life. Never is one received from the family of Satan into the family of God
without exciting the determined resistance of the wicked one. Satan's accusations
against those who seek the Lord are not prompted by displeasure at their sins.
He exults in their defective characters. Only through their transgression of God's law
can he obtain power over them. His accusations arise solely from his enmity to Christ. Through the
plan of salvation, Jesus is breaking Satan's hold upon the human family and
rescuing souls from his power. All the hatred and malignity of the archrebel is stirred as he beholds the evidence of Christ's
supremacy, and with fiendish power and cunning he works to wrest from Him the
remnant of the children of men who have accepted His salvation. {5T 470.1}
He
leads men into skepticism, causing them to lose confidence in God and to
separate from His love; he tempts them to break His law, and then he claims
them as his captives and contests the right of Christ to take them from him. He
knows that those who seek God earnestly for pardon and grace will obtain it;
therefore he presents their sins before them to discourage them. He is
constantly seeking occasion against those who are trying to obey God. Even
their best and most acceptable services he seeks to make appear corrupt. By
countless devices, the most subtle and the most cruel,
he endeavors to secure their condemnation. Man cannot meet these charges
himself. In his sin-stained garments, confessing his guilt, he stands before
God. But Jesus our Advocate presents an effectual plea in behalf of all who by
repentance and faith have committed the keeping of their souls to Him. He
pleads their cause and vanquishes their accuser by the mighty arguments of
Calvary. His perfect
obedience to God's law, even unto the death of the cross, has given Him all
power in heaven and in earth, and He claims of His Father mercy and
reconciliation for guilty man. To the accuser of His people He declares: "'The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.' These are the purchase of My blood, brands plucked from the burning." Those who
rely upon Him in faith receive the comforting assurance: "Behold, I have
caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of
raiment." All that have put on the robe of Christ's righteousness will
stand before Him as chosen and faithful and true. Satan has no power to pluck
them out of the hand of Christ. Not one soul that in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will
Christ permit to pass under the enemy's power. His word is pledged: "Let him take hold of My
strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with
Me." The promise given to Joshua
is made to all: "If thou wilt keep My charge, . . .
I will give thee places to walk among these that
stand by." Angels of God will walk on either side of them, even in this
world, and they will stand at last among the angels that surround the throne of
God. {5T 470.2}
The fact that the
acknowledged people of God are represented as standing before the Lord in
filthy garments should lead to humility and deep searching of heart on the part
of all who profess His name. Those who are
indeed purifying their souls by obeying the truth will have a most humble
opinion of themselves. The more closely they view the spotless character of Christ, the stronger will be their desire to
be conformed to His image, and the less will they see of purity or holiness in
themselves. But while we should realize
our sinful condition, we are to rely upon Christ as our righteousness, our
sanctification, and our redemption. We cannot answer the charges of Satan
against us. Christ alone can make an effectual plea in our behalf. He is able to
silence the accuser with arguments founded not upon our merits, but on His own. {5T 471.1}
Yet we should never be content with a sinful life. It is a thought that should
arouse Christians to greater zeal and earnestness in overcoming evil, that every defect in character,
every point in which they fail to meet the divine standard, is an open door by
which Satan can enter to tempt and destroy them; and, furthermore, that every
failure and defect on their part gives occasion to the tempter and his agents
to reproach Christ. We are to exert every energy of the soul in the work of overcoming, and to
look to Jesus for strength to do what we cannot do of ourselves. No sin can be tolerated in
those who shall walk with Christ in white. The filthy garments are to be
removed, and Christ's robe of righteousness is to be placed upon us. By repentance and faith we
are enabled to render obedience to all the commandments of God, and are found
without blame before Him. Those who
shall meet the approval of God are now afflicting their souls, confessing their
sins, and earnestly pleading for pardon through Jesus their Advocate. Their attention is fixed
upon Him, their hopes, their faith, are centered on Him, and when the command
is given, "Take away the filthy garments, and clothe him with change of
raiment, and set a fair miter upon his head," they are prepared to give
Him all the glory of their salvation. {5T 472.1}
Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the
experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day
of atonement. The remnant church will be brought into great trial and
distress. Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will
feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts. Satan numbers the world as his
subjects, he has gained control of the apostate churches; but here is a little
company that are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from
the earth, his triumph would be complete. As he influenced the heathen nations
to destroy Israel, so in the near future he will stir up the wicked powers of
earth to destroy the people of God. All will be required to render obedience to
human edicts in violation of the divine law. Those who will be true to God and to duty
will be menaced, denounced, and proscribed. They will "be betrayed both by
parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and
friends." {5T 472.2}
Their only hope is in the mercy of God; their only defense will be prayer. As Joshua was pleading before the Angel, so the remnant church,
with brokenness of heart and earnest faith, will plead for pardon and
deliverance through Jesus their Advocate. They are fully conscious of
the sinfulness of their lives, they see their weakness and unworthiness, and as
they look upon themselves they are ready to despair. The tempter stands by to
accuse them, as he stood by to resist Joshua. He points to their filthy
garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly,
their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonored
their Redeemer. He endeavors
to affright the soul with the thought that their case is hopeless, that the
stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes to so destroy
their faith that they will yield to his temptations, turn from their allegiance
to God, and receive the mark of the beast. {5T 473.1}
Satan urges before God his accusations against them, declaring that they have
by their sins forfeited the divine protection, and claiming the right to
destroy them as transgressors. He pronounces them just as deserving as himself
of exclusion from the favor of God. "Are these," he says, "the
people who are to take my place in heaven and the place of the angels who
united with me? While they profess to obey the law of God, have they kept its precepts?
Have they not been lovers of self more than of God? Have they not placed their
own interests above His service? Have they not loved the things of the world?
Look at the sins which have marked their lives. Behold their selfishness, their
malice, their hatred toward one another." {5T 473.2}
The people of God have been in many respects very faulty. Satan has an accurate
knowledge of the sins which he has tempted them to commit, and he presents
these in the most exaggerated light, declaring: "Will God banish me and my
angels from His presence, and yet reward those who have been guilty of the same
sins? Thou canst not do this, O Lord, in justice. Thy throne will not stand in
righteousness and judgment. Justice demands that sentence be pronounced against
them." {5T 474.1}
But while the followers of
Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They
have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition,
and the divine Advocate pleads in their behalf. He who has been most abused by their
ingratitude, who knows their sin, and also their repentance, declares:
"'The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.' I gave My life
for these souls. They are graven upon the palms of My
hands." {5T 474.2}
The
assaults of Satan are strong, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord's eye is
upon His people. Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace seem
about to consume them; but Jesus will bring them forth as gold tried in the
fire. Their
earthliness must be removed that the image of Christ may be perfectly
reflected; unbelief must be overcome; faith, hope, and patience are to be
developed. {5T 474.3}
The people of God are sighing and crying for the abominations done in the land.
With tears they warn the wicked of their danger in trampling upon the divine
law, and with unutterable sorrow they humble themselves before the Lord on
account of their own transgressions. The wicked mock their sorrow, ridicule
their solemn appeals, and sneer at what they term their weakness. But the anguish and
humiliation of God's people is unmistakable evidence that they are regaining
the strength and nobility of character lost in consequence of sin. It is
because they are drawing nearer to Christ, and their eyes are fixed upon His
perfect purity, that they so clearly discern the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Their contrition and self-abasement are infinitely more acceptable in the sight
of God than is the self-sufficient, haughty spirit of those who see no cause to
lament, who scorn the humility of Christ, and who claim perfection while
transgressing God's holy law. Meekness and lowliness of heart are the conditions for strength and
victory. The crown of glory awaits those who bow at the foot of the cross.
Blessed are these mourners, for they shall be comforted. {5T 474.4}
The faithful, praying ones
are, as it were, shut in with God. They themselves know not how securely they
are shielded. Urged on by
Satan, the rulers of this world are seeking to destroy them; but could their
eyes be opened, as were the eyes of Elisha's servant at Dothan, they would see
the angels of God encamped about them, by their brightness and glory holding in
check the hosts of darkness. {5T 475.1}
As the
people of God afflict their souls before Him, pleading for purity of heart, the
command is given, "Take away the filthy garments" from them, and the
encouraging words are spoken, "Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to
pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." The
spotless robe of Christ's righteousness is placed upon the tried, tempted, yet
faithful children of God. The despised remnant are
clothed in glorious apparel, nevermore to be defiled by the corruptions of the
world. Their names are retained in the Lamb's book of life, enrolled among the
faithful of all ages. They have resisted the wiles of the deceiver; they have
not been turned from their loyalty by the dragon's roar. Now they are eternally
secure from the tempter's devices. Their sins are transferred to the originator
of sin. And the remnant are not only pardoned and accepted, but honored.
"A fair miter" is set upon their heads. They are to be as kings and
priests unto God. While Satan was urging his accusations and seeking to destroy
this company, holy angels, unseen, were passing to and fro, placing upon them
the seal of the living God. These are they that stand upon Mount Zion with the
Lamb, having the Father's name written in their foreheads. They sing the new song
before the throne, that song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty
and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. "These are they
which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among
men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was
found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." {5T
475.2}
Now is reached the complete fulfillment of those words of the Angel: "Hear
now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for
they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My
servant the Branch." Christ is revealed as the Redeemer and Deliverer of
His people. Now indeed are the remnant "men wondered at," as the
tears and humiliation of their pilgrimage give place to joy and honor in the
presence of God and the Lamb. "In that day shall the branch of the Lord be
beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and
comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he
that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in
Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living
in Jerusalem." {5T 476.1}
Addendum:
Isa 37:31 And the remnant
that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear
fruit upward:
Isa 37:32 For out of
Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the
zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.