Today's Scripture Reading (October 5, 2023): Zechariah 3
In
the past, I have told a story of my "Day of Judgment" several times.
In my imagination, I can see myself standing before God. And beside me stands
Satan. Don't worry; Satan's presence during my judgment does not indicate an eventual
negative conclusion. It might surprise some that I believe Satan will be
present for all our Days of Judgment. Our secular culture has sold us a lie
that while God rules in Heaven, Satan rules in Hell. But the story of Job
reminds us that Satan is in heaven as well, at least at particular times. And Hell
is not his kingdom; it is his punishment, just as it is our punishment.
So,
as I stand before God, Satan will stand beside me, ready to accuse; after all,
that is what the name Satan means; he is "The Accuser." We talk about
all the omnis that God is; omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, but we miss
that there is one deficiency in the attributes of God. Apparently, God does not
have a good memory. Isaiah says, "I,
even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more" (Isaiah 43:25). As
a result, again, in my imagination, Satan will go through all of the things
that I have done against God and his kingdom, so if you are curious what those
sins might be, don't worry, you will get to be there. But as Satan lists all
the wrongs that I have done, God is getting confused. And finally, he speaks to
me and says, "Garry, I don't remember these things. Is Satan telling me
the truth?"
Maybe there will be a temptation to deny and pretend to be innocent
at that moment, but that would be just one more wrong Satan would have in his
recitation against me. So, I will answer God's question by saying, "Yes,
Lord. Every single one of them." And God, who is righteous and just, will
respond to me. "Then Garry, by your own admission, you stand condemned in
my presence.
I won't be the only one. Zechariah begins this section of his
letter by discussing the High Priest Joshua standing in heaven. There is some
argument about when Zechariah received this vision, and whether Joshua was
still alive, or whether this vision was of the High Priest's heavenly judgment
day after his death. But it probably doesn't matter. What we need to know is
that there is nothing in our knowledge of Joshua that singles him out as an
evil High Priest. And yet, The Accuser was present and ready to bring charges
against the High Priest.
In my imagination about my Judgment Day, it is at
this moment of condemnation that another person joins me and Satan as we stand before
God. That person is Jesus. At this moment, he places his hand on my shoulder
and says, "No, Father. For the sins that Satan has accused Garry of, I
died. My blood covers his sins." And I believe the same scene will be
experienced by Joshua and by you. Our sins condemn us, but we are saved by
Jesus's sacrifice. As John Newton put it, "Although my memory's fading, I remember two things
very clearly: I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior."
Tomorrow's
Scripture Reading: Zechariah 4
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