Daily devotion – Grace again!
Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
Zec 3:4 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.
In preparing for our mid-week study in Zechariah 3, I am faced once again with the reality and beauty of God’s grace and my sinfulness!
This chapter is the vision of Zechariah seeing Joshua the High Priest at the time of Zechariah’s prophecies – the time of the return of the captives from Babylon. In this vision we see once again Satan, our adversary, our prosecutor again condemning us before God the Father with the facts of our very real sinfulness and that of the nation Israel at that time.
When Satan talks to us he lies, but when he talks to God about us, he tells the truth. It is here at this time in this vision of events that the prophet Zechariah sees that Israel though filthy in its own sin, instead of being justly condemned, Jesus Christ the Defence Attorney steps forward and based on His sacrifice and payment for Israel and our sins, can give the plea truthfully, that now we can stand justified before God the Father.
This is a beautiful picture of grace.
You and I, who have received the forgiveness of Christ as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world, can bask in the blessed righteousness of Christ. As Christ removes our filthy garment and instead places His garment of righteousness upon us.
Again, we are reminded, that we have absolutely nothing to do with our being right before God. Instead we acknowledge once again how wonderful, how marvellous, it is that God has cleansed us from our sins through the offering of His Son in our place!
Hallelujah!
Jhn 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.