Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Millions of people who have studied the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation believe that "the hour of his [God's] judgment" began at the end of the 2,300 years of Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 8:11-14). Now is the time that Jesus spoke of when He said, "Take heed unto yourselves, ... lest at any time ... (Luke 21:34, emphasis supplied). This is the world's time of "emergency." Today is the day that will come "as a snare ... on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." We are living in the fateful night of the world's Belshazzar's Feast.
And to be sure, we have a most clever prosecuting attorney who is bent on securing our condemnation--Satan himself. In fact, the very name Satan means "accuser," or prosecuting attorney. The Lord revealed this to Zechariah who saw Joshua the high priest standing in this same judgment (symbolizing God's people) with "Satan standing at his right hand to resist him" (Zech. 3:1).
But we have a defense Attorney--the Lord Jesus Christ--appointed for us if we will take advantage of His services: "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). In this court case, which concerns each of us personally, Christ cannot deny before the court that we have indeed sinned and forfeited our right to eternal life. All of Satan's accusations are perfectly true--he has an accurate record of all our sin. What our defending Attorney can do is present His own blood as a sacrificial death in our behalf; in other words, He has already paid the penalty of the law--death--on our behalf.
There is literally nothing we can do to defend ourselves. We have to let Him do it. And He can defend only those who exercise faith in Him. They must be "in Him" by faith, involved with Him, alert, on the watch continually. There can be no breaks in the communication with Him, no breaks in this fellowship with Christ. At any time your name or mine may come up in this judgment. While our defending Attorney is fighting His great battle in our behalf in this war with Satan, we have our own battle to fight--to overcome temptation.
Jesus promises complete victory to those who trust Him: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels" (Rev. 3:5). This is the same as the outcome of the court case described by Zechariah in his vision:
"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, 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? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (Zech. 3:1-4).
Marvelous outcome! What a magnificent defense. And you and I are the objects of all this concern. Think of the Sovereign of the universe taking your name upon His lips in defense, and honoring you with the final declaration of acquittal. We are not only on trial in this great judgment--we have an active part to play in it.
Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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