The Devil is Right … I’m Guilty

I see in Revelation 12:10 Satan is busy. Busy accusing us before God.

But here’s the crazy part; he’s right. We are guilty of most everything he asserts. We are sinful. We are prideful. We are lovers of self. We are lovers of pleasure and comfort. He’s right. We are guilty. I’m guilty.

Thankfully, however, that passage doesn’t leave this story to end there. In that verse you see the description of an ancient and epic battle between Michael and the dragon, Satan. Verse 10 is exceptionally special to me because of the reason it gives for why the Christ, the power and Salvation God has come. It is because the accuser has been thrown down and defeated!

Satan stands there day and night, it says, accusing us before God, but I’m thankful for two little words: but Jesus. Two tiny, yet pivotal words on which all of eternity turns.

Satan may accuse us …but Jesus stands in the gap as our intercessor between our accuser and the Father. The Word tells us He has has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh) [Hebrews 10:20]. This only makes sense if you understand the purpose of the veil.

There was a reason the Israelites couldn’t see God and there was a reason His glory couldn’t dwell with them in the camp. His purity and holiness, His righteousness and glory would literally consume them. They needed a way, a place, a method to talk to God. That’s why they had the tabernacle, and later the temple.

In each structure was the Holy of Holies. The place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The place where on the Mercy Seat, the Shekhinah glory of God came down to talk with man. It all happened behind the veil.

The veil hid these things from them so the people would not be consumed. The veil protected them from annihilation in the presence of just purity, righteousness, holiness, and glory.

The curtains of the veil were the only things standing between the unfathomable glory of God, between His consuming righteousness and judgment and His people. It held back their destruction, it symbolized their hope, it shadowed their future deliverance.

The temple stood as a reminder that the temple was needed. It, all by itself, pointed out our guilt and need before God.

And just as in Revelation, without Christ, we stand before Him as they did; guilty. Satan reminds us daily we are guilty in our flesh. Day and night He reminds the Father of that same guilt. However, these two little words bring to nothing the most masterfully laid plans of the enemy. Two little words - but Jesus.

We are guilty … but Jesus … imputes, or places His righteousness over us to to cover our guilt.

We stand accused … but Jesus … declares our righteousness before God, based not on our merit, but on His sacrifice and His righteousness and holiness.

We are in debt because of sin … but Jesus … paid the debt for us. He didn’t excuse it. He didn’t gloss over it in forbearance as in days of old. He drank the full cup of God’s wrath for the unrighteousness of us all.

Satan accuses … but Jesus … declares before the throne, “Remember? I said Tetelasti, Tetelasti, It Is Finished.” All of our debt. All of our debt. Everything we owed to the righteous Judge was paid in full. That’s why we can know there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ … because Jesus… because Jesus was condemned for us so we would never know it.

Paid. Done. Complete. This is our state before God. The next time the enemy accuses us, even when he is right and we actually are lustful, covetous, prideful, weak, sinfully angry, apathetic, or chasing the false idols of this world … whatever he accuses us with, the sad truth is, he may actually be correct. We may be guilty … BUT JESUS!

But Jesus … paid it all, and all to Him I owe. Surely, sin had left a terrible crimson stain, but He washed it white as snow with the blood of His sacrifice.

When I think of this passage in my mind’s eye, I see Jesus standing before the throne of God with me cowering behind him in fear, His face shining with brilliance as He proudly declares that I am His. As He declares I was purchased with the shedding of His own blood, and, as if to drape a cloak around a cold and naked wanderer, He lays His righteousness over me. A warm blanket in the winter of guilt and shame.

His cloak of righteousness not only covers, but it dissolves my sin. He doesn’t simply cover over me with His love and forgiveness, He cleanses me of all unrighteousness with His own righteousness and gives it to me as a gift.

I’m not just a dirty sinner hidden by the imputed righteousness of Christ, I am actually cleansed made whole, and stand as an adopted son; royalty, declared righteous and Holy before the Creator God of the universe.

So, the enemy can accuse us all he wants. He’s probably right. I’m sure we are guilty … but Jesus … Jesus paid it all.

Thank you, Jesus.