f Satan’s accusation was presented before the prophet.
He says, “He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the
Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.”
Jesus is our great High Priest in heaven. And what is He doing? He is
making intercession and atonement for his people who believe in Him.
Through His imputed righteousness, they are accepted of God as those
who are manifesting to the world that they acknowledge allegiance to
God, keeping all His commandments. Satan is full of malignant hatred
against them, and manifests to them the same spirit that he manifested
to Jesus Christ when He was upon earth. When Jesus was before Pilate,
the Roman ruler sought to release Him, and desired that the
37
people should choose to release Jesus from the ordeal through which He
was about to pass. He presented before the clamoring multitude the Son
of God and the criminal Barabbas, and inquired. “Whom will ye that
I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” “They
said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus
which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let Him be crucified?”
The world was stirred by the enmity of Satan, and when asked
to choose between the Son of God and the criminal Barabbas, they
chose a robber rather than Jesus. The ignorant multitudes were led,
by the deceptive reasonings of those in high position, to reject the Son
of God, and choose a robber and murderer in His stead. Let us all
remember that we are still in a world where Jesus, the Son of God, was
rejected and crucified, where the guilt of despising Christ and preferring
a robber rather than the spotless Lamb of God still rests. Unless we
individually repent toward God because of transgression of His law,
and exercise faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the world has
rejected, we shall lie under the full condemnation that the action of
choosing Barabbas instead of Christ merited. The whole world stands
charged today with the deliberate rejection and murder of the Son of
God. The word bears record that Jews and Gentiles, kings, governors,
ministers, priests, and people—all classes and sects who reveal the
same spirit of envy, hatred, prejudice, and unbelief manifested by those
who put to death the Son of God—would act the same part, were the
opportunity granted, as did the Jews and people of the time of Christ.
They would be partakers of the same spirit that demanded the death of
the Son of God.
In the scene representing the work of Christ for us, and the
determined accusation of Satan against us,
38
Joshua stands as the high priest, and makes request in behalf of God’s
commandment-keeping people. At the same time Satan represents the
people of God as great sinners, and presents before God the list of
sins he has tempted them to commit through their lifetime, and urges
that because of their transgressions, they be given into his hands to
destroy. He urges that they should not be protected by ministering
angels against the confederacy of evil. He is full of anger because he
cannot bind the people of God into bundles with the world, to render to
him complete allegiance. Kings and rulers and governors have placed
upon themselves the brand of antichrist, and are represented as the
dragon who goes to make war with the saints—with those who keep
the commandments of God and who have the faith of Jesus. In their
enmity against the people of God, they show themselves guilty also of
the choice of Barabbas instead of Christ.
The World Called to Account
God has a controversy with the world. When the judgment shall sit,
and the books shall be opened, He has an awful account to settle, which
would now make the world fear and tremble were men not blinded and
bewitched by satanic delusions and deceptions. God will call the world
to account for the death of His only-begotten Son, whom to all intents
and purposes the world has crucified afresh, and put to open shame in
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
the persecution of His people. The world has rejected Christ in the
person of His saints, has refused His messages in the refusal of the
messages of prophets, apostles, and messengers. They hav