Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And to him he said, “See I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel. And I said, “let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head. ” Zechariah 3: 3, 4, NRSV
Precious Lord, please take our hands and lead us through this study. May our guilt be gone by the time we are through. Thank You so much! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Joshua the high priest, stood in representation of all the children of Israel. Individually, and corporately, they had sinned against God. Their sin is represented by “filthy rags.” They are being accused by the “accuser of the brothers [and sisters]” (Revelation 12: 10). They cannot refute the charges. They are guilty as charged! Is there no hope? Must they perish in their sins? Not at all! There is hope! In Christ there is always hope!
Listen to the voice of the Savior: “The Lord rebuke you, oh Satan!” “I, who have chosen this man, this woman, this young lady, this young man, this little boy, this little girl, rebuke you.” I put My hand into the fire and pulled him, and her out.” “Therefore, I, have the right to rebuke you! This is a very encouraging scene for those of us who suffer from recurring guilt trips. Is anyone there? Has anyone been there? We sin, we feel sorry for our sin, and we ask for forgiveness. God forgives us. Three days later the devil is accusing us of the same sin, and we succumb to his accusations! We become bedridden, plagued with lifetime diseases, many times, terminal illnesses; all as a result of unnecessary, unresolved, guilt! Save us Lord!
Do you remember the man who was suffering from paralysis, who his friends let down through the roof of the house where Jesus was preaching? It is interesting to note the words Jesus used in healing him: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The Creator understands only too well the relationship between our mental, emotional, and physical, well-being. He knows that one will affect the other(s), and that for men and women, young women and young men, boys and girls, to function at their best, the “whole” person must be well. So He, who alone can see the heart, brought healing to the mind of the paralytic, so that his body could heal! Merciful Savior! Gracious God! From the book The Desire of Ages, p. 229, we read the following: ” There are today thousands suffering from physical disease, who, like the paralytic, are longing for the message, ‘Thy sins are forgiven.’ The burden of sin, with its unrest and unsatisfied desires, is the foundation of their maladies. They can find no relief until they come to the Healer of the soul. The peace which He alone can give would impart vigor to the mind, and health to the body.”
When Jesus forgives us, He takes away our “filthy rags” and gives us His “festal apparel,” (His own garment of righteousness). No one can accuse us then, not even “the accuser of the brothers [and sisters]!” But He goes even further, “And I said, ‘let them put a clean turban on his [her] head.’ So they put a clean turban on his [her] head.” Not only our bodies need cleansing (healing), so does our mind. If the mindset does not change, we will soon be right back where we started!
So “pick up your bed and walk!” “You came in here being carried by your friends. Now that I have healed you, you can walk out of here on your own two feet. You have shed the victim mentality. You are now free to live life!
As you are walking out with your bed, some might be asking, “Who gave you the right to take up your bed and walk?” You know who gave you the right to do it. There is only One who have the power and authority to set souls free, so just keep on walking!
Now, by God’s grace, and in His strength, you are on your way to victory in Christ Jesus! Hallelujah!