A Light for My Path

This week, we will wrap up Romans 8 by focusing on verses 34-39. Next week, we will start a new passage to memorize.

Here is a link to last week’s series, A Light for My Path.

Before we look at today’s memory passage, there is a story in the Old Testament that I want to share. It is the very picture of these verses from Romans 8.

In the Old Testament book of Zechariah, we meet a man named Joshua. This isn’t Joshua from the Battle of Jericho. This is Joshua from the post Babylonian exile from Nehemiah’s time. He lived over four hundred years before the birth of Christ.

Joshua was the first Levitical High priest to serve God in the rebuilt temple. He helped not only to rebuild the temple, but he encouraged the people and was a faithful follower of the Lord. Read about him in Ezra 5.

Zechariah’s story about Joshua reflects Jesus’ own story as the Messiah.

In this vision of Zechariah, Joshua is standing before the Lord and Satan in Heaven. Satan is accusing Joshua of being filthy with sin, which he is. But Jesus, or an Angel of the Lord, stands and rebukes Satan for his wicked accusations.

Take a look:

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

Zechariah 3:1 & 2

Did you know that Satan stands in Heaven to accuse believers just like that, now? (Revelation 12:10)

But did you also know that if you have truly been born again, He can’t steal your redemption? (Romans 8:33)

In this beautiful vision in Heaven, though this prophecy in context is a promise for Israel, it is absolutely for Gentile believers—the Body of Christ—too.

Look what Jesus does for Joshua.

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the Angel.

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.”

Zechariah 3:4 & 5

Our precious Substitute is demonstrating just what He has already done for you and me. Filthy sinners standing guilty and condemned. We have no rights whatsoever to claim any innocence. And yet, because Jesus said, “Take off His filthy clothes! I will clothe you with rich robes.”

Joshua was clean before the Lord. Believers have clean hearts before God, too, because of the Savior of the world. No personal merit was involved.

And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So, they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

Zechariah 3:5

Think of this story as you commit the verses below to your memory and your heart. But most importantly, think of your own redemption story, and what the Savior did to clothe you in His own white, rich robes.

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  

As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,

nor angels nor principalities nor powers,

nor things present nor things to come, 

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:34-39

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Isaiah 52:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.