Spiritual Law (Part 6) (Job 1:6; 2:10; Revelation 12:9-10; 1 Peter 5:8; Romans 8:31-34; Job 2:3; 2 Corinthians 13:1; Revelation 12:11)

JUSTICE

The Case of Job

There is the familiar depiction in the book of Job, reputed to be the oldest book in the scriptures, where the text says, "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them" (Job 1:6). God confronts Satan with the fact that he has been focused on Job, and Satan levels certain accusations against Job, because God says, "...there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and departs from evil" (Job 1:8). Satan gets permission to attack Job, with the intent to get Job to curse God. Job lost everything and was even afflicted by the Devil, with boils all over his body, but the scriptures say, "In all this Job did not sin with his lips" (Job 2:10b).

Courtroom Session

This historical account, of actual events, portrays a courtroom type of scenario, where Satan comes to accuse Job. Revelation 12:9-10 says, "...the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night' ".

Legal Terminology

The word translated 'accuser' is (kategoreo), 2723, and 'accused' is (kategoros), 2725. Both are legal terms referring to bringing charges, or a legal case, against a defendant, the accused. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour". The word 'adversary', is (antidikos), 476, and literally refers to a prosecuting attorney, arrayed against you, in a court of law.

New Testament Courtroom Scene

Romans 8:31-34 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us".

Prosecuting Attorney

The phrase, 'shall lay anything', in the Greek, is the word (egkaleo), 1458, and means 'to come forward as an accuser and bring a charge against' someone. We know this is referring to the devil, 'the accuser of our brethren' (Rev.12:10), who accuses them before God, night and day; in other words, all the time. Basically, Satan is the prosecuting attorney, constantly bringing false accusations against you, wanting to destroy you, "without cause" (Job 2:3).

The Judge

The scripture says that God is the judge who justifies (Rm.8:33), or quite literally, declares you, 'Not Guilty' or 'innocent'. Who is going to condemn you? (Rm.8:34) ['condemn' is (katakrino), 2632, meaning to bring a legal ruling against you; judging you worthy of punishment]. Obviously, your Father, the judge, does not want any ruling to go against you!

Attorney for the Defense

Christ is "...at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us" (Rm.8:34). The word 'intercession' is (entygchano), 1793, which has the idea of pleading a legal case for someone. 1 John 2:1 says, "...if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous". The word 'advocate' is (parakletos), 3875, which is literally, the legal counsel for the defense, who pleads another's cause before a judge.

Court Day

Literally every day, the devil, as the prosecuting attorney, is bringing accusations against us. However, our Father is the judge, and He will not bring a legal judgment against us. Our attorney for the defense, on our side, saying only good things about us, is our elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. He shed His blood, died for us, and rose again from the dead, forever paying the debt for any crime we did or could ever commit. It is all paid in full. But, as in most court cases, we are called upon to testify in this courtroom too.

Testimony

Revelation 12:9-10 refers to "...the great dragon...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan...the accuser of our brethren...", who is constantly bringing legal charges against us, but Revelation 12:11 says, "...they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...", in other words, we overcome, by the legal covenant that we have, by the blood of Jesus, and the words of our mouth.

Two or Three Witnesses

The scripture says, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor.13:1).[Deut.17:6; 19:15; Matt.18:16; 1 Tim.5:19; Heb.10:28]. The thought being conveyed is that the testimony of two or three witnesses, in a court of law, confirms the facts concerning the matter, or makes it legally binding, for the judge to bring a verdict 'for' or 'against' the defendant.

Tipping the Scales

God, our Father, is on our side. He is for us, who can really be against us, but our Father, although on our side 110%, is neutral in regards to the outcome, based on the testimony presented. The devil, as the prosecuting attorney, brings charges against us in court; his words, or testimony he brings, witness against us. The Lord Jesus Christ only speaks good concerning us, and pleads our case, bringing His witness, or testimony, concerning the matter. It is the word of our testimony (Rev.12:11), our words, that are the deciding witness that either agrees with the devil, or our words agree with the witness and words of the Lord Jesus Christ, that determine the outcome of the trial of our life.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours