WHO IS THE ACCUSER?
Then I heard a voice in heaven proclaiming aloud: "This is the hour of victory for our God...when his Christ comes to his rightful rule! For the accuser of our brothers is overthrown, who day and night accused them before our God." Rev. 12:10, 11, N.E.B.
Imagine that you have just made the acquaintance of two men. One is obviously a high-principled man who lives above reproach. You know that he would never stoop to doing anything wrong, nor knowingly tolerate anyone else's wrongdoing. The other man could best be described as a shady character. A man of questionable background and suspicious intent, he could be expected to be in trouble with the law.
Apart from your appraisal of their values, it would be interesting to consider this question: In whose presence would you most likely feel accused or condemned? Who would most likely project to you the impression that you had failed to live up to his expectations? Had you yourself lived a flawed and embarrassing past, in whose presence would you likely find the most acceptance and understanding?
It is hard for us to shake the image of righteous people as being very condemning, and of unrighteous people as looking for company in their misery. Most of us draw the same conclusions when we think of the two great adversaries in the great controversy. We suspect that our holy God would be very intolerant and accusing toward sinful people. By contrast, since Satan doesn't stand for anything good, our slim efforts at righteousness would not let him play one-upmanship with us. The very fact that we do not like to feel accused of wrongs that already have us smarting, drives many people away from God and toward Satan.
Satan has been woefully successful in coaxing some people to put together a theology that places God in the role of the accuser; he has gloated as people that have squirmed away from God and toward himself. Meanwhile, he has continued to do the baleful work of crushing bruised sinners with accusations. The bony finger of condemnation and rejection is attached to the enemy's hand. But the Lord has much better plans for healing His people. Having persuaded them that they are out of relationship with Him (see John 16:9), He quickly offers to all who come home that He will never condemn them (Rom. 8:1) nor cast them out (John 6:37). That's the kind of good news that will topple Satan's kingdom.
Then I heard a voice in heaven proclaiming aloud: "This is the hour of victory for our God...when his Christ comes to his rightful rule! For the accuser of our brothers is overthrown, who day and night accused them before our God." Rev. 12:10, 11, N.E.B.
Imagine that you have just made the acquaintance of two men. One is obviously a high-principled man who lives above reproach. You know that he would never stoop to doing anything wrong, nor knowingly tolerate anyone else's wrongdoing. The other man could best be described as a shady character. A man of questionable background and suspicious intent, he could be expected to be in trouble with the law.
Apart from your appraisal of their values, it would be interesting to consider this question: In whose presence would you most likely feel accused or condemned? Who would most likely project to you the impression that you had failed to live up to his expectations? Had you yourself lived a flawed and embarrassing past, in whose presence would you likely find the most acceptance and understanding?
It is hard for us to shake the image of righteous people as being very condemning, and of unrighteous people as looking for company in their misery. Most of us draw the same conclusions when we think of the two great adversaries in the great controversy. We suspect that our holy God would be very intolerant and accusing toward sinful people. By contrast, since Satan doesn't stand for anything good, our slim efforts at righteousness would not let him play one-upmanship with us. The very fact that we do not like to feel accused of wrongs that already have us smarting, drives many people away from God and toward Satan.
Satan has been woefully successful in coaxing some people to put together a theology that places God in the role of the accuser; he has gloated as people that have squirmed away from God and toward himself. Meanwhile, he has continued to do the baleful work of crushing bruised sinners with accusations. The bony finger of condemnation and rejection is attached to the enemy's hand. But the Lord has much better plans for healing His people. Having persuaded them that they are out of relationship with Him (see John 16:9), He quickly offers to all who come home that He will never condemn them (Rom. 8:1) nor cast them out (John 6:37). That's the kind of good news that will topple Satan's kingdom.
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