The vision of Zechariah 3 which describes Joshua and the Angel gives us a very clear and comforting view of the work of Christ in the most holy place to save His people.

Joshua was a real person in the time of the prophet Zechariah who held the position of high priest and intercessor for Israel. In the vision, as the representative of God’s people, Joshua “was clothed with filthy garments” (verse 3), symbolizing his own sins and the sins of the people. Satan was “standing at his right hand to resist him” (verse 1), and Joshua was “standing before the angel of the Lord” (who is Christ, our Intercessor).

Joshua could not deny that Israel had sinned. And Satan demanded the right to destroy them because of their sins. But Christ gave a special order to those present in the judgment: “Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment” (verse 4).

Removing the filthy garments signifies forgiveness based on the imputed righteousness of Christ.

“Poor, repentant mortals, hear the words of Jesus and believe as you hear. . . . I will blot out his transgressions. I will cover his sins. I will impute to him My righteousness. ‘And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.’

“The filthy garments are removed; for Christ says: ‘I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee.’ The iniquity is transferred to the innocent, the pure, the holy Son of God; and man, all undeserving, stands before the Lord cleansed from all unrighteousness, and clothed with the imputed righteousness of Christ. Oh, what a change of raiment is this!”1

In what consisted the appeal of Joshua before Christ in behalf of his people? He cannot say that they have not sinned, but he presents before our Advocate their repentance and their reliance on the merits of Christ.

And what kind of argument does the Lord use to defeat the accuser of His people? He says that, even though His people have committed grievous sins, they have repented and confessed their sins which were transferred to Christ, who paid for them on the cross of Calvary. They have trusted in their Saviour. Then, they are declared innocent.

“The high priest cannot defend himself or his people from Satan’s accusations. He does not claim that Israel are free from fault. In his filthy garments, symbolizing the sins of the people, which he bears as their representative, he stands before the Angel, confessing their guilt, yet pointing to their repentance and humiliation, relying upon the mercy of a sin-pardoning Redeemer and in faith claiming the promises of God.”2

Let us consider some key words of the previous paragraph: “[Joshua] stands before the Angel [Jesus Christ], confessing their guilt, yet pointing to their repentance and humiliation, relying upon the mercy of a sin-pardoning Redeemer and in faith claiming the promises of God.”

Here we find: Confession, repentance, humiliation, trust in the mercy of Christ and in His promises.

And what gives Christ the full right to forgive His people and rebuke Satan?

“Jesus our Advocate presents an effectual plea in behalf of all who by repentance and faith have committed the keeping of their souls to Him. He pleads their cause and vanquishes their accuser by the mighty arguments of Calvary. His perfect obedience to God’s law, even unto the death of the cross, has given Him all power in heaven and in earth, and He claims of His Father mercy and reconciliation for guilty man.” 3

“The mighty arguments of Calvary.” Here we have the Gospel. As sinners, men and women should die eternally. However, from the very day that Adam committed transgression against the words of God, Christ took the guilt and punishment of human beings upon Himself and became the Substitute and Warranty of humanity.

As persons accept the provision of Calvary, they receive Christ as their personal Saviour and submit to the control of the Holy Spirit. As they thus obey God’s Word, Christ imputes His perfect righteousness to the repentant sinner, and thus the person is declared righteous in the divine judgment.

“Jesus stands in the holy of holies, now to appear in the presence of God for us. There He ceases not to present His people moment by moment, complete in Himself. But because we are thus represented before the Father, we are not to imagine that we are to presume upon His mercy and become careless, indifferent, and self-indulgent. Christ is not the minister of sin. We are complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved, only as we abide in Him by faith.

“Perfection through our own good works we can never attain. The soul who sees Jesus by faith, repudiates his own righteousness. He sees himself as incomplete, his repentance insufficient, his strongest faith but feebleness, his most costly sacrifice as meager, and he sinks in humility at the foot of the cross. But a voice speaks to him from the oracles of God’s Word. In amazement he hears the message, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’ Now all is at rest in his soul. No longer must he strive to find some worthiness in himself, some meritorious deed by which to gain the favor of God.”4

“As you near the cross of Calvary there is seen love that is without a parallel. As you by faith grasp the meaning of the sacrifice, you see yourself a sinner, condemned by a broken law. This is repentance. As you come with humble heart, you find pardon, for Christ Jesus is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily offering up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is a minister of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man.

“The typical shadows of the Jewish tabernacle no longer possess any virtue. A daily and yearly typical atonement is no longer to be made, but the atoning sacrifice through a mediator is essential because of the constant commission of sin. Jesus is officiating in the presence of God, offering up His shed blood, as it had been a lamb slain. Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.”5

The apostle John puts in simple words the provision in behalf of the repentant sinner:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:1–3).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“The fact that the acknowledged people of God are represented as standing before the Lord in filthy garments should lead to humility and deep searching of heart on the part of all who profess His name. Those who are indeed purifying their souls by obeying the truth will have a most humble opinion of themselves. The more closely they view the spotless character of Christ, the stronger will be their desire to be conformed to His image, and the less will they see of purity or holiness in themselves. But while we should realize our sinful condition, we are to rely upon Christ as our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. We cannot answer the charges of Satan against us. Christ alone can make an effectual plea in our behalf. He is able to silence the accuser with arguments founded not upon our merits, but on His own.

“Yet we should never be content with a sinful life. It is a thought that should arouse Christians to greater zeal and earnestness in overcoming evil, that every defect in character, every point in which they fail to meet the divine standard, is an open door by which Satan can enter to tempt and destroy them; and, furthermore, that every failure and defect on their part gives occasion to the tempter and his agents to reproach Christ. We are to exert every energy of the soul in the work of overcoming, and to look to Jesus for strength to do what we cannot do of ourselves. No sin can be tolerated in those who shall walk with Christ in white. The filthy garments are to be removed, and Christ’s robe of righteousness is to be placed upon us. By repentance and faith we are enabled to render obedience to all the commandments of God, and are found without blame before Him. Those who shall meet the approval of God are now afflicting their souls, confessing their sins, and earnestly pleading for pardon through Jesus their Advocate. Their attention is fixed upon Him, their hopes, their faith, are centered on Him, and when the command is given, ‘Take away the filthy garments, and clothe him with change of raiment, and set a fair miter upon his head,’ they are prepared to give Him all the glory of their salvation.”6

We are not alone to face the divine court. We have a very capable, righteous, and powerful Advocate to defend us against the accusation of our archenemy.

Instead of being terrified because of the judgment, we can be really happy knowing that we have such a Saviour as Jesus Christ.

“[Daniel 12:1 quoted.] By this we see the importance of having our names written in the book of life. All whose names are registered there will be delivered from Satan’s power, and Christ will command that their filthy garments be removed, and that they be clothed with His righteousness. ‘And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him’ (Malachi 3:17).”7

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14–16).

“Through the sacrifice made in our behalf, sins may be perfectly forgiven. Our dependence is not in what man can do; it is in what God can do for man through Christ. When we surrender ourselves wholly to God, and fully believe, the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. The conscience can be freed from condemnation. Through faith in His blood, all may be made perfect in Christ Jesus. Thank God that we are not dealing with impossibilities. We may claim sanctification. We may enjoy the favor of God. We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute. Ye are accepted in the Beloved. The Lord shows, to the repenting, believing one, that Christ accepts the surrender of the soul, to be molded and fashioned after His own likeness.”8

“The Father gave all honor to His Son, seating Him at His right hand, far above all principalities and power. He expressed His great joy and delight in receiving the Crucified One and crowning Him with glory and honor. And all the favors He has shown to His Son in His acceptance of the great atonement are shown to His people. Those who have united their interests in love with Christ are accepted in the Beloved. They suffer with Christ, and His glorification is of great interest to them, because they are accepted in Him. God loves them as He loves His Son. Christ, Emmanuel, stands between God and the believer, revealing the glory of God to His chosen ones, and covering their defects and transgressions with the garments of His own spotless righteousness. The seal of Heaven has been affixed to Christ’s atonement. His sacrifice is in every way satisfactory. In Him mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The Father embraced His Son, and in this included all who receive Him. ‘To them gave He power to become the sons of God’ (John 1:12). They are His chosen ones, joint-heirs with Christ in the great firm of heaven. They overcome as He overcame.”9