July 7, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“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.‘ Then he said to Joshua, ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you’.” (Zechariah 3.3-4)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

In the twenty-second chapter of Matthew, we find a parable of Jesus recorded which gives us a perspective on this vision shared with Zechariah. Both pericopes bear in common the value of fine garments meant to fit the occasion. I hope you noticed the italicized words in the aforementioned descriptor. There are too many who value fine garments as a means of accentuating their own worth before the eyes of others. It has nothing to do with God, except those of the “prosperity gospel” type who claim their faithfulness to God has been rewarded with wealth and sufficiency to set them apart from those whose poor clothing obviously speaks to a lack of faith and faithfulness. Jesus addressed such thinking among the Pharisees calling them “whitewashed tombs” who were pristine on the outside but filthy rotten on the inside. But, in Matthew 22 as in Zechariah 3, the observation of filthy rags is spoken on in the context of a sacred duty. In Matthew, Jesus is addressing those who do not understand the value of the “wedding feast” invitation. The individual mentioned comes in filthy rags as a normal state of affairs for his every day life. He is a beggar and comes to the wedding as a beggar. He is looking for a free meal and wine. Some wedding traditions included gifting the guests and perhaps this man was hoping for the same. The wedding was for the King’s son after all. His attitude toward life did not change regardless of where he found himself. For such self-absorption and sense of entitlement, the King noticed him as prominent as a sore thumb and had him removed. Not only was he removed but he was cast into the darkness where the only obvious signs of “life” were the weeping and gnashing of teeth. The connection between life and darkness is clear in this section of Matthew. It is speaking to the “great wedding” on the Last Day and the sad circumstance of hell for those who refused and abused the invitation to participate in the fullness of the King’s blessing.

Now while we are not privileged to the entire conversation Satan and the Angel, the Prosecution and the Defense, concerning Joshua, we are given a summation: The filthy clothes are to be removed as the sins are forgiven. There will be new clothes put on him intimating a restoration of position and authority- Chief High Priest. I have little doubt that Satan’s opening arguments in this particular case was that Joshua was unfit of duty because of his appearance. Of course, Joshua was a victim of the circumstance of fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Assyrians, the Babylonians and the Medes. The Temple itself was stripped of all its finery and instruments for worshipping God and honoring Him before all the world. All that was left was the poverty of those “left behind” so that all people looked the same. This was the demeaning attempt of the enemy to make them all appear as the sinners they were. I can imagine the temptation to make a deal with those in power, including Satan, and improve their lives was a constant opportunity. There were those, such as Joshua, who refused. Now the time had come for the matter of justice to be settled and the spiritual truth to be engaged. Where the beggar was cast out of the wedding because his heart remained unchanged with the invitation to honor the king, Joshua was rewarded and put in a place of honor for his due diligence to honor the King of kings and Lord of lords. It was, as we should be full aware of it, a “slap in the face” of Satan who case was deemed unworthy.

Mighty ones of God, we must consider the impact and the import of these two verses. They continue the theme of spiritual adjudication judging the heart and soul of human beings and not their works and worldly worth. The battle between good and evil, right and wrong, righteousness and unrighteousness is ongoing. We are given, by the example of Jesus in the gospels, the model and encouragement of “keeping the faith” which is given to us. “Keeping the faith” is a sign of victory which has been won already. Just as the military does not award medals before action, so “keeping the faith” is not a reward for having faith but for putting faith in action. We are called to keep the faith regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Rich or poor, slave or free, sheep or goat, our place in life is visible to God who sees our heart, mind and soul first as the true determination of who we truly are. As members of the Church, remembering the Church is the Bride of Christ, we are challenged and charged to “keep the faith” active and not merely possess it. This was the failing of Israel. I daresay it is the failing of Israel today and many congregations, fellowships and home groups within the Christian movement founded by Jesus Himself in the world but not of it. Just because we “have” a thing does not mean it is valued. The parable of the worker who buried his “one talent” in the ground for fear of losing it speaks to this truth. What he had was taken away on the Last Day when the truth of all things is revealed. How interesting it will be on “that Day” when Satan learns the fate of that awful truth: you have no real power. All his externals will be stripped away in the fire of the Holy Spirit. He will be left with nothing. He will find himself in that sea of misery the same as all others who do not seek to honor God and do what they can to show how valued He is to them.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.