The Write Place

⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan^[b] also came among them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ⁸ And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.
Job 1:6-11

The accuser here approaches God at a time when the angels are being examined, uninvited. Notice God’s words, they are not welcoming. The expression is lost on us. God knows where the devil has been, what he is doing is showing derision for the Satan approaching him in idiom. You may know it more as akin to “look what the cat dragged in.” Satan responds smug and disrespectful. God recognizes this intruder, and knows he has something on his mind. God is regal and kingly, knowing what the accuser has come for. He knows Satan has Job in mind, and disrespectfully the adversary answers. Satan follows this pattern throughout history.

⁹ And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers^[a] has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

Revelation 12:9-10

The Serpent is defeated today, thrown down. He remains the accuser of the brethren throughout the ages, and the tempter who seeks to accost his people. Jesus shares this with Peter.

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,^[a] that he might sift you like wheat, ³² but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke 22:31-32

Notice in all of this what we often leave out. Satan is not the real power here; he has to stay within what God permits. The Devil is a devil, but he is God’s devil on a leash. The Devil is defeated and desperate, though he works as he always has his time is near his end.

3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan^[a] standing at his right hand to accuse him. ² And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand^[b] plucked from the fire?” ³ Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. ⁴ And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” ⁵ And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.

Zechariah 3:1-5

What does God do in pricking the conscience then?

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

John 16:7-11

God convicts through the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The feeling of helplessness and accusation a Christian feels comes from the devil. But a genuine conviction is a sign of the Spirit of God at work. All Satan can do is attack the assurance a believer has. Compare Peter who wept for his betrayal of Jesus, but Judas who hopelessly languished in his sin lost in himself. Peter was restored, but Judas being not of the brethren fled from conviction and killed himself.

By now this theme of accusation is familiar. It is also resolved as in Revelation, we see his defeat. His low position and doom is certain even earlier.

¹⁸ And He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

Luke 10:18

He still seeks to accost God’s people (Luke 22 is later) but he does not have his power or position. The accuser of the brethren is still dangerous, but he is also defeated.

¹² Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Revelation 12:12

We do not however, need to fear him. Our great accuser is no more free to deceive the nations. Christ our advocate and great high priest and king reigns now and forever.

¹⁵ And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 11:14

¹⁴ Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16