ZECHARIAH 3:2

“And the LORD said to Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a log snatched from the fire?’”

I love to go camping, even though I don’t do it a lot. I really like primitive camping when all you have is a tent, a campfire and some easy to cook food. One of the best things to me about camping is the campfire. I love the smell of wood burning. I love the flicker of the flames at night. I love the sound of the wood crackling. What happens if you pull one of the logs out of the fire? It will eventually stop burning although it will have the obvious signs of having been burned.

The LORD is rebuking Satan in today’s verse for bringing accusations against Joshua, the high priest who was mentioned in verse 1 of chapter 3. When the Lord says, “Is this not a log snatched from the fire,” He is saying to Satan, “Can’t you see the signs of suffering on him for his sins?” Remember, Israel had only recently returned from exile because of their sins. They were still wearing signs of their struggle.

APPLICATION

There are so many applications for us in this verse. I will try to stick to just one. We are all wearing the scars of our sinful flesh. Some of us made choices before salvation that caused actual physical scars. Some of our sins caused long-lasting emotional scars. We are like that log that has been snatched from the fire. God has taken us out of that fire, but we are still singed.

The beautiful thing about salvation is God can take you right where you are and cleanse you. Your sins are washed away. Eventually that singed smell will go away. Through the healing power of God, you can be “washed whiter than snow.” Listen to Isaiah in Isaiah 2:18. “‘Come now, and let us debate your case,’ Says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.’”

I know I have some leftover effects from my “Before Christ” days. They are a reminder of the grace of God in my life. I stand amazed every day that He would save a wretch like me. I bet you do too. But praise be to God, we are washed. We are cleansed. We have been set free.

Are you washed in the blood, in the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb.