The Accuser by A. Weeks

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 3, 1910

The Accuser

By A. Weeks

A. WEEKS

“AND I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Rev. 12:10.

Satan leads men to sin, then accuses them before God of that sin. His purpose is to discourage the sinful one, and to induce God to leave him to perish in his sins. But “God is love.” His character is the opposite of that of Satan. His purpose is to save; Satan’s to destroy.

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father,” says our Saviour. John 5:45. That is not his work. He came to save, to help, and to encourage the trembling sinner to make an effort to overcome temptation, and to form a character that God can transplant into the eternal world of glory. The Saviour prays for the discouraged, struggling, sinful one. “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.” 1 John 2:1, 2.

So abundant in mercy is our precious Saviour, that, when dying upon the cross, he prayed for his murderers, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” How earnestly, then, and with what tender love, does he pray for the repentant, sinful soul, “Father, forgive for my sake; I have paid the debt!” No accusation there. That is left for Satan.

When doing his work for man, his mercy was so marked that the scribes and Pharisees, thinking to find an accusation against him because of this, bring before him a clear case of guilt, a woman taken in adultery. In a quiet manner Jesus brings their sins to light; then he says, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” No stones are cast. The accusers are convicted by their own conscience. The Saviour inquires, “Hath no man condemned thee?” “No man, Lord,” the woman replies. “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more,” are the gracious words which fall upon her ears.

But Satan will not let the repentant sinner go free. He seeks to hamper with continual accusations. He said, concerning that perfect and upright man, Job, “Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.” The accusation is that Job is not at heart upright. Our Lord sees fit to try Job for his own good, as well as for the benefit of all beholders. He is placed in the power of the one that has accused him. Satan finds help among Job’s “friends,” and the struggle is on.

Many a struggling soul can see in Job’s experience an illustration of his own. We are encouraged to endure, for Job was benefited by the suffering. The latter part of Job’s life was better than the beginning. He was brought into a nearness to God that he had not known before. He says, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” He learned humility of heart.

In the case of the noble Joseph, Satan exerts his cunning ‘to lead him to sin against God. Failing in this, he uses the same human agent as an accuser. The accusation is received by man, and Joseph is cast into prison. But God knows his servant is innocent, and has a tender care for him. He comes forth from the furnace of affliction bright as purified gold.

Thus the accuser does his work. But whether the accusation be true or false, the child of God can be benefited thereby by placing himself in the hands of God by faith. In humility and repentance let him draw near to God, and learn the needed lesson in the bitter experience. Our Lord will reward the accuser according to his works. He will come to an inglorious end, and the human agents that have aided him in his desperate work will perish with him.

Smith’s Creek, Mich.