Here we discover a problem. Merely finding a people is not enough, for "while Jesus is pleading for the subjects of His grace, Satan accuses them before God as transgessors . . . . he points to the record of their lives, to the defects of charcter . . . .to all the sins that he has tempted them to commit, and because of these he claims them as his subjects" (GC 484). "They are not your people, they are mine," the devil charges. Why does he do it? Wasn't the dispute settled at Calvary? What is he making a scene about? Doesn't he know he is fighting a lost cause?
We get a clue as to Satan's concern from Early Writings, page 178. "It would be for his own interest to keep from Jesus as many as possible. Fior the sins of those redeemed by the blood of Christ will at last be rolled back upon the originator of sin, and he must bear their punishment, while those who do not accept salvation through Jesus will suffer the penalty of their own sins." The concept sounds rather strange, and others have accused us of making Satan our sin bearer. No, Christ has already borne our sins. But Satan has another role in the part that he plays in relationship to God's children. Satan is guilty as a sinner on three counts. First of all, he is guilty, as is any sinner, by his own personal choice. But he isn't just any sinner, he is the first sinner.He got things started. That, in a special way, places him in a unique category. But a third aspect relates to his responsibility for the distortion he has caused through the saints.
At Christ's death God could declare, "The human race now belongs to Me; they are my property. I now have earned the right to secure for them mercy." What is Satan arguing about? Namely, he recognizes that they still have free choice, that they still have to accept pardon before it will apply to them. And for everyone that does accept Christ, he adds confusion and distortion to their lives. Satan has no business touching them - they don't belong to him. He is violating God's property.
When the sin-issue is finally settled - and one of the main features of the atonement is to account for the estrangement of sin - one of the problems that must be cleared up is how to account for the fact that Christians sin. Aren't they in Christ? When we think about it, we must admit that if God took people in fellowship with Jesus Christ to heaven and gave new bodies and Satan weren't around to tempt them, they wouldn't sin.Then why do they now? Well, they are weak. But wait a minute? Can'they overcome in Chrsit? Yes. But sometimes in our walk with Chrsit, while we hold hands with Him, we stumble, let go, and turn our attention from Christ. Now remember, He doesn't release us. He still has our hand, and He clasps it unless we say, "Lord, let go!" Yet we stumble, we make mistakes. Why? Who presented the occasion for such stumbling? The master deceiver himself! He carries the guilt of a special crime when he molests a child of God. If one choses to be a member of Satan's kingdom, then, that one must bear the responsibility for the distortion he causes in the world, but not so for those who belong to Christ and are uniquely His property. Satan has no right to tamper with them, but he does. Therefore, for everyone redeemd through Jesus Christ, Satan bears additional responsibility for the distortion and confusion he contributes through their lives while they are Jesus' property. It is to Satan's interst to secure as many of the saved as he can. His very welfare is at stake. He will use every means at his disposal to invalidate the claims presented by Christ for His children.
Notice what Satan argues for his own subjects, those who choose him. "The hypocritical Pharisees prayed and fasted, pbserved the forms of godliness, while corrupt at heart. Satan stands by, taunting Christ and His angels with insults, 'I have them! I have them! I have prepared my deceptions for them. Your blood is worthless here. Your intercessions and power and wonderful works may as well cease; I have them! They are mine! For all their high professions as subjects of Christ, for all they once enjoyed the illuminations of his presence, I will secure them to myself in the very face of Heaven, which they are talking about. It is such subjects as these that I can use to decoy others' " (RH, May 11, 1886).
But he doesn't stop there. He even makes an effort to secure Christ's subjects. "As Satan accused Joshua and his people, so in all ages he accuses those who seek the mercy and favor of God. He is the 'accuser of our brethren, . . . which accused them before our God day and night.' Over evry soul that is rescued from the power of evil, and who's name is registered in the Lamb's book of life, the controversy is repeated. Never is one received into the family of God withour exciting the determined resistance of the enemy" (PK 585). "Those who honor God and keep His commandments are subject to the accusations od Satan. The enemy works with all his energy to lead persons into sin. Then he pleads that on account of their past sins, he should be allowed to exercise his hellish cruelty on them as his own subjects. . . . Christ is our high priest. Satan stands before Him night and day as an accuser of the brethren. With his masterly power he presents every objectionable feature of character as sufficient reason for the withdrawal of Christ's protecting power, thus allowing Satan to discourage and destroy those whom he has caused to sin" (MS 125,1901).
Little do we realize that claims being made in the universe at large in our behalf. We become so narrow in our thinking that we assume the whole issue concerns only us, but it also involves the universe. God's character is at stake. Claims and counterclaims hurtle back and forth in the presence of theuniverse, and we ask, "What is God going to do about Satan?"
In the eighth chapter of Daniel a similiar question is asked, "Lord, how long is everything we consider sacred going to be trodden underfoot?" At the time he spoke, the temple in Jerusalem lay in ruins. Invading armies had destroyed the center of the religious economy by which they communicated with God. Daniel asked, "How long, Lord, before you vindicate Yourself? Whe is thy name going to be honored in the earth? How long, Lord?" And the answer came ringing out, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sancuary be cleansed." The word translated 'cleansed' is an inteesting Semitic word. The prophet could have used another word with greater force if cleansed was the only idea that he sought. But the word he used means something more. It's root means to vindicate, justify. Only in a dirived sense does it mean cleansed. Here we get our key - vindicate. God will vindicate His name and do so in connection with His sanctuary.
As you read through Daniel 9 you will find that the start of the prophetic time period, which we believe extends twenty three hundred years by the prophetic principle of a day for a year, began at the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem and it's religious ministry. We find that it took place in 457 BC under the decree of Artaxerxes. The message of the vision, then, first of all provided an immediate answer to Daniel. But looking beyond, God wanted to give a fuller picture, a broader interpretation of what He finally was going to do to vindicate His name. We find in the book of Hebrews that the real issues center in the heavenly sanctuary. As Seventh-day Adventists we hold that since the middle of the nineteenth century we have lived during a time referrd to as "the cleansing of the sanctuary," or better yet, the vindication of what God has been doing in His heavenly ministry.
Now what has God been doing? Again we pick up the thread of thought in The Great Controversy, page 484. "While Jesus is pleading for the subjects of His grace, Satan accuses them before God as transgressors. . . . He points to the record of their lives, to the defects of character, the unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonored their Redeemer, to all the sins that he has tempted them to commit, and because of these he claims them as his subjects.
