When the Lawyer Shows Up!
Pleading Your Case in the Heavenly Courtroom.
By Gregory Toussaint | November 19th, 2025
The challenges and trials of life often lead us to search for answers, attributing difficult circumstances to fate, bad luck, or the unpredictable nature of the world. Yet, the profound spiritual truths embedded in the Bible, particularly the story of Joshua the High Priest in the book of Zechariah, reveal a radically different reality: many of the events that shape our lives are the direct result of decisions made in a place we rarely consider, the Heavenly Courtroom.
This concept, central to the spiritual lives of great intercessors like Abraham, Moses, and Daniel, teaches us that prayer is not merely asking, but pleading your case before God. To navigate this spiritual reality effectively, we must first understand the divine legal framework: the Heavenly Court System.
The Highest Court in the Universe.
The foundation of this understanding is the Throne Room, which serves as the highest court in the universe. The person seated on that throne is not only the Judge but also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As Isaiah 33:22 states, God is simultaneously our King, our Legislator, and our Judge. He holds the executive, legislative, and judicial powers all at once. For this reason, His courtroom is not merely a courtroom; it is a Throne Room.
What happens in this Heavenly Tribunal has a direct and tangible impact on earth. This principle is revealed throughout Scripture. The death of King Ahab, for example, may have appeared accidental on earth, but when we look into the heavenly realm, it becomes clear that it was the execution of a sentence decreed in the court of heaven. Likewise, the trials of Job were not random misfortunes but the unfolding of a judicial process initiated by the accuser. Acknowledging this spiritual reality is essential, because many of the blessings or trials we experience may be the outworking of a judgment released from the Heavenly Court.
The Accuser and the Accused: Joshua's Trial.
The prophet Zechariah gives us one of the clearest and most dramatic visions of the heavenly court in action. Zechariah 3:1-4 describes a scene where Joshua the High Priest stands before the Angel of the Lord while Satan stands at his right hand to oppose and accuse him.
Joshua, the accused in this vision, was not the same Joshua who served Moses. He lived nearly a thousand years later and was an elderly man who had spent seventy years in the Babylonian diaspora before returning to Jerusalem. He was a man of deep faith, committed to rebuilding the temple and restoring true worship. He faithfully observed the Law of Moses. The book of Ezra records that he offered burnt offerings and kept the Feast of Tabernacles "as it is written," which confirms his genuine devotion.
Nevertheless, despite his faithfulness, Satan found a way to accuse him. The accuser brought a complaint in the heavenly courtroom, and Joshua’s spirit was summoned to stand before the divine Judge. This reveals a critical spiritual reality: your body may be on earth, but your spirit can be summoned to a tribunal in the spirit realm.
The Filthy Garment was evidence of Guilt.
When Joshua showed up in the highest court of the universe, everyone was shocked. The Bible says he was clothed with a filthy garment. The Hebrew word for "filthy" literally means dung or feces. Joshua, the devoted High Priest, stood before the King of kings covered in waste, smelling bad and looking bad.
The question is, how could such a faithful man be covered in sin? The answer lies in his role as the High Priest. According to the Law of Moses (Leviticus), the High Priest was responsible for bearing the sins of the people. The dung and feces represented the collective iniquities of the people of Israel. Joshua was personally innocent, but as the leader, he became guilty through the sins of those under his authority.
This reveals a powerful spiritual principle of leadership responsibility:
A leader cannot be innocent when the people under their responsibility are guilty. The actions of those you lead, whether you are a pastor, a business leader, a father, or a mother, affect you directly. If the people you lead are guilty, you also bear responsibility as the leader.
A leader must be an intercessor. Just as Job interceded for his children after their parties, a leader must constantly pray for those under their influence, confessing their sins before God, because the iniquities of the people can come back to affect the leader.
Satan's sentencing recommendation was the threefold condemnation.
With the evidence the filthy garment clearly visible, Satan, the accuser, did not waste time arguing the facts. He went straight to the sentencing recommendation, demanding three forms of capital punishment based on God's own Law:
1. End His Ministry (Leviticus 22:4)
Satan argued that according to the Law, any priest who is unclean or has a discharge "shall not eat of the holy offerings." Since Joshua was covered in dung (uncleanness), he was disqualified from the priesthood. Satan demanded that Joshua's license as a priest be revoked, arguing that he was not qualified to minister. This is the enemy's constant tactic against those in ministry: to accuse them and declare them unqualified to serve God.
2. End His Citizenship (Leviticus 7:21)
Satan then argued that anyone who touches an unclean thing and eats of the holy offerings "shall be cut off from his people." Since Joshua was covered in the uncleanness of the people's sins, and yet continued to perform his priestly duties, Satan demanded that he be cut off from the people of God. This was a demand to remove his citizenship, to kick him out of the country and the community of faith. The enemy constantly tries to kick believers out of the house of God, arguing that their past or present failures disqualify them from being part of God's people.
3. End His Life (Leviticus 15:31)
Finally, Satan demanded the ultimate penalty: death. Citing Leviticus 15:31, which states that anyone who defiles the tabernacle in their uncleanness shall die, Satan argued that Joshua, the High Priest, was defiling the Tabernacle daily by entering it covered in sin. The accuser demanded immediate capital punishment, arguing that Joshua should not leave the courtroom alive.
The Lord Rebuke You!
Throughout this terrifying trial, Joshua remained silent. The evidence was too clear, too heavy, and unarguable. He had nothing to say in his own defense.
Then, in the cold, chilling silence of the courtroom, a noise was heard, a door opened, and a figure dressed in white, with a crown of gold and a sword (the Word of God) in His mouth, walked in. This was the Lawyer, the Defender, the Advocate Jesus Christ.
The first thing the Lawyer did was not to argue with the Judge, but to walk straight toward the accuser and declare: "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!" (Zechariah 3:2 NKJV).
When Jesus shows up, He shuts the accuser's mouth. Joshua could not speak for himself, but Jesus spoke for him. Joshua could not defend himself, but Jesus defended him. When you cannot speak for yourself, the Lord will speak for you. When you cannot repel the accusation, the Lord will stand against it.
This moment teaches us a profound lesson about spiritual warfare:
Our rebuke may not work, but Jesus's rebuke will always work. When we are on earth, we rebuke the spirits of infirmity, poverty, and immorality. But in the Heavenly Courtroom, it is Jesus who shows up and says, "The Lord rebuke you." His rebuke is final, powerful, and effective.
Jesus did not plead Joshua's innocence. He could not, because the evidence the filthy garment was real, and the people had sinned. To plead innocence would have been a lie. Instead, Jesus pleaded two things: Grace and Mercy.
1. The Argument of Grace: "I Chose Him"
Jesus's first argument was based on His sovereign choice: "The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you." (Zechariah 3:2 NKJV). In other words: He is covered with dung, but I chose him. He is covered with iniquity, but I chose him. He wasn't supposed to do what he did, but I chose him.
This is the essence of Grace: receiving what you do not deserve. Joshua did not deserve to be chosen, but God's sovereign choice His grace overrode the evidence of his guilt. Where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more. Jesus did not argue innocence; He argued grace.
2. The Argument of Mercy: "A Brand Plucked from the Fire"
Jesus's second argument was based on His intervention: "Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" (Zechariah 3:2 NKJV). The "fire" represents the judgment and wrath of God. Joshua should have been under that wrath, but Jesus decided to pluck him out.
This is the essence of Mercy: not receiving the punishment you do deserve. Jesus did not argue that Joshua was not guilty; He argued that He had already intervened to save him from the deserved judgment. Jesus pleaded mercy.
In the Courtroom of Heaven, no one can successfully plead innocence. The only valid argument is the plea for grace and mercy, which is only possible through Jesus Christ. As prayer warriors, we must approach the Throne of Grace not on the basis of our own merit, holiness, or righteousness, but on the basis of the mercies of Jesus.
The Verdict: A Change of Garment.
The verdict was swift and dramatic. The Lawyer turned to those standing before the Judge and commanded: "Take away the filthy garments from him... See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with rich robes." (Zechariah 3:4 NKJV).
The filthy garment, the evidence of sin, was removed, and Joshua was clothed with a rich robe symbolizing righteousness and a complete change of appearance. His trial turned into a party. His condemnation turned into a celebration. When the Lawyer shows up, everything changes:
The Accuser is Silenced: The Lord rebukes Satan.
The Guilt is Removed: The filthy garment is taken away.
The Sentence is Overturned: The death penalty is replaced with a rich robe of righteousness.
The Trial Becomes a Party: The man who walked in covered in dung walks out dressed for a celebration.
The basis of this transformation is not our performance, but the unshakeable foundation of grace and mercy provided by our Advocate, Jesus Christ.
Questions for Group Discussion:
The message emphasizes that many life events are the result of decisions made in the Heavenly Courtroom. How does this perspective change the way you view personal trials or global events, and how does it influence your approach to prayer?
The principle of "leadership responsibility" suggests that a leader can become guilty through the sins of those under their authority (family, employees, church members). How can leaders practically apply the role of an intercessor to mitigate this spiritual risk?
Joshua was silent because the evidence against him (the filthy garment) was unarguable. Can you recall a time in your life when you felt "covered in evidence" and had nothing to say in your own defense?
Jesus did not argue Joshua's innocence but pleaded Grace ("I chose him") and Mercy ("a brand plucked from the fire"). In your personal prayer life, how often do you approach God based on your own merit versus His grace and mercy?
