Hello Everyone:
Last week in the FS Monday Night Forum I was addressing some of the comments and questions people have brought forth regarding the legitimacy of the Courtroom of Heaven.
Teachings regarding the Courtroom of Heaven have excited some and at the same time, caused others to rise up in opposition. For me, being in the Situation Room this last Thursday night, listening to the heartbreaking requests for prayer, from believer’s who have been standing and praying for years about their situations, catapulted me forth to dig even deeper into the precept of going into the courtroom of Heaven for answers and justice regarding our needs.
Yahweh teach us of Your Ways. Open the doors to revelation and give us understanding to help Your People.
It is exciting to see some breakthroughs from several Firestorm Members when they went into the courtroom of Heaven for them-self and with others who have gone in as Ambassadors of Christ in intercession for their friends and family members.
Some people fear going into the courtroom because, they sense they are not clean or worthy enough. We don’t get clean to go into the courtroom of heaven. We go into the courtroom of heaven to repent and get clean from any legal stronghold, stop demonic attacks, sickness and breakthrough that which has set a wall before us in our lives.
I encourage you to pray and seek the Father about His Heavenly Court System and study through Scriptures where He can reveal more to you on this. I am amazed and truly believe the foundation of our legal system of justice came from the judicial system in Heaven.
If you want some foundational information about the concept of a deeper level of intercessory prayer through accessing the Courtroom of Heaven, check out several teachings on The Firestorm Website.
Recently, I received a comment from a person saying, “There is no concept of courtrooms or word “courtroom” in the Bible.” Maybe so, but in the Bible, we do see words like “courts” and “councils” and a lot more judicial terms.
Is it wrong for us to use the term courtroom when many of the venues revealed in the Bible are rooms and/or places, where legal proceedings are transacted, which take on the form of our courtrooms here on earth?
One of the most powerful Scriptures we talk about when referring to Heaven’s Courts is Hebrew 4:16.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Why are we told to come boldly to the throne? Because of Scriptures in the Bible which show us coming before the Throne is like coming before the Judge in our court systems. This is where judgments and decisions are made to settle disputes and legal transactions both in Heaven (spiritual) and on Earth (natural).
Romans 14:10-12 says, “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. . . . So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God” (ESV).
2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us, “We must all appear before the judgment (Bema) seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
In context, it is clear here that both passages refer to Christians, not unbelievers. The judgment seat of Christ, therefore, involves believers giving an account of their lives to Christ.
Revelation 20:11-15
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Solomon in building his houses, I Kings 7
But Solomon took thirteen years to build his own house; so he finished all his house.
2 He also built the House of the Forest of Lebanon; its length was one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, with four rows of cedar pillars, and cedar beams on the pillars. 3 And it waspaneled with cedar above the beams that were on forty-five pillars, fifteen to a row. 4 There were windows with beveled frames in three rows, and window was opposite window in three tiers. 5 And all the doorways and doorposts had rectangular frames; and window wasopposite window in three tiers.
6 He also made the Hall of Pillars: its length was fifty cubits, and its width thirty cubits; and in front of them was a portico with pillars,and a canopy was in front of them.
7 Then he made a hall for the throne, the Hall of Judgment, where he might judge; and it was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.
Commentary: Verse 7. – Then he made a porch [or the porch] for the throne where he might Judge [i.e., it was at once audience chamber (throne room, ch. 10:18) and court of justice], even the porch of judgment [Stanley remarks that this “porch, or gate of justice, still kept alive the likeness of the old patriarchal custom of sitting in judgment at the gate.” He then refers to the “gate of justice” at Granada and the “Sublime Porte “at Constantinople. It is, perhaps, not quite so certain that “this porch was the gem and centre of the whole empire,” or that because it was so much thought of a similar but smaller porch was erected for the queen (ver. 8) (“Jewish Ch.,” 2. p. 195)]: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.
Psalm 122: Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together,4 Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the Lord, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
And in regard to councils: A school “council” meeting or a meeting where the City Council elected officials meet here on earth is a bit more casual than a “courtroom,” but it is still a place where legal and official documents and decisions are carried out, just like a courtroom.
So too, in the Scriptures, heavens courts and councils are places where “spiritual beings” carry out the governmental affairs of heaven and to some degree, they carry out affairs of the earth too.
The court most of us are familiar with in the Bible is the courtroom of accusation where there is a defendant, accuser and an advocate. The LORD is the Judge, who hears the accusation and brings forth decrees and judgments.
The Bible does not formally assign a name to this place, but doesn’t it seem to relate to our system of justice here on the earth. We generally face our accusers in a place we call a court or courtroom. We have someone who accuses us (a prosecutor), witnesses for or against us, evidence, a defense attorney to help plead/debate our case and hopefully a fair or righteous Judge, where we can receive justice and a fair verdict in our favor.
Some say, “The courtroom of heaven is Old Covenant.”
Kenneth Hagin said this:
The believer today has covenant rights just as much as the Old Testament saints did. In fact, the Bible says we have a better covenant established upon better promises.
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Hebrews 8:6
Because of that, we ought to be able to do all they did and more.
Here is a challenge from a covenant-keeping God to Israel under the Old Covenant to plead their case with Him. How much more, then, is it His challenge to the Church today!
Isaiah 43:25–26
25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
26 Put me in remembrance: LET US PLEAD TOGETHER: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. Isaiah 43:25-26
Come Boldly to the Throne
First, God said, “I am He who blots out your transgressions, and I will not remember your sins.” Thank God for that!
As a believer, you can confess your sins and you will be cleansed of all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus
(1 John 1:9). 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Put Him in Remembrance
Second, God said, “PUT ME IN REMEMBRANCE: let us plead together: declare thou [or set forth thy cause], that thou mayest be justified” (Isa. 43:26).
Hagin, Kenneth E. Plead Your Case (Kindle Locations 113-118). Faith Library Publications. Kindle Edition.
There sure is a lot of courtroom language used in those Scriptures.
It is true some people believe the doctrine of the courts of heaven views our relationship with God from an old covenant view, where the blood of Jesus has not yet been shed to free us from the power of sin.
However, sin and how it’s dealt with in the courts has nothing to do with our relationship with God. What is being revealed is the opportunity it provides for evil spirits to attack us.
Paul wrote to us after the death and resurrection of Jesus about a new covenant reality:
“Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil anopportunity. (Eph 26-27)
He was telling us that being angry creates an opportunity for the devil. If we choose to sin, it doesn’t make us less righteous in God’s eyes, but it does make us a target for demonic attack.
The apostle John, again in the new covenant reality, prescribed the remedy:
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. (I John 2:1)
The word “advocate” in this verse can be translated, attorney. John taught that when we sin, we should let Jesus, our attorney, plead our case before the Father. Doesn’t this seem to say when we sin we still to line up alongside of Jesus and repent?
That is exactly what we do in the court of accusation. Demons can torment us until we face their accusations in court, plead our case with Jesus covering, have the Judge pass sentence on them and clear us of the accusations through a decree or judgment in our favor.
Satan usually always has a legal right to mess with us through something we have done (sin) The premise about the courtroom of heaven is pleading our case.
We do that through repentance, proclaiming the scriptures of what God says about our situation and taking away the legal rights of Satan. If you are guilty, repent quickly.
“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Matthew 5:25
If you are not guilty, get your scriptures and declare and proclaim your innocence, but use wisdom here. Remember Satan is a legalist. He will claim what is legally his right to claim . If you are guilty of the charges/accusations and you try to say you are not, there are consequences.
Another comment against the courts of heaven was regarding Zechariah 3
Vision of the High Priest
3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. 4 Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
Here is the comment regarding the Scripture of Zechariah 3.
“This is a messianic passage in which Joshua, the high priest, represents Christ as a prophetic type. Christ is the judge in the house. He keeps the courts. The whole chapter is a prophecy about Jesus, not your role, not your place.”
Really?
You mean to say this chapter has nothing to do with Joshua as a High Priest to Israel being restored or that you or me could hold this office. It is not information telling us to use caution when we take on a priestly role, for Priests can be defiled. Isn’t this a warning for us to watch and be careful as others in our family can bring defilement to us? Is this not a message for us to keep clean and teach our children about the Kingdom.
Isn’t this revelation for us to see what is happening in the heavenly realm regarding how we are being accused, so we can spiritually enter the courts to defend our self and be in agreement with Jesus. Isn’t it our place to be co-laborers with Christ and rule and reign with Him?
There is no doubt Joshua is a shadow of the branch of David who is Jesus coming in the future, but right now Joshua is Joshua. Yes, the name Joshua, (also spelled Jeshua) does mean “Jehovah is salvation.” The more famous Joshua we know was the successor of Moses, Joshua son of Nun (Numbers 11:28). This Joshua however, is the son of Josedech, of the priestly line; his father did not serve as High Priest, since his grandfather, the High Priest Seraiah, was taken captive into Babylon in 586 BC.
Joshua son of Josedech returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon. He along with Zerubbabel began the construction of the 2nd Temple (ezra 5:2) The name Joshua was the name Jesus in the original Hebrew. Jesus is the English pronunciation of the Greek translation, so the name Jesus is Joshua, however in this setting is Joshua Jesus? NO.
The office of the High Priest was to reside over the House of the LORD, (the temple) in the succession from Aaron (Ex 29:7). He would offer the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, for the sins of the nation. (Lev. 16)
The High Priest was a type or picture of the priestly office of Messiah, as explained in Heb 9 and 10. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12) Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Heb 9:11-12
There is a lot more to discuss here, so it is good to bring up Zechariah Chapter 3:1-3 again and see what is written.
Zechariah 3 – The Cleansing of Joshua the High Priest
Zechariah’s vision of the Lord, Satan, and Joshua the High Priest
1. (1-3) The Angel of the Lord stands against Satan on Joshua’s behalf.
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
Not sure about you, but even though it is not referred to as a “courtroom,” this sure seems like a courtroom setting to me.
Zechariah is having this vision and he is seeing Joshua, the High Priest “standing before the Angel of the Lord, which reveals his priestly service. Joshua is not just in God’s presence as a spectator, he is a ministering priest and he is clothed with filthy garments.
Joshua the High Priest is wearing filthy garments symbolizes in thespiritual realms he was filthy. The Hebrew word here implies excrement. So, literally, the “excrement” of sin covers Joshua in the spiritual realms as he stood before Satan and the Angel of the Lord (Deuteronomy 23:14)
Joshua’s filthy garments were a picture of his sin and helpless state, standing before the Throne and you know who, Satan, is there as well standing at his right hand to “oppose Joshua.”
Satan is called the accuser in the bible, meaning a prosecuting attorney, adversary, or opponent. He is a Cherub angel and the word Cherub means covering. He covers our eyes to blind and entice us to sin.
He is the accuser of the brethren, who opposes Christ, our advocate,before the throne of God, 24 hours a day (Revelation 12:10) Satan is accusing Joshua the “restored High Priest,” proclaiming his sin before the throne of God and guess what? Satan does the same thing to a believer today.
However, Jesus is still our advocate and intercessor standing there with us before the throne of God, just as He was for Joshua the High Priest in the days of Zechariah.
What was Satan accusing Joshua of? Sin and Defilement.
According to Rashi, the Jewish commentator, Joshua was defiled for allowing his sons to marry pagan women (Ezra 10:18) demonstrating his lack of commitment to raising his children. His children would later prove to be allies of Tobiah and oppose Nehemiah (Nehemiah 13). His descendants would allow the Temple to be used by the enemies of the Lord.
I don’t think Satan is happy here in the courtroom, because Joshua is there. In our system of justice, if you have been served with a subpoena and you don’t show up, most of the time the verdict goes to the one who shows up, even if you were innocent, if you don’t appear in court – you lose. However, if people show up at court, they have a chance to plead their case and get a favorable verdict.
The Scriptures say Satan accuses us 24×7. So, if no one shows up that he is accusing, he gets the judgment in his favor. Think on that! If we are not getting the breakthrough answers from our regular prayer, we might find the answers in the courtroom before the Throne through repentance of our bloodline, generational curses and other things we may have missed. Remember Hosea 4:6 Yahweh said, My People Perish for a Lack of Knowledge.
We also read, “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:19
What if I was judging Joshua back in those days? Was I lining up with Satan in agreement? Likewise, if I had been praying for Joshua, would I be lining up with Jesus?
It sure makes me think. One of the main things to remember in the courtroom of heaven is to be careful whom you come into agreement with and not judge others . You have 2 choices in the courtroom – Satan or Jesus. Our words are full of the power of life and death in judging others and ourselves.
I have a feeling Satan was violently accusing this High Priest Joshua of sin and loving it. There is no doubt Joshua was defiled and unfit to serve and minister to the Lord in this priestly office. Now what happened?
The Angel of the Lord says, “The LORD rebuke you Satan!” Here the Angel of the Lord is called hwhyY’hovah, demonstrating His Divinity. The word for Angel is Malak, which means messenger.
The angel serving as intercessor, demurred to rebuke Satan Himself, but appealed to the Father to rebuke Satan just like what happened in Jude 1:9 where it tells us that Michael the archangel used this same phrase in battling against Satan.
The example here of the Angel of the Lord and of Michael shows us a model for spiritual warfare – that we always should battle with the Lord’s authority.
Zechariah 3:2 continues: The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. Is this not a brank plucked from the fire?
With this phrase, God reinforces the important standing ofJerusalem in His eyes. As mentioned in Zechariah 2:12 it is HisHoly Land.
Joshua the High Priest had a place of high standing – next to the Angel of the Lord and protected against Satanic attack. Still, this place of high privilege was not based on Joshua’s own goodness or merit; he himself was rescued as a brand plucked from the fire. This is even more boldly stated in that Joshua stands clothed in filthy garments. Satan had a lot to accuse Joshua of, but Joshua had an even greater advocate in the Angel of the Lord.
A brand is a burning, burnt, or smoldering piece of wood. Think of a campfire with a blackened, charred chunk of wood smoking in the ashes. It isn’t worth much at all and will be consumed completely if it isn’t plucked from the fire.
From Spurgeon: “So it is with the child of God. What is he at the best? Till he is taken up to heaven, he is nothing but a brand plucked out of the fire. It is his daily moan that he is a sinner; but Christ accepts him as he is: and he shuts the devil’s mouth by telling him,
‘Thou sayest this man is black – of course he is: what did I think he was but that? He is a brand plucked out of the fire. I plucked him out of it. He was burning when he was in it: he is black now he is out of it. He was what I knew he would be; he is not what I mean to make him, but he is what I knew he would be.
I have chosen him as a brand plucked out of the fire. What hast thou to say to that?’ Do observe that this plea did not require a single word to be added to it from Joshua.” (Spurgeon)
From Meyer: “Such is the divine economy, that God makes much of brands, fragments, castaways. What others regard as unworthy of their heed is dear and priceless to the great Lover of souls.” (Meyer)
The Lord spared Joshua the High Priest for his purpose and function, which was to restore Jerusalem, to its exalted position of cities on the earth. Joshua was the rightful High Priest, according to priestly decent. His being chosen in spite of his sins demonstrates the grace of God.
So Joshua is standing, as if on trial before the Heavenly court, where Satan is accusing him and The Angel of the Lord now commandsthose standing around watching the proceedings, to remove the filthy clothes from the High Priest.
Notice the Angel of the Lord’s use of authority here. He not only orders the other angels in the room, but he also removes Joshua’s sin
Clothing throughout scripture is a visual indicator of a person’s holiness. Filthy clothes represent sins, which are attached to the person. (Daniel 7:9; Isaiah 64:6)
The Angel of the Lord’s comments were directed now to the angelic host who stood by.
Zechariah 3:4a “Take away the filthy garments” representing the filthy condition of Joshua the High Priest. NOTE: Here we see the mercy and grace of the Lord, who removes his garments stained by sin.
I have removed iniquity from you: The Angel of the Lord demonstrates another aspect of his identity, the ability to forgive sins, demonstrating the same character of Jesus who also forgave sins during His ministry. (Mark 2:5-9; Luke 5:22-25; Romans 11:27
Only the person sinned against can forgive the sin. For example, is if someone steals somethng from a friend, the sin against one friend cannot be forgiven by another friend. Only the person who was offended can accept and forgive the transgression. When we sin against people, we also sin against God, for this reason scripture requires restoration with the person and sacrifice for the sin against God.
God owns our sin. So, an angel cannot just dismiss sin, if He were not God. “An angel” or “a man,” no matter how sincere they may be, cannot dismiss sins committed against God. The Jews who heard Jesus forgive sins understood this concept. The sacrificial system was built on atonement before God, for the transgression of Sin.
When Jesus said, your sins are forgiven” the Jews understood the words were blasphemous, if Jesus was not God he could not forgive sins against God. If the Angel of the Lord were not God, He could not forgive sins against God.
Zechariah 3:4b
And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
I will clothe you with rich robes: Again the Angel demonstrates His nature by promising to clothe Joshua in rich robes. Here the robes are in relation to righteousness, which replace the filthy garments of Joshua’s sin. Again, we need to ask, what type of angel can not only forgive sins, but then promise robes of righteousness?
This is a promise to saints made by Christ to wear clean clothes (Rev 3:4, 5; 7:13; 16:15, 19:8) representing righteousness. The only reason saints wear white according to scripture, is because righteousness imparted to them via the sacrifice of Messiah’s (Christ) death. (Isaiah 53)
In this light, the Angels’ words of imparting righteousness, via “rich clothes” demonstrates again His deity and ownership of sins. His replacing filthy clothes for rich also demonstrates His nature of intercession, intervening on the behalf of sin. This same person would one day come and bear the sins He is removing
Now take a look in verse 5) And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” Zechariah the prophet in a vision is witnessing the restoration of the High Priest, and takes an active role, being a priest himself, son of Iddo. Zechariah intercedes, a priestly function that a turban be placed on his head, according to the Mosaic Law (Ex 29:6, 39:30)
Verse 6) Angels were standing by listening to Zechariah, and place the crown of the priesthood on Joshua, while the Angel of the Lord and the others stand and watch. Is this not a sign of people co-laboring with God?
Zechariah was having a vision and now he spoke into it.
The events taking place here are in the spiritual realms, so those on earth, other than Zechariah who reveals the events, are not aware of what is even taking place
Now for the important part in verse 6:
The Coming Branch
6 Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here.
8 ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.
9 For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stoneare seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.”
How many of you now believe the Angel of the Lord is Yahshua/Jesus and Joshua is really Joshua standing in the courtroom or Presence of the Throne Room of God being judged, delivered and cleansed from his bloodline and generational curses?
The Angel is admonishing Joshua. He is representing the Father to Joshua and instructing him to turn. The Hebrew word for admonished means to bear witness, say again and again, to protest, and give warning.
The Angel has cleansed Joshua, but Joshua still must be responsible for his actions.
As the Lord of Hosts, he tells him he has a responsibility to be righteous and walk in the ways of the Lord and then in return he will be favored, and allowed to continue in his position.
This is not just talking about Joshua, this is showing us even if we sin, we can be forgiven and turn from our ways back to the Father, where He has a place, a position for us.
Joshua is the High Priest and in verse 6 the Angel refers to “My House,” which is symbolic of The Temple. The Temple was viewed as the house of God, the place where God chose to reveal Himself to the world, the specific location in the city of Jerusalem.
Joshua is one among those who stand here, looking forward to the day of redemption and resurrection, Joshua is offered a position of prominence, to stand in the presence of the Lord of Hosts with the angels.
In verse 8 Hear O Joshua. The Angel of the Lord now has an important message for Joshua who is told to “shama” or listen and obey. This term is used for the Nation, when a message of particular importance was presented.
Joshua and his companions represented the restored body of Israel, gathered from Babylon. As Moses brought attention to Israel, The Angel of the Lord is calling out to Joshua and those under him in the priesthood and Levites, to pay particular attention of what is coming and this is a message to us who stand as priests in the Body of Christ.
What should Joshua and his companions pay attention to?
Representing the House of Israel, they are instructed to know they are themselves are signs or types of the coming “Branch”, the servant or slave
The Jewish Study bible Tanakh Translation reads:
Hearken well, Oh High Priest Joshua, you and your fellow priests sitting before you! For those men are a sign that I am going to bring My servant the Branch Zechariah 3:8
We kings and priests and are to be a sign of the coming Kingdom of Heaven and our Heavenly King and Priest, Yahshua/Jesus. It is good to ponder upon our witness of Him and His Kingdom.
Joshuah was set free to walk in his destiny in the Courtroom of Heaven……Selah