1/5 Spiritual Warfare Ground: The Courtroom of God
The Throne Room of God: The Courtroom of God

The Courtroom of God: God as the Judge of Righteousness
In the Bible, we find numerous narratives that present God as the judge in God's courtroom. This illustration exists because God established a covenant with fallen mankind in the Garden of Eden and with the Israelites.
In Genesis 18, we find God as the one who judges the wicked, and God does not destroy both the righteous and the wicked, but only the wicked. We find Abraham negotiating with God not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if God can find a few righteous men among the wicked.
Genesis 18:25 “That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
In the book of Psalms, we find numerous accounts that illustrate God as the judge of righteousness who judges the world. And his throne has been prepared for judgment of the world.
Psalms 9:7-8 “But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”
Psalms 50: 6 “And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.”
Psalms 75:7 "But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”
Psalms 96:13 “Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.”
In Ecclesiastes, we find that God brings every secret thing to light and judges everyone for every action. There is nothing hidden from God.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
In the Book of Acts, God judges not only the living but also the dead, showing His judgment has no bounds.
Acts 10:42 “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.”
In Hebrews, God judges everyone but also justifies the just.
Hebrews 12:23 “ To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”
In 2 Tim, we find that Jesus Christ will bring his kingdom to judge both the living and the dead.
2Tim 4:1 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;”
In Revelation, a great white throne was shown to John, and the books were opened that show the deeds of everyone on earth. The great white throne is a place of judgment that records everyone's actions.
Rev 20:11-12 “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.”
Romans emphasizes that God judges a person's deeds on the day of wrath and revelation.
Romans 2:5-6 “ But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6.Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”
As you have seen above, many accounts in the Bible state that God’s throne is a place of judgment, like a courtroom where the righteous and the wicked are judged based on their deeds.
The Accuser, Satan
There are not many references to Satan and its role in the life of a Christian. However, in a few verses that do describe Satan in reflection of the life of a Christian, Satan is portrayed as the ultimate accuser of all believers who does not cease to accuse in the courtroom of God. The accuser accuses the accused through a microscopic lens and with deceit.
Job 1:9-12 “Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought 10. 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. 11. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”
The Book of Job begins in the courtroom of God, where Satan comes to God and accuses Him of protecting Job; because of God’s protection, Job is who he is. Satan is putting God’s grace that is placed upon Job in a pretense light and making a mockery of it, stating that without God’s favor in Job’s life, Job will surely betray God.
The Book of Job offers an interesting perspective on God’s heavenly throne, where Satan still has access, even after his rebellion. It seems as if God entertains the idea of Satan’s accusations against Job as a challenge and trusts Job will handle Satan’s accusations with victory. Also, God placing everything except Job’s life in Satan’s power seems to show God wants to test Job against Satan's accusations. Later in the Book of Job, we see that God not only accepts and sees Job overcome Satan's accusations, but also places Himself in the accused’s position and delivers His perfect righteousness in reflection of Job’s troubles by questioning Job about God’s sovereignty through various questions that only the Sovereign One knows the answer to.
In Zechariah chapter 3, we find Satan accusing Joshua the high priest, who was clothed with filthy garments.
Zech 3 “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.”
Satan accuses Joshua of the filthy garments that he was wearing, which represents his inability to stand before the throne room of God. But when God removes the filthy garments from Joshua and restores him, God demands that Joshua walk in the ways of the Lord and keep the commands. Joshua will be allowed to judge the house of the Lord, keep the court of God, and walk among the heavenly hosts.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells Simon that Satan has asked God to test him.
Luke 22:31-34 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.”
The word “desired” can be translated as “asked, petitioned, or requesed” of God in a legal sense, where a prosecuting attorney would bring a case against the one being asked, just like how Satan tried Job and Zechariah in a legal case against them in the courtroom of God.
This kind of accusation that is brought before the courtroom of God is not done once in a while or occasionally, but rather consistently with every opportunity that the accuser can, day and night.
Rev 12:10 “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.”





