Accuser of the Brethren

Accuser of the Brethren After Christ’s resurrection, Satan no longer has the same access to God to accuse believers, and his accusations fall short because believers are covered by Christ’s righteousness.[1][2] Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for His people[1][2]. While Satan is still called “the accuser of our brethren” who attempts to accuse believers of guilt and sin that might damn them in God’s presence[3], his access to heaven has been greatly curtailed. In fact, Revelation depicts Satan being defeated and thrown down to earth, no longer having a place in heaven[2].

Instead of directly accusing before God, Satan now gains access through our thoughts. Believers can actually end up accusing themselves by dwelling on thoughts about themselves that don’t align with God’s truth. For example, we might think we’re disqualified because we didn’t pray enough or that God still holds our past against us.[1] However, Satan remains a powerful enemy who can still do significant damage in the world and to God’s people, often described as a prowling lion seeking to do harm[2]. Ultimately, though, the church is assured of victory because of Christ, and God will eventually crush Satan completely[2].

[1] Heath Adamson, The Sacred Chase: Moving from Proximity to Intimacy with God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2020).[See here, here, here.] [2] Richard P. Belcher Jr., Job: The Mystery of Suffering and God’s Sovereignty, Focus on the Bible Commentary (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2017), 331–332. [3] Sinclair B. Ferguson, By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2010), 72.

Satan is described as the accuser of the brothers, who accuses them before God day and night. This concept of continuous satanic accusation appears only in this Scripture passage, though there is a precedent in the book of Job where Satan accuses Job before God[1].

Specifically, in Job 1 and 2, Satan presents himself among the sons of God in heaven as an accuser of the saints. However, at Christ’s coming as Redeemer, Satan fell from heaven, especially when Christ suffered, rose, and ascended. Christ appearing before God as our Advocate meant that Satan, the accusing adversary, could no longer appear against us and was judicially cast out[2].

Interestingly, this does not mean Satan had direct personal access to God’s throne during this age. Rather, just as the saints’ prayers go up unceasingly before God, so too have Satan’s accusations been rising. For reasons not fully developed in Scripture, God has permitted the enemy’s accusations against the saints into His presence[1].

Eventually, Satan will be expelled from heaven. Furious at his expulsion and knowing his time on earth is short, he will concentrate all his power to destroy as many souls as possible. Though no longer able to accuse the elect in heaven, he can still tempt and persecute on earth. The commentary notes that as light becomes more victorious, the powers of darkness become more violent[1][2].

Importantly, because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, Satan’s accusations are ultimately empty. While he is right about human sin, the debt has been paid, rendering his accusations powerless[3].

[1] Kendell H. Easley, Revelation, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 12:212. [2] David Brown, A. R. Fausset, and Robert Jamieson, A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments: Acts–Revelation (London; Glasgow: William Collins, Sons, & Company, Limited, n.d.), 6:695–696. [3] Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1253.