Zechariah 3:2

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?

Ver. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan] The Lord Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hard of God, who also maketh intercessionfor us. Who, then, shall condemn us? who shall lay aught to our charge? who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:33,35. Satan may attempt it, but can never effect it. "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not," sc. unto death; "but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself" (sc. "in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life," Jdg 1:21), "and that wicked one," or that troubler of the saints, "toucheth him not," viz. with a deadly touch, so as to poison him and undo him, 1 John 5:18. Christus nobiscum, state. Christ, stand with us. The Prince of Persia cannot stand before Michael, the King of saints, Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21 .

The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord] Christ argueth not the case with Satan, but cuts him off short with a vehement check and reproof; turns him over to his Father, to give him his due, Inhonestum enim est (saith Chrysostom), honestam matronam cum meretrice litigare, It is not fit for a matron to scold with a strumpet. Admit the accusation were true, yet it was maliciously and unreasonably urged. Doeg spoke nothing but truth against David and Ahimelech; yet he heareth, "What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty," that pierce deep, wound deadly; "with coals of juniper," that shall burn fierce in respect of thyself, and sweet in regard of others; for men are wondrous well pleased when such ill members are punished, Psalms 120:3,4 .

Even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem] He chose her for his loves; and now loves her for his choice. He loveth her and washeth her with his blood, that he may present her to himself holy and without blemish, Ephesians 5:26,27. The Persian maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahasuerus made his choice, Est 2:12-14 Not so here: A fountain of free grace is opened for sin and for uncleanness to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Zechariah 13:1. And Uranople, or the New Jerusalem, hath its foundation garnished with all manner of precious stones, Rev 21:19-21 Now the foundation of God standeth sure, so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Satan must know that God hath chosen Jerusalem and will not cast away his people which he foreknew, Romans 11:2 .

Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?] Titio ex igne ereptus? newly snatched out of the Babylonish furnace: where they have long lain among the pots, where they have been not only sullied, but scorched and half burnt, Psalms 68:13 : should they then be cruelly cast again into the flames, which they have strangely escaped, like as the barbarous persecutors ran Polycarp through the bowels with a sword when the beasts would not devour him, nor the fire burn him. Or as the bloody Papists, in Queen Mary's days, cast the woman of Guernsey's babe again into the fire, that sprang and sprawled out of his mother's womb as she was in burning. This was clean contrary to that apostolical precept, "Of some have compassion, pulling them out of the fire," Judges 1:22. And far short of Nebuchadnezzar's practices, who taking the three worthies out of the burning fiery furnace, promoted them to great honour and offices, Daniel 3:30 .