Zechariah 5:1-11 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Zechariah 5:1-11. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Zechariah 5:1-3 (NIV)
1 I looked again–and there before me was a flying scroll!
2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll, thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide.”
3 And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished.
On verses 1-3: In a sixth vision, Zechariah sees a large flying scroll. He learns that the flying scroll represents a curse, or a judgment, from God over the whole land (probably meaning Judah). The curse is that every thief and liar must be banished (v3).
What can we learn from this? All of us are accountable to God for our sins. God is holy and just, so anything that is less than 100% holy and just cannot stand in His presence. That’s why thieves and liars cannot stand in God’s presence. If you have ever stolen anything (which, according to the book of Malachi, includes stealing from God by failing to tithe), or if you have ever lied, then we have no right to stand in God’s presence; we deserve to be banished and separated from God’s presence.
But the reason we can come before God today is all because of Jesus. Jesus took all of our sins to the cross. Jesus was banished and separated from God’s presence in our place.
By the way, why are lying and stealing singled out in this scroll? It’s not entirely clear. In any event, this passage shows how seriously God looks at sin.
Zechariah 5:4 (NIV)
4 The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in his house and destroy it, both its timbers and its stones.'”
On verse 4: Zechariah is told that the curse or judgment God gives against liars and thieves will enter their houses, remain in their houses, and destroy their houses. It’s a sobering reminder that when we do not turn from sin, God’s judgment remains on our home. If left unchecked, our sins will eventually destroy our homes. That’s why God takes such a strong stand against sin. He does not want to see His children or their homes destroyed.
Zechariah 5:5-11 (NIV)
5 Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what this is that is appearing.”
6 I asked, “What is it?” He replied, “It is a measuring basket.” And he added, “This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land.”
7 Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!
8 He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed the lead cover down over its mouth.
9 Then I looked up–and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.
10 “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me.
11 He replied, “To the country of Babylonia to build a house for it. When it is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”
On verses 5-11: Zechariah then sees a seventh vision. It is of a woman in a basket. Zechariah learns that the woman in the basket represents wickedness. Then two angelic women transport the basket to Babylonia (which was known as a centre for idol worship).
What can we learn from this? God’s heart is to remove all evil and to contain it elsewhere in a place far away from His people. When Jesus returns to earth, He will do just that. Is there a sin or an evil practice that you are trying to tolerate or co-exist with? To protect the land that God has given you, whether it’s your home, your family, or your mind, you cannot tolerate sin and evil or try to co-exist with sin and evil.
Thank You, Father, for showing us through these verses how holy You are, how sin and evil cannot stand in Your presence. Thank You that though we were evil and full of sin, You had such great mercy on us. You laid our sins on Your own Son Jesus, and let Him be banished in our place. Since You died so that we could have life and live in Your holy presence, may we not tolerate evil in our own lives but take the steps we need to to cut it off from affecting us any further. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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