A meditation to Zechariah 5.
TWO NIGHT VISIONS connect in
Zechariah 5 to confirm what the Lord
is doing.
The Lord is
acquitting his faithful who have been driven into exile, and more so, he is
also condemning those who have been wrongly acquitted.
In the sixth night vision, a massive flying scroll resembling a
sheet is symbolic for the imposing power of God’s Word as it hovers over the
earth, bringing judgment through righteousness — the faithful will be
vindicated; the wicked, judged. Everyone in the vicinity on earth can see it.
It’s literally “a curse over the face of all the land.” It’s a curse for
covenant violators. The two crimes-of-covenant in view are 1) those who swear
falsely (i.e. liars) (3rd commandment); and 2) those who steal (8th
commandment). The first is a sin against Yahweh, the second is a sin against
one’s neighbour. Those who seem to get away with these kinds of treachery will
get away with nothing.
Proverbs tells us that the Lord
detests the acquitting of the guilty and the condemning of the innocent; that the
innocent deserve justice (Proverbs 17:15; 18:15; 24:24-25).
From verse 5 we see the seventh night vision unfold. The guilty
are the focus here. Those who have transgressed the Lord’s covenant are designated as “Iniquity.” They are not
only incarcerated (in a basket), they are also about to be carried off to
Babylon — a hell of their own just desserts. There they will be set down and
founded permanently. There they will receive no chance for redemption. There
the judgment is damning. There is where those who sin capriciously will go.
This means great hope for those who are truly endeavouring to be faithful to
the Lord; the repentant.
***
What does all this mean?
There are people who wreak havoc in
our lives without seeming to care. There are also times when we don’t care
sufficiently. This is an encouragement to
us in the first instance — those who have spelt injustices out into our lives
will not get away with it. This is a challenge
to us in the second instance — it’s not too late for us to go back and make
things right.
God will not let the innocent
suffer forever. He cannot let the guilty go free.
We are urged to tell the truth,
even when it hurts (Psalm 15:4). We are also urged to steal, covet, and lust
after, nothing. Faithfulness to God is honesty and contentedness.
Remember, all in his timing! “With
the Lord a day is like a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8; cf. Psalm 90:4). Justice
will come, but not today. Patience decrees we wait as if we were not waiting at
all. Justice will come!
© 2015 Steve Wickham.
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