Zechariah 5:5-11 says...Bible reading week 32, day 3

Today's verses are Zechariah 5:5-11 and includes the 7th night vision of Zechariah.  It reads,

v.5, 6 - Then the angel who was speaking with me came forward and told me, "Look up and see what this is that is approaching."  So I asked, "What is it?"  He responded, "It's a measuring basket that is approaching."  And he continued, "This is their iniquity in all the land."

The angel keeps coming with word pictures for Zechariah to understand.  We previously had a measuring string and now we have a measuring basket.  The grain was poured in the measuring basket to give a standardize size for a bushel of wheat or rye or barley.  It was a tool that kept things equal but also was used to measure the amount of what you have.  In this measuring basket is the sins of the people.  How many sins are there?  Do they fill the basket up?  What are in the basket that give definition that this truly is a sin or an iniquity?  Sounds like we need to get to verse 7.

v.7-9 - Then a lead cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.  "This is Wickedness," he said.  He shoved her down into the basket and pushed the lead weight over its opening.  Then I looked up and saw two woman approaching with the wind in their wings.  Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and sky.

The lead cover would have been heavy and used to make sure what was inside was not going to get out.  The sin or iniquity was contained.  It wants to get out but it is contained by the angel who lets us see the sin called Wickedness but shoved back into its rightful place.  On the horizon is coming two other women.  One woman in the basket represents wickedness.  I wonder what these two other women flying in represent and why they are taking this basket of sin?  So let's move unto verse 10 and 11.

v.10, 11 - So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "Where are they taking the basket?"  "To build a shrine for it in the land of Shinar," he told me.  "When that is ready, the basket will be placed there on its pedestal."

So the basket of sin, of wickedness, is going to be put in a place lifted up on a pedestal to worship.  The sin of the people, the iniquity of the people of Israel is not going to be disdained but given dignity.  What is contained by God and defined by God will be looked up to and bowed down to.  This is a night vision that reminds me of Romans 1:32 which says,

"Although they know God's just sentence--that those who practice such things deserve to die--they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them."

Even though we see that sin in the measuring basket God has set up, the Bible, and contained by His sovereignty, we go against what He says to the point of cheering ourselves and others who practice that sin.  We put it on prime time television for all to see.  We create laws to protect sin.  We pay money and support with taxes what is in the basket.  We have carried it from where it was a something detestable to a place for all to see and travel to see it with all its glittering lights.  

Wow, God sure can nail us in our time.  We are doing what the people of Israel where doing in Zechariah's time and also Paul's time.  We have knowledge of what is sin but instead of seeking forgiveness, we have gone the right of familiarizing ourselves with it to the point of faming it.  Lord help us.  Let us pray.

"Lord, You are continuing to point us to what is right and true.  You are continuing to be merciful with us who are putting sin where it should not be.  Help us to stop playing with sin and putting it on a pedestal and be on our knees before what You have said is in the basket.  Amen"

Pastor Adam