Zechariah 5:2-3
“And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ So I answered, ‘I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.’ Then he said to me, ‘This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth…'”
Over the years, Hollywood has gone to elaborate ends to depict the results of a curse. The storyline of the hit movie “Pirates of the Caribbean,” is built upon the fact that a group of pirates stole enchanted treasure and were forced to live forever under its curse. The curse forced them to live forever, without taste or feeling.
The Bible teaches we are actually under the curse of sin. Paul explained, it was Adam’s disobedience which brought sin into the world, and each of us have followed in Adam’s footsteps by living a life of sin. Our nature causes us to sin, and our sinful actions condemn us to a life divorced from God. If this condition is not repaired we will end up eternally separated from God.
The message of the Bible is a message of redemption. From the very beginning, it tells the story of God providing a means for sin to be pardoned, and the strength of the curse broken. After fulfilling hundreds of prophecies, written over a period of fifteen centuries, Jesus paid the ultimate price to free us from sin’s curse.
Paul put it this way,
Galatians 3:10
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written,’Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.'”
Galatians 3:13
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written,’Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)”
Any of us, who have broken the least of God’s commands, are condemned under the curse of sin. If you have ever lied, taken something that does not belong to you, coveted someone else’s stuff, become angry without cause or looked at a woman with lustful eyes, then you are sitting under sin’s curse. The only force strong enough to break the curse of sin, is the power of God; that was demonstrated on the cross. It was there, on that tree, that Christ bore the curse for us,so we could bear the righteousness of God, and be free.
The only means of escaping the curse of sin,is to receive the forgiveness of Christ. Have you accepted His generous offer? Will you ask Christ to pardon you and give you eternal life?It is free for the asking.
Pastor Jim
The Bible clearly teaches that we are not to lie. Truthfulness is a very important trait, and is the foundation for healthy relationships. We cannot have a relationship with someone we cannot trust and we cannot trust someone who does not tell us the truth. That being said, it is also important to remember, we are not required to divulge all the information to every one who asks. If you are walking casually through the local department store and make eye contact with a passerby who asks the common question, “how are you,” a simple, “fine,” would suffice. It is not necessary, for the sake of honesty, to give an elaborate backstory, or to share your deepest feelings. In the same way, some truths, have their best applications when they are concealed. There are matters that are best left to you and your spouse to discuss, and are not the business of others. Sadly, we have all had the experience of trusting delicate information to another, who does not treat it with the same care. Soon their lose tongue has shared the matter with others, and we are left to pick up the pieces. Being the first to know something, or share it with others, does nothing to improve your character, but sharing matters that are not yours to share, reveals a weakness in your character, and hurts those you are supposed to love.
Zerubbabel, the governor of Judea, was responsible for a task far too great for himself. He had led a small group of untrained refugees from Persia back to Jerusalem. There, in the midst of continual opposition, and with limited resources, they began the project of restoring the Temple of God. It did not take long for the people to become discouraged and the work to cease. It was then, that a message came to Zechariah from the Lord. The message was in the form of a vision, and showed the Temple menorah connected to an olive tree by seven golden pipes. These pipes provided oil to the lamp, without the need of human intervention. Puzzled by the meaning of the vision, Zechariah was told this was a message for the governor. Just as the lamp would be fueled supernaturally, so would Zerubbabel be strengthen by the hand of God. He was told that it was ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.
We cannot be certain of the attire of the King of Israel or that of a common housewife, but we do have a detailed description of the clothing worn by the high priest. Scripture goes into great lengths to describe the artistically woven garments he would wear whenever serving around the Temple. It must have been quite a shock to Zechariah when he saw a vision of Joshua the high priest clothed in filthy garments. I am sure the words of the prophet Isaiah came to mind,
After seventy years of captivity Israel was allowed to return to the land and begin to rebuild their broken down Temple. Millions had been taken captive and only a fraction returned to get the task started. Even those who returned had become discouraged and had forsaken the work. It is in this setting that Zechariah declares,
The sermons from Haggai and Zechariah stirred the people to return to the work of rebuilding the Temple. Because of their dedication, it did not take long before walls were erected and priestly ministry restored. The completed Temple had a dual affect upon the people. Some celebrated, while others wept. Those who wept did so because they remembered how glorious Solomon’s Temple had been, then they looked at the rudimentary structure they had built to replace it. Haggai’s message was directed to them. He declared, this new Temple was actually more glorious than the one it replaced. It’s glory was not in the expense required to build it, or in its intrinsic value, but in what would take place within it.
Seventy years after Judah was defeated and Jerusalem was burned to the ground, a remnant of Israelites, led by Zerubbabel, made their way back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. After an initial period of success, they were met by strong opposition that caused the work to cease for a period of fifteen years. During that time, the people who were once involved in the ministry, became distracted by life and the Temple remained an incomplete work. It was at this time God raised up the prophet Haggai to exhort the people. His initial message was both simple and clear. He told them it was time for them to consider their ways. The needed to take the time to examine their lives and see if they were, in fact, living for the Lord. This is the first step in getting our spiritual life back on track.
