”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.” 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.”“
Zechariah 5:6, 10-11 CSB
Zechariah continues to see visions and this one is shocking! A basket, which is normally used to measure out their produce and see how profitable their harvest is, is flying toward them. A strange sight indeed…but even more interesting is that the Angel (who is explaining the vision) tells him it represents all of their sin. The work of their hands (what they work at producing, what they toil to make) is literally sin!
Then it gets worse! They are working diligently to sin, intentionally doing more against God, and then worshiping the sin itself!!! This is horrifying and tragic…
But the question I must ask is, how are we like this? How do I behave in a similar way?
I know that I have worshiped my work. What I mean is that the work that I did seemed more important than family commitments. I spent years traveling away from family. I spent seasons dragging my kids and wife to event after event weather it was good for them or not…that sounds a lot like worshiping sin.
What made this tricky, is that those things seemed like they were good. I was able to convince myself and others that these were the right choices.
I look around and see the same thing in society, we desire something. so we convince ourselves and everyone around us that what we want is actually good! Then we are willing to do the sinful things that we want and get angry if anyone does not join us in admiring the “goodness” of our sin. How tragic!!!
Lord open my eyes to see where I still do this today. I am so weak that I can fall into this trap again…but I desperately want to avoid it! I want to worship You only and recognize my sin for what it is, repent and run away from it! I want my life, my words, my actions and motives to bring You glory. I want to hate sin and love Your ways. That is the opposite of natural for me, I need You to empower me! Give me the strength to hate evil and surrender my desires to You!!!
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