1The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2He said to me, “What do you see?”
I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; 3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”
4I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”
5Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?”
I said, “No, my lord.”
6Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies. 7Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”
8Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. 10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”
11Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”
12I asked him the second time, “What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts that pour the golden oil out of themselves?”
13He answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?”
I said, “No, my lord.”
14Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Grudges - Poison of the Soul & a Sore Back
Carrying the Heavy Rock of a Grudge
Forgiveness is a big deal in living your life in a way that is pleasing to God. In this chapter, Paul explains the process of forgiveness within the church. Apparently, someone had done something that was very offensive to the church body there. They enacted some corrective measures, which were quite severe. I’m not sure what they did as the text doesn’t clarify it. They had forgiven this person, and Paul says that he can do no less. “10 Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Yes, forgiveness is a big deal in the Christian life.
If we struggle to forgive, it can be devastating to our souls. First, the Bible tells us that God will hold that against us (Matthew 6:14-15). Secondly, it will cause a root of bitterness to take hold of the soil of our soul, and it will poison others (Hebrews 12:14-15). Thirdly, we will be stuck in our past with no ability to live joyfully in the present or have a hope for the future. Unforgiveness is toxic. It is poison. It will kill you. We phrase a lack of forgiveness in such ways as “holding a grudge” or “writing it down in our book”. Do you want God to hold a grudge against you for the “stupid” that you’ve done to yourself, to Him, and to others? Do you want God putting down your wrongs in a “record book”? I know that I don’t want that.
To forgive is to take on the mind of Christ. You might say, “Pastor, I just can’t do that! You don’t understand what they did to me and my family.” I always answer, “I know you can’t do that, but if the Holy Spirit of God is living in you, HE can help you to forgive. It is not by your might or by your strength, but according to His strength that you are able to do these things. (Zechariah 4:6) Being grateful for how much He has forgiven you will help you to forgive others when they are in the wrong. Do not hold grudges. They will poison your soul and give you nothing but a sore back.