‘“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,’ declares the LORD.” Zechariah 8:16-17
In March of 2021 Archaeologists in Israel have recovered dozens of fragments of parchment from a Biblical scroll, allegedly dating back thousands of years. The pieces were recovered from the Cave of Horror in the Judean Desert, Israel, and are part of the infamous Dead Sea Scrolls first discovered in the 1940’s.
The text contained on the pieces of scroll clearly depict lines from two Minor Prophet books: Zechariah 8:16-17 (see above), and Nahum 1:5-6: “The mountains quake because of Him, and the hills melt. The earth heaves before Him, the world and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before His wrath? Who can resist His fury? His anger pours out like fire, and rocks are shattered because of Him.”
What do you think God is trying to tell us? After thousands of years, God has once again revealed His truth for the world to see.
We don’t like to think about God’s anger and judgment; and yet, Easter is about God unleashing His full wrath for the human rebellion—on His son. Humanity committed evil deeds of darkness and treason, and Jesus paid the sentence for all of it. The story of the Cross is the ultimate paradox because it blends together true justice and radical mercy.
The Creator of the Universe doesn’t require us to pay for our salvation. He gives it as a free gift—to us, that is—because someone else already footed the bill. But He does require something from us: “Speak the truth to each other and render true judgements,” or… don’t lie and don’t cheat. God hates these things. Sounds easy enough, right?
The sad irony is that we live in a culture that has made a sport out of lying. The media, the criminal justice system, and even our public schools are actively attempting to redefine right and wrong. Gaslighting, or the insidious form of manipulation and psychological control where victims are deliberately and systematically fed false information that leads them to question what they know to be true, has become common place.[i]
As the world around us pushes us further toward the idea that everyone should do what’s right in their own eyes, God—Creator of the Universe and Author of the Truth—is pushing back. He is saying, speak the Truth to each other… is that too much to ask?
We don’t have control over our government, Hollywood, or mostly anything else. But we do have control over ourselves and what we deem as the Truth. Are you actively seeking to know God personally and learn His ways? In this season God is asking YOU: is this too much to ask?
[i] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/gaslighting
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