Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
The verse opens a vision in which the prophet turns and lifts his eyes and looks and sees a roll flying. In that seeing he is asked what he sees. The roll is great, measuring twenty cubits in length by ten cubits in breadth. Its size is that of the porch of Solomon's temple.
What is seen is made known in the verses that follow as God's curse going forth over the face of the whole earth. The flying roll is God's law and its curse against evil. It is God's judgment.
Its curse condemns the thief and him that swears falsely by God's name. Theft is dishonesty toward fellow men and false swearing is dishonesty toward God. The curse enters into the house of everyone who commits these wrongs and consumes it. The consuming reaches even to the timber thereof and the stones thereof. Its warning follows the wrongdoer to his home and cannot be silenced or escaped.
Every evildoer receives from God according to his works. The name of a wrongdoer stands written in the roll and remains there unless he repents. The Lord sees every transaction.
The vision shows that men are tested by God and must hear His word and obey it exactly. The roll holds words of warning that many will not understand and over which they will stumble.
The verse opens a vision in which the prophet turns and lifts his eyes and looks and sees a roll flying. In that seeing he is asked what he sees. The roll is great, measuring twenty cubits in length by ten cubits in breadth. Its size is that of the porch of Solomon's temple.
What is seen is made known in the verses that follow as God's curse going forth over the face of the whole earth. The flying roll is God's law and its curse against evil. It is God's judgment.
Its curse condemns the thief and him that swears falsely by God's name. Theft is dishonesty toward fellow men and false swearing is dishonesty toward God. The curse enters into the house of everyone who commits these wrongs and consumes it. The consuming reaches even to the timber thereof and the stones thereof. Its warning follows the wrongdoer to his home and cannot be silenced or escaped.
Every evildoer receives from God according to his works. The name of a wrongdoer stands written in the roll and remains there unless he repents. The Lord sees every transaction.
The vision shows that men are tested by God and must hear His word and obey it exactly. The roll holds words of warning that many will not understand and over which they will stumble.