I should add that there is a great difference of opinion and many interpretations regarding the meaning of the flying scroll. But the solid interpretation which has come down through the centuries is that the scroll represents the Word of God in general and the Ten Commandments in particular.

The size of the scroll was twenty cubits by ten cubits - that’s a very large scroll. The scrolls in the days of Zechariah were made of papyrus or animal skins with a roller at each end so that the ones reading could roll it off one roller and onto the other roller as they read it. Instead of turning pages, as we do when we read a book, they would unroll more of the scroll as they read along. But the scroll of Zechariah’s vision was 20x10 cubits (a cubit was the measurement from the end of the middle finger to the elbow and would vary depending upon the size of the individual but was about eighteen inches), which would make the scroll about 15x30 feet, much larger than a bed sheet, even a king-sized sheet. The only way it could be seen would be spread out, and Zechariah sees it as a great flying scroll, traveling rapidly over the whole land. I imagine that it was completely unrolled as it moved over the earth.

The size of the scroll is probably significant, as it is the same size as the Holy Place of the tabernacle and of the Porch of Solomon in the temple.

"And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house" (1 Kings 6:3). 

That was the place where the priest could come and worship according to the Law.

No one could ever go inside the veil unless the blood was put in there. That was done by the high priest only once a year when he went in as a representative of the whole nation. When the high priest went in there, he stood on   

redeemed ground, having been redeemed by the blood.

We today stand on redeemed ground. We have not been redeemed by gold and silver or by any precious stones or precious jewels, but by the precious blood of Christ.

We are not standing on a flying carpet. We do not rest on a missile sent from heaven. 

We have been delivered from the penalty and the power of sin. 

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14–15).

The Ten Commandments were written on the scroll. 

The Commandments are divided into two parts. 

The first four commandments deal with man’s relationship to God, and the last six commandments deal with man’s relationship to man.

Therefore, the commandment regarding stealing cited here,

"  ...   for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it" 

probably represents the section which deals with man’s relationship to man. 

This is clearly identified in Psalm 50: 

"When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him (Thou shalt not steal], and hast been partaker with adulterers (Thou shalt not commit adultery). Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son (Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour). These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes" (Ps. 50:18–21). 

Now, because men in that day were able to break the Ten Commandments without suffering God’s punishment, they came to the conclusion that God was just like they were and would not do anything about their transgressions.

They thought like many think today that we can get by with sin and that sin has no consequences. 

All that we need to do is to say we are sorry and then we do the same thing over and over again.

There is no real repentance.

Repentance with godly sorrow means that we turn away from sin.

We do not blame others for our sin or make any excuses for it at all.

It's me, it's me, Oh Lord
Standing in the need of prayer;
It's me, it's me, Oh Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.

Not my brother, not my sister
But it's me, Oh Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.

Standing in the need of prayer.

Amen!

God says He is going to do something about their sin and He says the same to us as well concerning our sin.

The Mosaic Law was given to the nation of Israel, and it was to be the Law of that nation, and they were to obey the law.

But, they disobeyed it.

so God put them out of their land. 

And in their dispersion among the nations, they scattered the Mosaic Law. 

The mark of civilization has been the commandments of God which relate especially to man’s relationship with man.

The Ten Commandments were given to the nation Israel as they stood in the crossroads of the world, and they took them with them wherever they went. They had a tremendous influence upon Egypt as they became a nation down there. When they went into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, they had a great influence upon those first great empires. They had an influence upon the Greco-Macedonian Empire and the Roman Empire.

The Ten Commandments produced a civilization.

All the great civilizations of this world have had these laws as a basis: 

Thou shalt not kill. 

Thou shalt not  steal. 

Thou shalt not  bear false witness. 

Thou shalt not  commit adultery. 

These have been basic to a nation, building the homes, building a way of life, and establishing a civilization. As long a nation had them as bedrock, they were blessed of God, and their problems were few compared to what they are today. But in our contemporary world society has abandoned them, and we have come to the same place to which the nation Israel had come. 

God has given Israel as an example. 

God says, 

"Although I have chosen Israel as a nation, I will judge every individual that breaks My Commandments." 

And so this flying scroll represents for the whole earth the basis upon which God deals with nations.

The interesting thing is that it is very difficult to find anything wrong with the Law.

Now God goes ahead and says this - 

that represents the commandments which have to do with man’s relationship to man.

"And into the house of him that sweareth falsely by My Name" -  

refers to the first section of the Ten Commandments. 

Even by the Name of God a person would perjure themselves.

The Ten Commandments were never given to the Christian as a way of life.

We as true believers in Christ have been called to a much higher plane, and we attain that plane by grace. 

A person cannot even attain the plane of the Mosaic Law unaided. God gave them the Law, but He gave them no aid to go with it. That is, He did not give them the filling of the Holy  Spirit; the Holy Spirit did not indwell the Old Testament saints. 

Therefore man in his own strength and ability cannot (no matter how hard he tries) measure up to the Ten Commandments. 

We live in the dispensation of grace, and God has given to us the Holy Spirit whereby we can produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc.), which were never in the Mosaic Law.

To Calv'ry, Lord, in spirit now
Our weary souls repair,
To dwell upon Thy dying love,
And taste its sweetness there.

Sweet resting-place of ev'ry heart
That feels the plague of sin,
Yet knows that deep mysterious joy,
The peace of God within.

There through Thine hour of deepest woe,
Thy suffering spirit passed;
Grace there its wondrous vict'ry gained,
And love endured its last.

Dear suff'ring Lamb! Thy bleeding wounds,
With cords of love divine,
Have drawn our willing hearts to Thee,
And linked our life with Thine.

Our longing eyes would fain behold
That bright and blessed brow,
Once wrung with bitt'rest anguish, wear
Its crown of glory now.

Why linger then? Come, Saviour, come,
Responsive to our call;
Come, claim Thy ancient pow'r and reign,
The Heir and Lord of all.

Thanks: SermonAudio.com

THIS PAGE UPDATED: 30-11-2011.