Gossip and backbiting can hinder our blessing from God. In
Isaiah 59:1 we read a verse that has been used many times to encourage the faith of people as it states “
Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”
The problem is that the verse is not meant to be encouraging at all. Rather, it is an admonition of a problem in the midst of Israel. If one continues on to verse 2 they read “
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Israel found themselves in a place of desiring the blessings of the Lord and not understanding why they had been removed from them. Isaiah declares that it is not because God’s arm has been shortened or His ear no longer able to hear. But because of their iniquity they have lost the blessing.
Verses 3-4 then go on to specify just what that iniquity is, namely the sins of the tongue.
“For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.”
The remainder of the passage shows us that they were guilty of hatching cockatrice eggs and spinning the spider’s web. This hatching of cockatrice eggs and spinning of spider’s webs refers to sins of the tongue, namely backbiting and gossip. God’s dealing with Israel is a strong warning to us as to how God views sins of the tongue.
Verses 5-8 “
They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.”
The spider’s web can be somewhat easy to understand. Who hasn’t walked out to the front porch or in an old barn and looked up into the corner and saw a beautiful web? Its intricate design draws our attention and we are captivated by it’s geometric beauty. But look farther into the corner of the web and you find it’s real purpose. Sitting their will be the spider just biding his time and waiting for his moment.
Eventually it happens. An unsuspecting insect, allured by the beauty and seeming safety of the web settles there. It doesn’t take long before the insect realizes it is stuck and cannot get away. The spider leisurely makes its way across the web it designed and built for a satisfying meal.
The first strong wind or rain shower blows the web away. But the damage left in its wake can never be repaired as the death of the insect is final.
The cockatrice can be a little more difficult to understand is it is not a common term. The word comes form the Hebrew word tsiphony. No, not symphony. It is not referring to beautiful music.
Tsiphony means to
“protrude the tongue.” Excuse the graphic nature of the deeper meaning which is “
to extrude dung.” Here we find the real sin of Israel. They were protruding their tongues and all that came forth was excrement. Their words and conversations were vile in the sight of God. He was withholding His blessings because they could not learn to hold their tongues.
The writer states their hands are defiled by blood (murder; character assassination), their lips have spoken lies and their tongues have uttered perverseness. It seems incredibly plain that God views such sins in a reprehensible way.
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He that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.” Not only is the one who hatches the cockatrice egg affected, the one who eats of the egg will die. The egg, when broken open, turns to a venomous creature with only poisonous destruction on it’s mind.
Ever wonder how church gossips know who to call? Birds of a feather flock together. They call because they know who will listen. If you are one of those that gets these types of calls perhaps you need to ask yourself why these folks are calling you anyways. Beware the one who calls and says
“You know, we really need to pray for Bro. So-And-So. Did you hear what he said/did?” They pretend fair speech but really mischief is their goal. The best way to stop these kind of folks is to look them in the eye and say “
No, I didn’t hear that. Tell you what. Let’s go find him and ask him if that is what really happened.”
The next several verses of
Isaiah 59 show the utter helplessness of those who have given themselves over to these sins of the tongue. They cannot find peace or judgment. They grope like blind men in the world around them. Verse 13 is very condemning:
Isaiah 59:13
“In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
According to the book of James the tongue is the unruly member; a fire; a world of iniquity. It can, and must be tamed. It is a test of true religion and spirituality. The tongue has done more damage to people, ministers and churches than any other sin. Why? Because words have incredible power.
Colossians 2:4 “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.”
The person who knows how to use words can influence the world. Here, in
Colossians 2:4, Paul is telling us to be careful what we listen to. Make sure that all that you take into your life is solidly founded upon the Word of God.
In
James 1:22, James tells us that listening to the wrong thing can cause us to be deceived.
“Oh, no, not me! Never!” Really? Stop and think of one time that you believed something that you were told only to find out later that it wasn't true. Ever been guilty of passing on a rumor that was unverified and then you found out it wasn’t true?
A woman went to her pastor one evening after service. Through her tears she began to explain how miserable she felt. She had listened to a rumor about someone in the church and had went on to tell several others the same rumor. A few days later she found out the rumor was not true. After repenting and weeping she was still feeling troubled and could not feel peace about the whole ordeal. She just wanted to make everything right and fix what she had messed up.
Her pastor looked her in they eye and said
“Sister, here is what you need to do. Go down to Wal-Mart and buy nice, fluffy feather pillow. Then drive out to the overlook outside of town. When you get to the top of the overlook I want you to cut that pillowcase open and release all of the feathers from inside of it. Shake the pillow case, turn it inside out and just release all of it to the wind.”
The next evening she called her pastor and said
“Pastor, I did just what you said. I bought the pillowcase and drove outside of town. I released all of those feathers and watched them drift away. Yet, I still feel terrible and feel like it really didn’t make things right.”
Sadly, the Pastor spoke and said,
“Oh, sister, that alone will never make everything right again. To do that you need to go back out there and gather up every feather and put it back into the pillowcase. Then you will feel like it is as if nothing ever happened.”
The truth of the matter is that we cannot take our words back. Once spoken they go out into the ethereal never to be unspoken. Thank God for repentance and restoration. But the real goal is taming the tongue so that such repentance and restoration is not necessary.
If you have wondered why God is not hearing you and not working on your behalf, perhaps it is time to see of there are some spiders webs in the corners of your life. Look around and see how many cockatrice eggs are hatching around you.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure , whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 
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