A Vision of a Flying Scroll

A Vision of a Flying Scroll

Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. Zec. 5:1

Then I turned... Then, after the first seven visions had been received, fully explained, and recorded, the angel showed Zechariah a flying scroll on which were written curses upon those who commit sin (Zec. 5:1-4).

And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Zec. 5:2

length thereof is... The size of the scroll unrolled was 10 by 20 cubits—15 feet x 30 feet, counting 18 inches to the cubit.

Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. Zec. 5:3

Then said he... Then, after seeing the scroll and learning of its size, the prophet received an explanation of what it contained (Zec. 5:3-4).

This is the curse... The 7th prophecy in Zechariah (Zec. 5:3-4, fulfilled). Next, Zec. 5:5.

Six Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. This is the curse that goes forth over all the earth, for everyone that steals will be cut off (Zec. 5:3).

2. Everyone that swears shall be cut off.

3. I will bring it forth (Zec. 5:4).

4. It shall enter into the house of the thief.

5. It shall enter into the house of him that swears falsely by My name.

6. It shall remain in the midst of the house, and shall consume it with the timber and the stones thereof.

goeth forth over... It seems the curse was limited to those who steal and lie, but perhaps many other sins were also listed on such a large scroll. We have a complete list in both the law and the gospels, as well as in the prophets and psalms.

I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. Zec. 5:4

it shall enter... The judgment against these evils was to be so fierce as to consume all the timbers and stones of the buildings of thieves and liars.

A Vision of a Woman in a Basket

Restoration of Babylon as the seat of wickedness

Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. Zec. 5:5

Then the Angel... Then, after showing the prophet the scroll vision, the angel showed him an ephah with a woman in it; this was symbolic of the next truth to Israel. Since this would be much too small a container to enclose a woman, the ephah was apparently greatly enlarged in the vision, as the scroll was in the previous vision.

Lift up now thine... The angel indicated that the basket represented the iniquity of the people throughout the land. The NIV marginal translation for “iniquity of the people” is “appearance,” which is closer to the Hebrew word which is literally “eye.”

And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. Zec. 5:6

This is their... The clause could be translated, “This is the appearance (or resemblance, i.e., of the ephah) in all the land,” which gives good sense. However, this term “iniquity” is attested by the Greek and Syriac versions and also makes sense in this passage.

The use of a measuring basket to symbolize the corporate evil of the land of Israel was appropriate in view of the common perversity of making false measures (cf. Amos 8:5). The sins associated with commercial preoccupation were gripping Israel at this time (Neh. 5:1-13; cf. Mal. 3:8-9). However, it is probably too specific to identify the basket only with godless commercialism. The rest of the vision seems to include the concept of false worship as well.

And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. Zec. 5:7

behold, there was... When the lid, made of a talent of lead, was lifted up a woman was seen sitting in the middle of the ephah. A talent of lead weighed over 125 lbs., which was an extreme weight for a lid to an ephah; and yet it did not hold the woman (or wickedness) down. This illustrates the power of wickedness.

that sitteth in... The woman (probably because the Heb. word for wickedness is in the fem. gender) was wickedness personified, a term denoting civil, ethical, and religious evil. The interpreting angel had to keep the woman (wickedness) in confinement. Not only must the wicked in Israel be punished (the vision of the flying scroll, Zec. 5:1-4) but also wickedness itself must be removed from the land.

And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Zec. 5:8

And he said... The angel explained that this woman represented wickedness. The two women carrying the ephah seemed to be borne forward by the wind. What they symbolized, if anything, is not stated, nor are the wind and stork wings referred to in particular. The main theme of the vision was wickedness—building a house for it and establishing it upon its base. An ephah was a measure of commerce, and where it was to be established is clear—in the land of Shinar or Babylon (Zec. 5:9-11). One thing is certain: Babylon will be the center of activities in the East during the last days—in commerce, religion, and politics. It will be rebuilt and become the capital of the Antichrist. He will come from Syria which will take in Babylon in those days, for the Syrian division of the old Grecian empire included all the countries of Syria and Iraq. The coming of Antichrist from Syria and Babylon will be in perfect harmony with all scriptures. We see from Isaiah 13-14; Jeremiah 50-51; Rev. 14:8; 16:17-21; 17:1-18; 18:1-24 that Babylon will play a great part in latter-day events, not only as the political capital of the kingdom of the Antichrist but as the headquarters for a religious system called Mystery Babylon. It will be a great commercial center of earth as pictured in Rev. 18:1-24. Antichrist will reign from Babylon during his rise to power over the ten kingdoms of Dan. 7:23-24; Rev. 17:12-17, as taught in Isa. 14:1-32. Then he will leave Babylon to make his capital in Jerusalem the last 3 1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th week, and will reign there during the 42 months of his power over all nations (Dan. 9:27; 11:40-45; Rev. 13:5; 17:12-17). This passage (Zec. 5:5-11) pictures the restoration of Babylon as the seat of wickedness in the last days.

Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Zec. 5:9

The removal of the ephah (Zec. 5:9-11)

there came out... Two unidentified women with great wings like those of a stork transported the ephah of wickedness to the country of Babylonia (lit., Shinar), the recent place of Israel’s Exile but also the site of ancient and future idolatry and rebellion against God (Gen. 11:2; Rev. 17:3-5). This lends support to the view that the city of Babylon on the Euphrates River will be rebuilt (Rev. 17-18).

Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? Zec. 5:10

Israel’s corporate sin, associated with idolatry, will be removed from her land. The phrases in Zec. 5:11 — to build a house for it, and be set there in its place (i.e., on an idol pedestal) — suggest that the ephah of wickedness will be erected in a temple as an idol. Such idols of Babylon were powerlessness personified, as indicated in Isaiah’s many idol satires (Isa. 44:9-20; Isa. 46:1-2; etc.).

And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base. Zec. 5:11

build it an... To build wickedness a house in the land of Shinar—Babylon. It shall be built there and established there upon her base. Returning the wickedness of idolatry to its place of origin in Babylon apparently will set the stage for final judgment on Babylon (Rev. 17-18). Its removal from Israel will prepare the way for Christ’s second coming and millennial kingdom (Rev. 19-20).