Zechariah 5
Read Zechariah 5 (WEB)+
1Then again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, a flying scroll. 2He said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.” 3Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side. 4I will cause it to go out,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.” 5Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes, and see what is this that is appearing.” 6I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the ephah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land 7(and behold, a talent of lead was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.” 8He said, “This is Wickedness”; and he threw her down into the middle of the ephah basket; and he threw the weight of lead on its mouth. 9Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky. 10Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah basket?” 11He said to me, “To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.”
World English Bible (public domain)
“"Then he said to me, 'This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side.'"”
Zechariah 5:3
Summary
Zechariah chapter 5 contains two visions given to the prophet. The first vision is of a flying scroll, which symbolizes the coming judgment on those who break God’s commandments, specifically highlighting the sins of theft and false swearing. The scroll is described as extremely large, indicating the seriousness and comprehensive nature of the divine judgment. This vision underscores the importance of ethical conduct and integrity, demonstrating that God's justice will reach all corners of the land to cleanse it of sin. The second vision is of a woman in a basket, representing wickedness. The woman is enclosed in the basket with a lead cover over it. Two women with wings like storks carry the basket to the land of Shinar, symbolizing the removal of iniquity from the people. The symbolism points to God’s commitment to purify the community by sending wickedness away, thus restoring holiness among His people. Theologically, these visions showcase God's active role in addressing sin and reinforcing His statutes among His people, illustrating the principle of divine holiness contrasted with human sinfulness. The chapter emphasizes that God's cleansing actions, though at times severe, are necessary steps towards redemption and restoration.
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