Reflections on Zechariah 5

Zechariah 05 (Contemporary English Version)


1. When I looked the next time, I saw a flying scroll,
   
2. and the angel asked, "What do you see?" "A flying scroll," I answered. "About thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide."
   
3. Then he told me: This scroll puts a curse on everyone in the land who steals or tells lies. The writing on one side tells about the destruction of those who steal, while the writing on the other side tells about the destruction of those who lie.
   
4. The LORD All-Powerful has said, "I am sending this scroll into the house of everyone who is a robber or tells lies in my name, and it will remain there until every piece of wood and stone in that house crumbles."
   
5. Now the angel who was there to explain the visions came over and said, "Look up and tell me what you see coming."
   
6. "I don't know what it is," was my reply. "It's a big basket," he said. "And it shows what everyone in the land has in mind."
   
7. The lead cover of the basket was opened, and in the basket was a woman.
   
8. "This woman represents evil," the angel explained. Then he threw her back into the basket and slammed the heavy cover down tight.
   
9. Right after this I saw two women coming through the sky like storks with wings outstretched in the wind. Suddenly they lifted the basket into the air,
   
10. and I asked the angel, "Where are they taking the basket?"
    
11. "To Babylonia," he answered, "where they will build a house for the basket and set it down inside."
    

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Visions six and seven are described in chapter 5. It is thought by many commentaries that Zechariah is seeing into the far future to a time of judgment that will usher in Christ's return and millennial reign.

In the sixth vision the prophet sees a flying scroll that is the size of the tabernacle - 30 feet by 15 feet. It has writing on both sides. One side addresses those who are thieves and the other those who swear falsely. The scroll will be sent out to enter the houses of those who are thieves and who swear falsely and will destroy the houses it enters. The seventh vision follows immediately and is of a measuring basket with a lead weight for a lid or cover. When the cover is lifted a woman can be seen inside the basket. She is said to be Wickedness and the cover is quickly set back down so she does not escape. Then two other women, with wings like a stork, appear to lift the basket between earth and sky and take it to the land of Shinar where a shrine will be built for it. The basket "will be placed there on its pedestal." Some see this as a return of the wickedness of idolatry to its place of origin in Babylon.

Other than their reference to judgment for sin and wickedness, we must speculate concerning the meaning and timing of these visions. Considering the visions and theme that have already transpired in Zechariah, it would seem to me that all of this refers to Christ's return when Israel will finally fulfill her priestly role. Zechariah is relating all of this to a remnant who have just returned to Jerusalem following 70 years exile in Babylon. They are having to be prodded to rebuild the temple and move forward in their God-appointed purpose, but they undoubtedly are not so certain they have a purpose any longer. So Zechariah is telling them through these prophecies that God is not through with them. His purposes will not be fulfilled in them in their lifetime, but they have a purpose and need to get busy.

If Israel is to be God's instrument of salvation for all the nations, though, she must be cleansed of her unrighteousness, both then and later. In this respect, these two visions in chapter 5 may have both a present and future significance, though the fullness of their meaning would lie in the future.