Zechariah 5
1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
8 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.
9 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.
10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
11 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.
Common Questions About Zechariah 5
What does the vision of the flying scroll represent in chapter 5?
Zechariah sees an enormous flying scroll inscribed with a curse, specifically targeting thieves and those who swear falsely, representing God's ongoing commitment to justice and accountability even within the restored community.
What does the vision of the woman in the basket signify?
A woman representing wickedness is sealed inside a basket and carried away by two winged women to the land of Shinar (Babylon), symbolizing the removal of persistent sin from the land as part of the community's purification and restoration.
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Questions to Think About
- The flying scroll shows that accountability for dishonesty and false oaths remained important even after the exile's judgment had already occurred. How do you maintain personal integrity even in seasons of restoration or fresh starts?
- Wickedness in this vision was actively removed and carried away, not simply ignored. What would it look like for you to actively address rather than passively tolerate a persistent pattern of sin?
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