Zechariah 5

I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll. Zechariah 5:1

Now Zechariah presents us with another vivid spiritual symbol, the sixth in his series of eight. The prophet sees a flying scroll. Dummelow says, “The flying roll signifies the sin of the evildoer coming home to roost.” [1] The flight certainly does express the speed in which God’s judgments are coming upon his lawless people. This picture also makes clear that sin is ultimately a public thing for all to see. As Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey put it, “Private immorality has public consequences.” [2]

“He asked me, ‘What do you see?’ I answered, ‘I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide’” (5:2). The biblical cubit was the distance from a man’s elbow to the tip of his longest finger, or about 18 inches by our measurement today. [3] That would make the scroll quite large at about 15 by 30 feet (4.5 by 9 meters). It might remind us of some of the banners we have seen that were being pulled through the sky by some light plane.

“And he said to me, ‘This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished’” (5:3). In Exodus 20:15, God commanded, “You shall not steal.” This command alone makes it plain that people can and should possess private property. It is a very certain argument against the grave modern ills of Communism and Socialism. When we steal that which belongs to another we are at the same time confessing that we do not believe God can supply our needs. Thus, we steal for the same reasons we commit most sins. We do it because of our unbelief. Thieves cannot believe that God will provide for them just as he does for everyone else. As a result, some people steal and take that which God has provided for others. No doubt, life was difficult for the returning people and some necessary items must have been in short supply. Probably, there was the temptation to steal those items that were scarce.

We note that the large scroll was written on both sides. Utley remarks that this implied a complete curse as we see in Revelation 5:1. [4] Simply, the thief would be banished from the land. The thief would not have part in God’s new creation and so it is today.

It might be well if we consider thievery at this point and particularly thievery in the modern and postmodern sense. At this time the US is being plagued with a form of stealing called looting. It seems that we have hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of people who wait for almost any opportunity to loot our stores and businesses. The looting is of such a massive scale that many times the police have to “stand down” since they are so vastly outnumbered. According to Anderson Economic Group, the recent looting damage in the summer of 2020 alone would add up to more than $400 million dollars in 20 of the largest US metropolitan areas. [5]

Looting is not the only problem we have in the country. Employee theft is another massive problem. According to the National Retail Federation in 2010, 60 percent of store inventory losses were caused by employees. This added up to $33 billion in revenue suffered by US retailers and small businesses. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, 75 percent of employees steal from work, and most do so repeatedly. Also, 30 percent of corporate bankruptcies result from employee theft. The FBI calls employee theft the fastest growing crime in America. [6] There is also a new type of thievery as the internet increases. In 2018, over 14 million people in the US were victims of internet fraud. [7]

The Bible is clear that the thief will be cursed (Judg. 17:1-2; 1 Ki. 8:31-32). The Bible also offers us a cure for stealing: “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Eph. 4:28). The Bible commends honest work (cf. 1 Thess. 4:11-12). The apostle in another place lays down the rule that if a person does not work that person shall not eat (2 Thess. 3:10). Of course, the complete and true cure for stealing is found in the full salvation that comes in Jesus the Messiah.

The great evangelist, Billy Graham, relates the following story about one of his foreign crusades in his autobiography, Just As I Am.

One night a friend of ours noted two men who came in and sat near the back. They apparently did not know each other but within minutes had loudly agreed on two things: they did not like Americans, and they especially did not like American evangelists. They had come to see the show, they agreed, just so they could make fun of it. But the Holy Spirit spoke to them both. When the Invitation was given, one of them turned to the other and said, “I’m going forward.” The other one said, “I am too. And here’s your wallet back – I’m a pickpocket.” [8]

Just as was the case with the thief, the one who swore falsely would also be banished from the land. This section refers to Exodus 20:7: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” By Jesus’ time, the Jews had developed a whole system of oaths and vows (Matt 23:16-22). These oaths supposedly varied in their seriousness and validity depending upon how closely they were related to God himself. In the verses of Matthew 23:16ff., we can easily see that people valued the gold in the temple more than they valued God’s holy temple itself. In all their reasoning and scheming they had ended up with a seriously distorted system of values. All this allowed them to quickly escape from vows that had become too costly or painful for them.

We might remember from Matthew 5:33-37, that Jesus forbade the use of oaths entirely. He taught that it was much better just to reply with a simple “yes” or “no.” Everything beyond that could come from the devil. We might think that this was a small and insignificant area for the Jews but rather it was major. Morris comments: “…But if we can go by rabbinic literature, the swearing of oaths was commonplace among the Jews. A whole tractate of the Mishnah is given over to the subject ( Shebu-ot ).” [9]

God is after a people who speak the truth in their hearts (Psa. 15:2). Just as it was true in the first restoration of Israel so it is true today. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell in it forever (Psa. 37:29-31). Much of their victory will have to do with godly speech. The wicked will be cut off from the earth (Psa. 37:9; Prov. 10:30).

“The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones’” (5:4). This verse should cause thieves and false swearers to shudder. The scroll will enter that person’s house and remain there until the house is completely destroyed. This sounds a lot like a Persian form of punishment as seen in Ezra 6:11. [10] We all probably know households that have been destroyed by thievery, dishonesty and various other sins. It presents a sad but tragic picture.

The Woman In A Basket

Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.” I asked, “What is it?” He replied, “It is a basket.” And he added, “This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land.” Zechariah 5:5-6

When the prophet looked up he saw a basket – or an ephah in Hebrew. The ephah was a large dry measure for handling grains. It contained about a bushel, or seven and one-half gallons (28 liters). [11] The angel then compared the ephah to the iniquity in the land. It is interesting that word for “iniquity” is the word for “eye” in Hebrew. That has made some translators interpret it as “resemblance” (NKJ) or “appearance” (NAS). Apparently, some folks had the resemblance or appearance of evil. The prophet Micah at an earlier time had charged Israel: “ Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house, and the short ephah, which is accursed?” (Mic. 6:10). Obviously, the Israelites had used the ephah to cheat in the past and apparently in the present as well. God had seen it all.

“Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!” (5:7). Surely, this was a very large basket or a very small woman. Some have felt that this was the image of a woman or an idol like Ishtar or Ashteroth. [12] However, the context of this verse seems to indicate a real live woman. To make her an idol would likely destroy the imagery being used.

“He said, ‘This is wickedness,’ and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it” (5:8). Apparently, the wicked woman wished to get out of her confinement and mix with the people. Instead, she was thrust back into the basket and a cover was placed upon her. The Hebrew reads a stone or cover of lead. Such a cover would be quite heavy and has been estimated by some to be around 118 pounds troy. [13] Matthew Henry, remarks: “Guilt is upon the sinner as a weight of lead, to sink him to the lowest hell.” [14]

“Then I looked up – and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth” (5:9). Some have seen these two women as angels, but since they are compared to storks that identity simply will not hold. As we know from scripture, the stork is an unclean bird (Lev. 11:19). This whole picture seems to be one of evil and uncleanness being removed from the Land of Israel. The stork is a powerful migrating bird and they are often seen crossing over the Holy Land in the spring and fall. The fact that the basket is lifted between heaven and earth may signify that these are sins committed against both God and man. [15]

“‘Where are they taking the basket?’ I asked the angel who was speaking to me. He replied, ‘To the country of Babylonia to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place’” (5:10-11). Here we have the introduction of a vast biblical problem that will not be fully settled until Revelation chapters 14 through 18. The fact that the final judgment of Babylon takes up so much space in Revelation tells us just how important this subject is. We need to ask just what is the meaning of Babylon? The answer to this important question is that Babylon is a vast trans-historical system of evil that has been with us since the days of Nimrod (Gen. 10:9-10). His name in Hebrew has a root meaning of “rebel.”

Babylon in the Bible represents many things. Babylon, once a great international power, has somehow become a home for demons, evil spirits and unclean things (Rev. 18:2). Babylon has polluted the nations with her adulteries (Rev. 18:3). She has also polluted Israel and the church of God. While part of Babylon pretends to be religious, she has actually been the mother of adulteries for kings and nations (cf. Rev. 17:5).

Let us try to summarize the spiritual significance of Babylon. Since the subject of Babylon is an extremely complicated one, we need to look at the major Babylonian principles, in order that we may understand God’s great wrath against this city.

We see first of all that Babylon represents spiritual pride (cf. Gen. 11:4; Jer. 50:29-32; Rev. 18:7b). Her spirit is quite unlike that of Jesus who “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Phil. 2:7).

Second, there is the principle of idolatry. Babylon was famous for her gods. Babylon had a host of some 300 gods of heaven and another 600 of earth. This did not count the many spirits who were also worshipped. [16] It was “ a land of idols” (Jer. 50:38). We simply cannot comprehend the extent to which this Babylonian idolatry has affected the world, Judaism and even Christianity.

Third, Babylon was also famous for her covetousness (Jer. 51:13). The alarming thing about Babylon’s covetousness is that she is merchandising in gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, cinnamon, fragrances, ointments, frankincense, wine, oil, flour, wheat, etc. Almost all of these things represent pictures of redemption and divine worship. Most were either present in Israel’s sacrifices or had to do with her worship. Babylon also merchandises in the souls of men (Rev. 18:12-13). She still leads people in chains of religious bondage. We note that all the merchants who made themselves rich by her excesses will weep and mourn for her at her fall (Rev. 18:15).

Fourth, Babylon is famous for her sorcery. We read in Revelation 18:23, “By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.” The prophet Isaiah says: “…Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you” (Isa. 47:13). Sorcery might be defined as taking our spiritual directions from any place but from the Lord and the Bible. It is no secret that the church is filled with various types of sorcery today, often illustrated by Harry Potter books in Christian homes and probably in some church libraries.

Fifth, Lady Babylon is an adulteress as we see in Revelation 17:5. To adulterate is to mix and to weaken. Babylonian principles have subtly infiltrated and weakened true religion. This has come about through compromise with the beastly world system, and it surely has cost Christianity its pristine purity. We remember that it was in Babylon that the people partied and drank from God’s holy temple vessels.

Sixth, Babylon is guilty of murder. In Revelation 17:6 we read: “I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.” The spirit of Babylon has managed to pursue and destroy godly people in every age. Often they have been killed in the name of religion. It is ironic that many of Christianity’s famous martyrs were actually put to death by the church.

Seventh, the land of Babylon is shot through with division. We remember that after the Tower of Babel episode the people of all the earth became divided in language (Gen. 11:7-8). The Bible clearly teaches us about the unity of our faith. In Ephesians 4:4-6 we read: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” There are not two nations of Israel or two churches, or ten or a thousand. We can safely say that most things dividing the church are of Babylon, while the things that bring the church together in true unity are generally of God.

Because of all this, Babylon is a land of confusion. It is also a land of deep spiritual bondage. It is a place where God’s people can no longer freely sing his praises (Psa. 137:2-4). Thus we realize that Babylon represents everything that is false and abhorrent to true Christianity. God, therefore, commands all his people to come out of her: “ Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues’” (Rev.18:4). At last, Babylon will be judged by God with a frightful judgment. In Revelation 18:8 we read: “Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

God’s people, Jews and Christians alike, are commanded to flee from Babylon. However, we realize that the Jews, in particular, remained there for hundreds of years. In fact, the Jews built their temple there in a spiritual sense. Babylon became the spiritual center of worldwide Jewry for many centuries. [17] The Babylonian Talmud, which is still much prized by the Jews, was written there. In fact, the Jews left in Babylon (Iraq), over 124,000 strong, did not return home until Israel was reborn in the mid-twentieth century. Many of the Jews of Iraq had been officially in captivity since 586 BC, and now they were home. As we mentioned in 2:6, the remarkable event prompted the President of Israel to declare that the Babylonian captivity had ended. [18] To that, we can only sigh and say that the Babylonian captivity of Israel and the church has not truly ended and will not end until the Book of Revelation is fulfilled in the last days.

Footnotes

1. Dummelow, John Dummelow’s Commentary on the Bible, vs. 5:1-11.

2. Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live? (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1999), p. xi.

3. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 5:2.

4. Ibid.

5. https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/looting-damage-dc-nyc-atlanta-raleigh

6. http://www.employeetheftsolutions.com/facts.htm)

7. https://www.javelinstrategy.com/coverage-area/2019-identity-fraud-report-fraudsters-seek-new-targets-and-victims-bear-brunt

8. Billy Graham, Just As I Am (US: Harperone, 2007), p. 62.

9. Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1992), p. 580.

10. Pett, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, vs.et3-4)??????

11. Jamieson, et al., Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vs. 5:5-11.

12. Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, v. 5:10.

13. Ibid., v, 5:7.

14. Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Commentary vs. 5:5-11.

15. Clarke, Adam Clarke Commentary, v. 5:9.

16. E. A. Wallis Budge, Babylonian Life and History (New York; Dorsett Press, 1992), p. 110.)

17. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1508.

18. Jim Gerrish, Does God Play Favorites? (Minneapolis: Cornerstone Publishing, 2000, 2003), p. 123.