Zechariah 5
is the text that develops around the sixth and seventh visions of Zechariah 5. This chapter shows a scene in which the prophet Zechariah delivers God’s message of judgment and purification in the form of visions. Overall, chapter 5 can be divided into two main parts: the flying scroll (verses 1–4) and the woman in the ephah (verses 5–11).
1verseThen again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll.
2verseHe said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”
3verseThen 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.
4verseI will cause it to go out,” says the LORD 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.”
5verseThen the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is that is appearing.”
6verseI 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—
7verseand behold, a lead cover weighing one talent was lifted up—and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.”
8verseHe said, “This is Wickedness;” and he threw her down into the middle of the ephah basket; and he threw the lead weight on its mouth.
9verseThen I lifted 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.
10verseThen I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah basket?”
11verseHe 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.”
The Vision of the Flying Scroll (Verses 1–4)
First, the flying scroll that Zechariah sees has such a great size that it reveals it is a symbol applied to everyone across the entire land. This scroll contains a curse to befall those who steal and those who make false oaths. In other words, this vision is a scene that shows God’s judgment for sin, and the settling of sin will come upon all the people of Israel
- . On one side of the scroll is written judgment against theft,
- and on the other side is written judgment against false oaths.
From this, we can know that God’s justice will be carried out for both external and internal sins.
The Vision of the Woman in the Ephah (Verses 5–11)
In the second vision, a woman trapped inside an ephah (a unit for measuring grain) appears. The ephah is covered with a lid, and inside it there is a woman who symbolizes evil. You can see the angel moving this woman toward the land of Shinar (Babylon— the land where sin begins and where idols are). This is a symbol of the sins and uncleanness that were within the Israelite community being removed—carried away and taken out to the outside.
- The woman is the symbol of ‘evil.’
- ‘Shinar’ refers to the place where sin resides.
It is a vision that shows, in a symbolic way, the process by which God purifies Israel.
The Significance of the Whole Chapter
Zechariah 5 contains the message that, in the overall context, God will surely judge the sins among the remaining people and will want to restore them anew. Along with the rebuilding of the temple, it emphasizes through the vision that the community needs spiritual and moral purification. It reminds us that not only outward revival but also inward purity and restoration must go together.
Points for Reflection
- In the presence of God’s Word, am I honestly reflecting on all the sins in my life?
- You can also reflect on the uncleanness and sins remaining within the community and how God wants to deal with them.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- If there are parts of your life that have not been honest before God and other people (words, actions, thoughts, etc.), own up to them honestly and seek God’s mercy and grace, then repent.
- Let’s also apply specifically to our daily life today: what can we do—me and our community—to help bring about God’s holiness.
