The Vision of the Flying Scroll
Study note
In this sixth vision, Zechariah sees a huge scroll flying through the air. It was about thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide. The scroll represents God's curse against anyone who steals or makes false promises using God's name. This vision shows that God takes sin seriously and will judge those who break His commands.
1 I looked up again and noticed a scroll flying through the air. Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
2 "What do you see?" the angel asked. I replied, "A scroll flying through the sky — about thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide." 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 He explained, "This scroll carries the curse that is spreading across the whole land. One side says every thief will be cut off. The other side says everyone who swears falsely will be cut off." 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 have released this curse," declares the LORD of Armies. "It will fly into the house of every thief and every person who falsely swears by my name. It will settle into that house and eat it apart — timbers, stones, and all." 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.
The Vision of the Woman in the Basket
Study note
In the seventh vision, a large measuring basket appears with a woman sitting inside it. The angel identifies her as 'Wickedness.' A heavy lead cover is pushed down over her, and two women with wings like storks carry the basket away to the land of Babylon. This vision shows that God is removing wickedness from His land and sending it back to where it belongs.
5 The angel who had been talking with me came forward and said, "Now look up and see what is coming." 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 "What is it?" I asked. He said, "It is a measuring basket moving along." He added, "This basket represents the sin of the people all across the land." 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 Then the heavy lead lid was lifted up, and inside the basket sat a woman. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
8 "She stands for Wickedness," the angel said. Then he shoved her back down into the basket and clamped the lead lid shut. 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 I noticed two women approaching through the air. The wind filled their stork-like wings as they lifted the basket up between earth and sky. 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 I asked the angel, "Where are they carrying it?" Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
11 He answered, "To the land of Babylon, to build a permanent home for it. Once the temple is ready, the basket will be placed there on its pedestal." 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.