July 21, 2024

In Zechariah’s next vision, he saw a huge flying scroll that was unfurled. The scroll represents a curse that is extended to the whole earth, not just Israel. This curse is upon anyone who lies (swears falsely in the name of God) or steals, whether or not they are under the law of Moses. Those people who thought they would escape punishment for their sins because they were not Israelites were wrong. We have an unwritten law in our hearts and know the difference between good and evil. 

The angel then directed Zechariah to the vision of an ephah, a measuring utensil with a woman sitting in it and a lead weight on top of it and two winged women carrying it off. When you see a woman in a vision, she represents the church. This vision is harder to understand and was obscured so as not to discourage the Israelites from rebuilding the temple. It is thought that it eludes to them being disbursed throughout the world by the Romans after they crucified Jesus and terrorized the church. The vision said that the ephah would be set on a base in Shinar which is in Babylon. At this point, Israel was scattered. Their hearts were hardened and were lulled to sleep so they wouldn’t turn away from their wickedness to be healed. 

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. Zechariah 5:4