Once upon a time, a flying scroll and a woman in a basket walked into a bar. What?
Y’all! I have gone down into a rabbit hole to make sense of Zechariah 5…and I’m still perplexed. This chapter consists of two visions: “a flying scroll” and “a woman in a basket”. I’ve jotted down some thoughts and notes. Then, in conclusion, I tried to combine both visions to think about how they apply to my life now. If you have some insight or a theological explanation (in layman’s terms), I’d love for you to respond back to me.
Here we go.
Verses 1-4:
Do you have a flying scroll hovering over your head?
Okay, so the first (of two) visions in this chapter depicts a scroll flying in the air. This scroll is approximately 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. After reading related scripture to help further explain this vision: Jeremiah 36:1-6, Ezekiel 2:9-10, Exodus 20:15, Leviticus 14:34-45, Habakkuk 2:9-11, and more…below are some quick notes and thoughts:
- Scrolls contained messages against Israel, Judah, and all other nations.
- Were these written as a reminder of sins, to be brought up when needed? When we recognize our sins, we can then repent, so that we can and will be forgiven. I tend to think that we may be able to recollect our sin habits to either 1) see how far we’ve come or 2) a reminder of a place we don’t want to turn back to.
- One of the Ten Commandments is mentioned here: Do Not Steal.
- In Leviticus, we read about contamination, fungus, mildew…which equate to sin. They need to be cleansed. That’s what Jesus’ blood does for us…cleanse us of our sins.
- Do your sins fly over you…chase you down…as a reminder of the wrongs you’ve done or are doing? Stop. Face them. Repent to the Lord. Be free from the 30×15’ cloud that may be hovering over you.
Verses 5-11:
- A basket, filled with all sins, with a heavy lead top, and a woman sitting inside of the basket named “Wickedness”. I do love how the bible fills our thoughts with imagery of what often seems unfathomable, yet has a powerful punch through the meaning of each vision.
- It seems that the angel showed Zechariah the sins so he could see the gravity of them all. Then, the angel pushed the sins back down into the measuring basket, and put the lid on them.
- Sins = weight.
- Psalm 38:4 comes to mind, “My guilt is like a heavy burden. I am sinking beneath its weight.” As well as Isaiah 1:4a, “Oh, what a sinful nation! Their guilt is like a heavy weight that they must carry.”
- In verse 9 we see two women, with wings like a stork, picking up the basket and carrying it to the sky.
- This verse made me think about how Jesus carries our sins away when we repent and turn to Him.
- I have a further thought in the conclusion that goes with this verse.
- But…verse 11 made me conflicted in my thoughts about where the two winged women carried the basket. Sooo…until someone explains it all to me…
In conclusion, here’s my thought on trying to combine the two visions together: Our sins are heavy. When we choose to continue to live with our sins, they weigh us down like a lead top. Those sins are in a measuring basket, so that God, the Ultimate Judge, will measure our sins. Yet, when we discover a rebirth (the stork sighting), a birth in Christ, He carries our sins away. Hallelujah! My sins are gone. I’ve been set free.
When your time on earth is done, where will you be carried off to, Heaven or Hell?
Okay, I may have begun this journal entry like a joke, but to be honest…sin is NO JOKE. I pray that you will free yourself from sin and self and turn to Jesus.
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie
I used commentaries, my bible, online commentaries… to help find a simple explanation of these visions. Your understanding is appreciated.
