Zech. 5:1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
Zech. 5:2 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.
No sooner is the last vision completed, than Zechariah turns and looks up to see another. This time he sees a flying roll or scroll. Again, the angel asks Zechariah what he sees. Zechariah carefully notes that he sees a flying roll that measures 20 cubits x 10 cubits (some of the translations record this as 30’ x 15’). This information has to have been supernaturally revealed to him since he is declaring it from observation only. It indicates that the contents of the roll are measured and specific in what they declare. It would also indicate that the roll is unrolled to expose its size.
Zech. 5:3 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.
Zech. 5:4 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 NLT gives a more easily understood translation: “Then he said to me, ‘This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land. And this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely by my name. And my curse will remain in that house until it is completely destroyed—even its timbers and stones.’”
It would seem that the curses declared by the contents of the roll were able to be read by the people who saw it.
I had no clue as to further application of these verses, so decided to check some commentaries. The following thought stood out to me: Stealing represents the commandments that address our actions toward our fellowman, and swearing represents the commandments that address our actions toward God.
I would assume that, in context, the message from Zechariah as he reported his experience to the people was a warning to live in obedience to the commandments of God’s law.
Ironside: “Into every house where the thief or the false swearer is found the curse enters, bringing utter destruction in its wake. This is all the law can do for any sinner. It can only condemn and curse the violator of it.”
Zech. 5:5 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.
Zech. 5:6 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.
The angel instructs Zechariah to look up again to see another vision. Zechariah looks, but has to ask what he is seeing. He is told that it is an ephah (a specific size of container for measuring grain). The indication is that this unit of measure is the same throughout the earth (i.e., a one world economic system).
Constable: “The ephah was the largest dry measure among the Hebrews, and its use here suggests that Israel’s sins had accumulated greatly in Zechariah’s day.”
Zech. 5:7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
Zech. 5:8 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.
Zech. 5:9 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.
All of a sudden the lead lid of the container lifts up to reveal a woman sitting in the middle of it. The angel informs Zechariah that she represents wickedness, inferring that her wickedness stems from her financial power. The angel then pushes the woman back down into the container and closes the heavy lead lid. Then Zechariah sees two women with wings like storks appear on the scene and fly off, carrying the ephah.
Constable: “Storks are strong, motherly birds that are capable of carrying loads a long distance in flight. They were common in Palestine in the spring months when they migrated to Europe. [Note: Smith, p211.] The word ‘stork’ means ‘faithful one.’ These women would faithfully carry the ephah and its contents to God’s appointed destination. Some believe they represent agents of evil, perhaps demonic forces. [Note: E.g, Unger, p98.] If they were that, however, would they not try to help Wickedness escape?”
Zech. 5:10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
Zech. 5:11 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.
Zechariah asks the angel where they are taking the ephah. He is told that they are taking the woman to the land of Shinar to build a house where she will establish a base of operation.
Guzik: “The word for base has the thought of a pedestal for an idol. The storks set the idol of materialism where it belonged.”
Shinar is another reference to Babylon. The ephah represents business transactions. The fact that the woman is described as wickedness indicates that Babylon will become the base of evil business operations. It’s interesting to note that the ephah is recognized throughout the earth (v6), so the business transactions made in Shinar may appear to be normal, but they will evidently be used to promote wickedness. This is especially interesting since a worldwide base of wicked business practices could not have described the Babylon of Zechariah’s day. Today is a different story; and if, as I believe, the Antichrist initially establishes his base there, this would again have direct application to end times. It’s just hard not to think that there is a connection between this evil woman and the whore of Revelation 17-18.
Revelation 17:1-5 “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Revelation 17:18 “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 18:3 “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
Revelation 18:11 “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more….”
Good application from Wiersbe: “To understand this vision, we must ask, ‘What did the Jews bring to their land from Babylon when they returned after their captivity?’ It wasn’t idolatry, for their years of exile cured them of that sin. The answer is—commercialism….If the worldly commercial spirit infects the child of God, the result will be twisted values, confused priorities, and a craving for wealth and position that grieves the Lord.”
Zech. 6:1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
Zech. 6:2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
Zech. 6:3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
Zech. 6:4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
Zechariah’s visions continue. This time he looks up and sees four chariots emerge from between two mountains of brass. The first chariot is pulled by red horses, the second by black, the third by white, and the fourth by spotted (from the Hebrew for grisled) and bay.
I was listening to Steve Hadley, and he pointed out that these horses seem related to the horses of the first four seals of judgment in Revelation 6. In Revelation the red horse represents war, the black horse represents famine, the white horse represents conquest, and the pale horse represents death. Grisled would be a mixture of white and black, gray or pale.
Brass is usually representative of judgment in scripture. Mountains often represent kingdoms. I’m not sure what kingdoms these mountains represent if indeed that is the case.
In further study I have learned (and it makes sense to me) that some teachers I respect (McGee and Focht) believe these two mountains are in reference to Zion and the Mount of Olives. The Valley of Jehoshaphat between them is known as the valley of judgment, making a connection to Armageddon.
Joel 3:2 “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead [judge] with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”
Zech. 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
Zech. 6:6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
Zech. 6:7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
The angel then tells Zechariah that the chariots represent the four spirits of the heavens that are sent on their mission by YHWH. There are other scriptures that indicate that spirit beings—both heavenly and demonic—are assigned to specific areas of influence, i.e., Daniel 10.
Daniel 10:12-13 “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.”
Maybe these are the heavenly spirits that have supervisory responsibility over the four corners of the earth—north, south, east and west—that in these verses in Zechariah are reduced to two—north and south. The black and white horses headed north with their chariots, and the spotted and bay horses head south apparently followed by the red (from the Hebrew for bay) horses. Their mission, as with the riders in chapter 1, is to patrol the earth. They also seem connected to the mission of the four carpenters in chapter 1.
Ironside: “The vision evidently sets forth God’s control of all destructive agencies used by Him in the punishment of the nations that have deserved His wrath. It was intended to give repose of heart and confidence of mind to the remnant, making known to them the fact that the God of Israel was the Lord of all the earth.”
Zech. 6:8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
The spirits that headed north have quieted the spirit of the angel of the Lord in the north country. This would seem to indicate that judgment had been exacted to satisfy God’s anger as expressed in 1:15.
Zech. 6:9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Zech. 6:10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
Zech. 6:11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
“Heldai” = worldliness
“Tobijah” = goodness of YHWH
“Jedaiah” = the hand of the Lord, confessing the Lord
Although the wording is confusing, these appear to be the names of men, former captives in Babylon. Since I doubt that Zechariah was told to go and summarily take silver and gold from them (as implied by verse 11), it must be an instruction to take the gifts of gold and silver that they had offered for the work on the temple and make crowns to set upon the head of Joshua, the high priest. Maybe the gifts of these three men were chosen because of their names. They were bringing of the worldly treasure they possessed due to God’s goodness and offering it in acknowledgement of His blessings upon them. Joe Focht pointed out that silver represents redemption and gold divinity. As stated in the next verse, Joshua is a type of Jesus—our redeemer, God in flesh.
Zech. 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
Zech. 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
YHWH then declares Joshua to be a picture of His Servant, The Branch, identified in chapter 3 as Jesus. The Branch will grow up to build the temple of the LORD. I think there are layers of meaning to this verse (as well as in most of scripture). I can’t help but make application to the temple the returned exiles are rebuilding, the temple Christ is building in each believer and through the church as a whole, and the physical temple that He will build for His Kingdom on earth (cf Ezekiel 40-48).
1Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
1Corinthians 3:9 & 16-17 “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building….Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
The fact that crowns (plural) were put upon the high priest was quite attention getting, because crowns are for royalty. Again, it brings to mind a verse from Revelation that stood out in that study.
Revelation 19:12 “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.”
This verse in Revelation is part of the description of Jesus returning to earth in glory as the KING of kings.
The high priest and kingship were different offices that God had established among His people; they were never to be held by the same person. The Branch, however, was going to be Priest and King—“sit and rule upon His throne.” At that time there will be no difference in the responsibilities of the two positions; they will be unified in one with God Himself in the person of His Son Jesus on the throne, dwelling among His people.
Courson: “The first time Jesus came, He came as a Prophet. He taught the ways of God and revealed the heart of God. Then He ascended into heaven where He is now our Priest, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. He came as a Prophet, is in heaven as a Priest, and He’s coming back as King.”
Zech. 6:14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.
The Hebrew equates Helem to Heldai; context would indicate that Hen and Josiah are the same.
Joshua was not to continue to wear the crowns; they were to be housed in the temple of the LORD as a memorial to the gifts of the men who gave them. This made me think of God’s delight in the offerings and sacrifices of the heart that we give Him. The fact that the Creator of all things wonderful would treasure the gift that He gave us to begin with—all because we are willing to offer it back in love and obedience to Him—shows amazing grace.
Wiersbe: “Zechariah then took the crown from Joshua’s head and gave him his priestly turban. Why? Because the symbolic act was over and the crown did not belong to Joshua. It belonged to the coming Messiah. Zechariah placed the crown somewhere in the temple as a memorial (reminder) of the Lord’s promise of a King-Priest who would bring peace and holiness to His people.”
Zech. 6:15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Again, I think this verse has more than one application—to the days of Zechariah and the rebuilding of the temple and to the body of believers. The rebuilding of the temple in Zechariah’s day was dependent on the obedience of the people. God promised to bless them and provide for them if they continued in their obedience, but He did not force their obedience. The same is true with the temple formed by the body of believers. God encourages us and provides us everything we need through the empowerment of His Spirit to build a strong, beautiful and glorious temple for Him, but He does not force us. He invites us and encourages us.
I was about to close when I noticed the word diligently. This speaks of obedience that is a result of careful discernment and understanding of God’s word. I was also surprised to see the phrase “call together” as part of its meaning. The message is directed to the community of God’s people; it would take a unified effort to accomplish God’s purpose in the building of His temple.
Ironside: “Those directly addressed by Zechariah did not diligently obey Jehovah’s voice, and so forfeited the promised blessing. But in a future day an obedient remnant will be found who shall be born again, and in whose hearts and minds will be written the law of God so that they shall delight in His testimonies. Then shall the Branch of Jehovah be glorious throughout the whole earth, and the crown be placed upon that brow that was once pierced with the mock crown of thorns….”