OUT OF THE CHAOS: A study in the book of Zechariah
Shalom and welcome to our class today. We are continuing in this prophetic book written by a young Jewish man living in Jerusalem about 500 BCE as he writes to his people, those living there in Judah and also to those living in Babylon. To each of those groups, he has some clear words and I trust that those words he spoke 2500 years ago will speak to you and to me as we will consider what God meant as he used that young man. And we will try to learn what God has to say to us as 21st Century people.
If you don’t mind, please read the chapter before you come to the class live, and if you are watching YouTube, pause your playback, read chapter 5 and then rejoin us. Thanks.
Once again we are met in today’s chapter by two night visions of our prophet Zechariah. Visions 6 and 7 out of 8 as explanations about God’s plan for the Jewish people back in Babylon and here in his new home country of Judah (part of modern Israel). The last couple of visions had to do with individuals, namely Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, the governor. Religion and Governance. All the while, the Temple is being rebuilt there in Jerusalem and most of the Jewish people remain in Babylon. God has many things to say to our people and uses different prophets to help us understand. Zechariah is given dreams or visions to interpret or to talk about and thus make such understanding clear.
Chapter 5 relates two such visions. The first (verses 1 through 4) is about a flying scroll. Think a megillah, that’s the Hebrew word. Like the scroll of Esther or Lamentations. Or one like the apostle Paul would have carried with him. Or the one of Isaiah that Yeshua took in Capernaum and from which he read to highlight his own person being the Anointed One of the Almighty. (Luke 4.16-21) Only here in Zechariah, the scroll is massive. It’s 5 metres by 10 metres in size. According to Rashi, those are the same dimensions as the doorway to the sanctuary. We know these are the dimensions of the portico of Solomon’s Temple (1 King 6.3). It’s unmissable! And beyond that, it’s flying. That makes it doubly noticeable. Now remember, this is a vision, so you have to wonder how Zechariah knew the dimensions. Did little hash marks of 1 metre segment the megillah? I don’t know, but somehow, he knew. I’m reminded of Paul seeing a vision of a man from Macedonia inviting him and his cohort to visit when Paul was in Turkey. How did Paul know the man was Macedonian? Was it his uniform? His accent? His t-shirt? We just don’t know. But Paul knew. So it is here—Zechariah knew the dimensions.
I like this vision #6 because the angel who speaks with him doesn’t indict him for ignorance. In fact, the angel quickly explains the meaning of this vision. Oh, if you wonder who this angel is, you have to revisit chapter 4. Just an angel. And one with the Word of God in his mouth. Also that angel continues to speak in chapter 5 verse 5. Same one.
Some commentators think these 8 visions all happened in the same night. That well could be. Do you remember the title that angel gave God? In 4.14, he is called Adon Kol-ha’aretz. Lord over all the earth. We mentioned and will come back to that title today and again down the road, as being a title of God not only the Lord of Israel, or the Lord of Hosts of angels, but God who wants all people, Jews and non-Jews, to know him and be his. There are some preventions to that relationship and in our chapter today we see a few of them.
The angel in chapter 5, verse 3 says the megillah is the curse that covers the earth. It is in fact ‘going forth’ (yatza). That word is used in both visions today about three things, and is evidence of what’s on display. What’s the main thing. It’s not incidental to a bigger picture but rather IS the bigger picture. And where is the megillah going? Over the face of the whole earth. The realm of the Lord of all the earth. If he is Lord, then he will rule. He will have and sustain justice. Today we need this, maybe more than ever.
The curse is not the usual word for curse. It is ALAH which more has to do with a courtroom declaration. An oath, perhaps even a legal document that basically says, ‘You are out of bounds.’ I hear the phrase “Time’s up for you.” And this curse flies over the Babylonians.
And for what is this curse flying and applied? Two and perhaps more, of the Ten Commandments are listed. Swearing and stealing. Each of these sins is listed on one side of the megillah. Stealing is obviously the breaking of Command 8. This is the central commandment of the 2nd of the two tablets. The sh’nei luchot. Swearing could be falsely testifying which could lead someone to be judged guilty of a capital offense and killed by the two witnesses. Swearing could be taking God’s name in vanity, again a breaking of the central commandment of the 1st tablet. The sins or crimes are significant, no matter on which tablet they are listed and no matter how unaware the Babylonians might self-defend. Stealing and swearing are against human governments and against an internal clock of morality.
And just to ensure that nobody says “I didn’t know”, the megillah is flying. It’s available to all people to see and to learn. Remember Paul said this in Romans chapter 1:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (.18-20)
The scroll is written on both sides. Remember Exodus 32.15. The tablets were written on each side, cut right through the stone. The rabbis teach that the writing was the same on each side, which my mind cannot quite understand.
The result of the megillah flying is that judgment will come on everyone who breaks these commands. The Hebrew is nika. נִקָּ֔ה This is a similar courtroom word. And it’s almost ironic as it means ‘to be unpunished.’ I agree with Michael Stead who says this curse is being applied because the courts have left sinners unpunished, thus allowing injustice in their realm.
Then listen to the words of verse 4. I will make it go forth and it will enter the house of the thief and the house… This seriously sounds like Egypt and the Exodus, doesn’t it? Judgment was delayed, in Egypt’s case for hundreds of years, but God had enough. So it is with Babylon. The ‘up to here’ announcement makes clear that God is a moral and ethical God who wants all people to comply with his standards of conduct.
Warren Wiersbe comments on this section. “Lawlessness abounds today and the only commandment many people worry about is, “thou shalt not get caught!” Ethics is something studied in the classroom but not seriously practised in the marketplace and the Ten Commandments are only dusty artifacts in the museum of morality. No wonder Hosea wrote, “They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements, therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field’ (10.4 NIV) People break God’s law and then try to use man’s law to protect themselves, and often they win.“ (Be Heroic, page 129)
Barry Webb says in his commentary that the end result of this flying scroll is the eradication of that people who swear and who steal.
Oh, one last comment on this scroll. It enters the houses of sinners and consumes the house with its stone and timber. I don’t think that’s a reference to construction elements. I think it’s about the idols of the people. Made of wood and stone. God, the jealous God, is ever desirous of his people and all people to know him personally. Even you on this Zoom call and those of you watching on YouTube. God wants to know you personally and for you to know him in a real way.
Vision #7 (of 8) is about an ephah and a woman named Wickedness. Now don’t get too fussed about the gender of Wickedness. In fact, most of the characteristics by which we define people: wisdom, folly, beauty, honour, etc are all female nouns. Thus, using a female word for wickedness is not indicative of any gender specificity.
Verse 5 the angel again asks Zechariah to lift up his eyes. And to see. And this time Zechariah asks the angel to explain what he’s seeing. And this time the angel is gentler and not degrading him. The angel says that the item that is ‘going forth’ (again Yatzah) is an ephah. Now that’s a measuring item, think of a large vessel like a bushel basket. But not big enough for a full-grown woman. And there is a lead cover over the basket/ephah with a woman inside. The woman is cast into the ephah and flown by two women with wings to Shinar (the ancient name for Babylonia) and the woman is set on a pedestal there. That’s the vision. What does it all mean?
It's clearly symbolic on many levels. The basket is a measuring item as was the flying scroll measured earlier. And we use the term ‘meted’ or ‘measured’ out to verbalize our interest in making things right. For instance, we might say, “The judge measures out justice.” Or “The courts meted a verdict of guilty.” Here the ephah, which measures about 5 litres, is symbolic of that justice. Especially since the thieves and those who swear falsely were previously symbols of injustice.
Verse 7, the lead cover. Using lead rather than gold or silver, again a picture of falsehood. Especially with regards to weights and measures. Have you overheard people or even been tempted yourself at the self-checkout at Woolies or Coles? When people weigh their own produce, and choose a substitute vegetable for an expensive one, they weigh the same, but the actual item they take is not the one for which they are paying. That’s in view here. Lead is much cheaper than gold. In fact, this entire vision sounds to me to represent commercialism, that is, out of order consumerism and false measures. What causes that to take place?
The apostle James, half-brother of Messiah, said, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (4.1-4)
The word to describe those ‘lust but do not have’ people is ‘wickedness.’ Or as James said, “the enemy of God.”
Back to the ephah. Remember a true balance in weights and measures is crucial in a just society. Otherwise there is stealing going on. This from Torah:‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. 36 ‘You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt. 37 ‘You shall thus observe all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them; I am the LORD.’” (Lev. 19.35-37) (See also Dt. 25.14-15, Amos 8.5, Micah 6.10, Prov. 20.10)
Stead also makes a play on words noticed. The word for lead cover is kikar oferet כִּכַּ֥ר עֹפֶ֖רֶת which likely is a variation of the הַכַּפֹּ֜רֶת
In other words in the same way the holy ark in the Tabernacle had a caporet, (Lev. 16.2.) a cover, so the wickedness ephah had a cover. Stead uses the term anti-Ark as he showcases the problem of idolatry which characterized the Shinar republic.
The stone of lead was cast (shalach) onto the ephah. It felt violent each time I read this. God’s wrath is not gentle; it’s powerful. He’s the Lord of angelic hosts. And the lead weight is cast onto the mouth of the ephah. The mouth. A ‘shut my mouth’ moment. There is no more self-defence in the courtroom of heaven.
Verse 9 two women with wind in their wings, wings like a stork, the women lifted the basket into the sky. Mind you storks which are good at carrying large items are still not kosher for Jewish people. These task-oriented storks are not carrying a baby to the mommy, but rather taking the woman of wickedness to the place of sin, Babylon, and there the ephah and certainly the woman of note will be set on a pedestal.
What is her crime or sin? The lead cover is a hint, the ephah is a hint, and I believe it’s the sin of covetousness which leads to false weights and measures. You might remember the 7 deadly sins--they are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. Greed is the basis of this covetousness. And that’s at the heart of the wrong measures. The thievery. The false swearing.
Visions 6 and 7 again form a dual witness, an accusation against the nations of the world (kol ha’aretz) when two witnesses are called to the courtroom. Those two witnesses: the scroll and the ephah, highlight the sins of the nations. In vision 6, eradication is in view. In vision 7, removal is in view. Whether you are Jewish or not Jewish, similar judgment awaits those who refuse to listen to what God is saying through his prophets. God will measure according to his standards and if we are found wanting, judgment will be measured out to us.
Now without understanding God’s justice system, we might think ourselves ok. Paul wrote the believers in Corinth, saying, “We are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” (2 Cor. 10.12)
Yes, you can always find some who are less holy than you. You can always find people who practice the 7 deadly sins more boldly and in comparison to them, you are probably doing very well.
But Paul says those who do that are ‘without understanding.’
Then there are others on this call who try hard to measure up to God’s standards of love and kindness, or justice and righteousness. Goodonya for that. But even you will fall short. So where is there hope?
Paul wrote this, “God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5.20) There it is! The justice of God is satisfied in relationship with Yeshua. If we trust Yeshua for our life, to repair us, to override the sins we committed and sad to say, will yet commit again, then righteousness, that is, right standing with God, will be ours. Hallelujah!
What are our options? The pedestal of exposure, with wickedness as our being, for all to see OR the forgiveness and the relationship with God that he wants for all people. He wants to be Lord of all the earth, even your earth. Will you say ‘yes’ to him today?
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Remember, you who are watching today, if you are not yet a follower of Yeshua, and see his love for you, his kindness extended, his offer of forgiveness available, right where you are, submit to him, to his lordship, to his care, and your life will take on new meaning, new substance, and you will have mates on this call, and in your neighbourhood and wherever you travel… the Kingdom is advancing under the King. Chaos is subjugated, life is available.
Would you like that? Pray with me just now. (prayer Sample)
Shabbat shalom!
Resource on video
To see a fun video overview of the book of Zechariah see this from Bible Project:
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/zechariah/
Bibliography:
Smith, Ralph, Micah to Malachi: Word Biblical Commentary (Volume 32), Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1984.
Stead, Michael, Zechariah: The Lord Returns, Aquila Press, Sydney, 2015.
Webb, Barry, The Message of Zechariah: Your Kingdom Come, Intervarsity Press, Nottingham, 2003.
Wiersbe, Warren, Be Heroic: Demonstrating Bravery by your Walk, David C. Cook Press, Colorado Springs, 1997.
ACTUAL TEXT
Zech. 5:1 Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” 3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side. 4 “I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.”
Zech. 5:5 Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.” 6 I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the ephah going forth.” Again he said, “This is their appearance in all the land 7 (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” 8 Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening. 9 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. 10 I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” 11 Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.”
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