Introduction

† Zechariah 5 reveals two visions, the flying scroll and the woman in the basket, both showing God's judgment and removal of wickedness from the land.
† These are not future mysteries, they were fulfilled in the judgment of Israel leading up to AD 70.
† The law, the curse, and the removal of sin all point to the end of the Old Covenant system.
† What Zechariah saw, Jesus and the apostles said would happen in their generation (Matthew 23:36).

Zechariah 5:1-2
Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, a flying scroll. 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.

† The flying scroll represents the law going forth in judgment, the same law Israel broke (Deuteronomy 28:15).
† Its large size shows the fullness and visibility of the curse, nothing hidden, everything exposed (Hebrews 4:13).
† This is covenant enforcement, not random judgment, God is holding Israel accountable to the covenant they broke (Deuteronomy 28:15).

Zechariah 5:3-4
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. I will make it go forth, declares the Lord of armies, 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.

† This curse is directly tied to the law, specifically violations like theft and false swearing (Exodus 20:15-16).
† The phrase whole land refers to Israel, not the entire world, this is covenant judgment on that nation (Deuteronomy 28:15).
† The curse entering homes shows personal accountability, no one escapes (Luke 12:2-3).
† Jesus echoed this when He pronounced judgment on that generation (Matthew 23:35-36).

Zechariah 5:5-6
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. 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

† The ephah is a measuring basket, symbolizing the measure of Israel's sin being filled up (Genesis 15:16).
† Jesus said the same thing, Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers (Matthew 23:32).
† This vision shows that judgment comes when sin reaches its fullness, not randomly or prematurely (Genesis 15:16).

Zechariah 5:7-8
and behold, a lead cover was lifted up; and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah. 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.

† The woman represents wickedness personified, Israel's corruption embodied (Hosea 4:1-2).
† The sealing of the basket shows that judgment is fixed, there is no escape once the measure is full (Revelation 22:11).
† This parallels the sealing of judgment in Jesus' time, when their fate was set before AD 70 (Matthew 23:32).

Zechariah 5:9-11
Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. I said to the angel who was speaking with me, Where are they taking the ephah? 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.

† Wickedness is removed from the land and carried to Shinar, the place associated with Babylon (Genesis 11:2).
† This shows the transfer of judgment and the complete removal of sin from God's covenant land (Hebrews 8:13).
† In fulfilled perspective, this points to the end of the Old Covenant system and the removal of its corruption (Hebrews 8:13).
† Babylon becomes the symbol of judgment, just as Jerusalem became spiritually called Babylon (Revelation 11:8).

Historical References

† Josephus describes the corruption, theft, and false swearing in Jerusalem before its destruction, confirming the fulfillment of this vision.
† Eusebius records the judgment that came upon Jerusalem, showing the curse entering and consuming the land.
† Tacitus writes about the internal wickedness and collapse of Jewish society, aligning with the removal of wickedness seen here.

How It Applies To Us Today

† The law exposed sin, but Christ removed condemnation (Romans 8:1).
† We're no longer under the curse of the law, because it was fulfilled and judged (Galatians 3:13).
† God still sees everything, nothing is hidden, and He calls us to walk in truth (Hebrews 4:13).
† Wickedness was removed from the covenant people, and now we live in a kingdom where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).

Q & A Appendix

Q What is the flying scroll?
A It represents the law and its curse going out in judgment (Deuteronomy 28:15)

Q Who is being judged in this vision?
A Israel under the Old Covenant (Matthew 23:35-36)

Q What does the ephah symbolize?
A The measure of sin being filled to completion (Matthew 23:32)

Q Who is the woman in the basket?
A Wickedness personified within Israel (Hosea 4:1-2)

Q What does Shinar represent?
A A place of rebellion and Babylonian identity (Genesis 11:2)

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index

† Zechariah 5
† Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, Tacitus Histories