Zechariah 5:1-11

     In Zechariah chapter 5, there is a vision of God’s judgment upon His people because of their sins (Zec 5:1-4), and a vision of God’s judgment upon wickedness which He intends to remove from the land (Zec 5:5-11). In vision #6, Zechariah saw a large scroll, 15 feet by 30 feet, with writing on both sides (Zec 5:1-2). The large scroll probably emphasized its large message for all to read. The writing contained the eighth and third commands of the decalogue (Zec 5:3; cf. Ex 20:7, 15), which pertained to sinning against people (stealing) and God (misusing His name). These two represented the whole of the Mosaic Law, which Israel, God’s people, were obligated to keep. These two types of sinners likely represented all who were guilty of doing evil, and God would judge them (Zec 5:4). Though God was working in His people to rebuild the temple and city (note previous visions), He was still their God, King, and Judge, and they would not be able to hide in their houses. Next, in vision #7, Zechariah was shown a vision of a woman who personified wickedness (Zec 5:5-8). The Hebrew word for wickedness is feminine (רִשְׁעָה rishah), and it’s possible this is reason it is described as a woman. In the vision wickedness is identified, restrained and transported by two supernatural agents to Babylon (Zec 5:9-11). Some regard these winged women as angels; however, Unger states, “It is perhaps simplest to construe the women as agents of evil, suggesting demonic powers.”[1] This would make sense, since storks were unclean birds (Deu 14:11, 18). Whether angels or demons, the message is that wickedness has no place among God’s people, and the Lord will remove it to a land far away; the land of Shinar, which is Babylon. In Scripture, Babylon is identified as the birthplace of organized rebellion against God, in which people used the Lord’s resources in defiance of His will. Babylon is mentioned in Scripture over three hundred times, and by the time we get to the book of Revelation, it is seen both as a city and a system that promotes religious, political, and economic agendas that are antithetical to God. In the book of Revelation, Babylon is described as a great harlot who influences all of humanity (Rev 17:1-5), is guilty of persecuting and murdering prophets and saints (Rev 17:6), is a dwelling place of demons and unclean spirits (Rev 18:2), and with whom “the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality” (Rev 18:3). Eventually, Babylon is completely destroyed just prior to the Second Coming of Christ (Rev 18:2, 10, 21).

 

[1] Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament (Chattanooga, TN. AMG Publishers, 2002), p. 1993.