Zechariah 5:1–11 — Vision 6 and 7

Zechariah 5:1–11 — Vision 6 & 7
The Flying Scroll & The Women in the Basket

The Themes of the First Five Visions
Two months after Zechariah started his ministry, he saw eight visions describing the future of the nation Israel. These visions work together to give a panoramic view of God’s program of spiritual blessing for His people in order to admonish them to rebuild the temple. All the visions center on what God intends to do for Israel across the centuries from the rebuilding of the temple in Zechariah’s day until the Second coming of Christ when He will the restore the kingdom to Israel (cf. Acts 15:16).
Nevertheless, although the Lord was giving them hope, He was also warning them. God's blessings do not come before repentance. So, although God was promising blessing and comfort (vision one), although He was promising to judge the nations that persecute them (vision two), although Jerusalem's future is bright (vision 3), they cannot come to God on their own terms. He wants to offer them grace, mercy, and compassion but He requires Holy worship (vision 4). The Judean cannot accomplish what God's called them to do apart from complete dependance on Him as He empowers them through His Spirit (vision 5).
Two threads are weaved throughout the eight visions, those of blessings but also of repentance. Repentance is the focus of the sixth vision which highlights God's people desperate need for repentance in order for to experience God's blessings.

The Sixth Vision (5:1-4)
The Vision of the Flying Scroll symbolizes the swift and unescapable judgment of God against sin. The scroll represents a curse that goes out not just over the land of Judah but also over the face of the whole earth, targeting thieves and perjurers as representatives of all sinners. The large dimensions of the scroll, which match the dimensions of the porch in Solomon’s temple and some dimensions in the tabernacle, connects the vision to the temple and to the covenant between God and Israel. This unusually large scroll signifies the severity of God's judgement and vividly portrays the doom of the wicked. The vision is a warning against sin and a call to the people of God to righteousness. It emphasizes that God’s Word is active and that His judgments are just and far-reaching.

The Seventh Vision (5:5-11)
The Vision of the Woman in the Basket returns to the theme of blessing. It illustrates the removal of wickedness from the land. The woman, named Wickedness, is contained within a basket, which is then sealed and carried away to Babylon. This act symbolizes the containment and removal of sin from among God's people. The vision encourages God's people to reject sinful practices and to purify themselves. It is assuring the faithful that God is actively working to cleanse the land of evil influences. The fulfillment of this vision is clearly in the Millenium.

Application
The two visions convey a dual message of warning and hope. They warn God's people in every age of the consequence of sin and the certainty of God's judgment, while also offering the hope of renewal and restoration. This is a call to personal and corporate holiness and the assurance of God’s promises of redemption.
Are you pursuing holiness?
Do you have the hope of God's renewal and restoration?