Chapter 5
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
2And 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.
3Then 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.
4I 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.
5Then 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.
6And 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.
7And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
8And 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.
9Then 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.
10Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
11And 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.
“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.”
Overview
Two visions address the purging of sin from the land. First, Zechariah sees a flying scroll — the size of the temple porch — that represents the curse going forth over the land to consume the house of every thief and false swearer. Then he sees a woman named 'Wickedness' sitting inside an ephah basket, sealed with a lead weight and carried off to Shinar (Babylon) where a house will be built for her. Sin is being removed from God's people and relocated.
Key Themes
The Flying Scroll of Judgment
God's word, written on both sides, enters the homes of the guilty — no sin is hidden from God's comprehensive judgment, which reaches into private life.
Wickedness Removed
Sin personified as a woman in a basket is physically removed from the land and taken to Babylon — God will purge His people of iniquity and transplant it far away.
Holiness Required for Restoration
Before full restoration can come, sin must be dealt with — God's vision for His people includes not just rebuilding the temple but purifying the community.
Study Questions
What does the enormous flying scroll (v. 1-2) represent, and why is it described as a curse?
Why does the scroll specifically target thieves and those who swear falsely by God's name (v. 3-4)?
What is the significance of wickedness being personified as a woman in a basket (vv. 7-8)?
Why is wickedness taken to Shinar (Babylon), and what does this location represent (vv. 10-11)?
How do these visions teach that restoration requires purification?
Connection to Christ
The removal of wickedness from God's people foreshadows the purification Christ accomplishes through His sacrifice. On the cross, Jesus bore the curse of the flying scroll (Galatians 3:13) and carried sin away 'as far as the east is from the west' (Psalm 103:12), enabling believers to stand purified before God.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Zechariah 5. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?