Zechariah 5:5 – Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, "Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out."
We now come to the seventh vision of Zechariah, which is the least understood of the eight visions. Many elements of this vision are interpreted differently by different scholars. Although we cannot fully understand it at this point in time, we can still glean many benefits from studying it. Plus, considering alternative viewpoints will give us all food for thought.
As you recall from our last post, Zechariah had just witnessed a vision of judgment – a scroll swiftly coming upon the households of those who had been unfaithful to the commands of God. It was no doubt a sobering or even frightening message.
This was immediately followed by a seventh vision, which Zechariah seems reluctant to face. He may have been hesitant to look at it fearing that it would contain further judgment. Or, he may have simply been overwhelmed at the sheer volume of information God was pouring into him. In either case, the assisting angel had to draw his attention to the seventh vision.
Zechariah 5:6 – And I said, "What is it?" He said, "This is the basket that is going out." And he said, "This is their iniquity in all the land."
The basket – We are using the English Standard version of the bible. As you can see, it says, 'This is the basket that is going out'.
However, in this case the King James Version of the bible is more helpful. It says, 'This is an ephah that goes forth'.
An ephah was a unit of measure for dry goods which was normally used for agricultural products. It is roughly equivalent to what Americans know as a bushel. However, the point here is not the actual volume/capacity of the container, but the fact that something is being measured.
In fact, this is one of the main focal points of the vision – the 'basket' is actually a container which God is using to measure something. This leads to an obvious question - What is being measured in this vision?
This is their iniquity in all the land – The assisting angel makes it plain that the item being measured in the ephah/basket is iniquity.
Let's stop and define the term 'iniquity'. Iniquity (also translated as wickedness or lawlessness in some versions) refers to that which is unjust, wrong, wicked, turbulent/unsettled/chaotic, or sinful; it encompasses everything contrary to the will and command of God. We often use the terms 'sin' and 'iniquity' interchangeably.
We know that the last vision (the flying scroll) dealt with iniquity on an individual basis. Now we know that the current vision deals with iniquity 'in all the land' or the iniquity of an entire nation.
This brings up a sobering question. Does God judge/punish entire nations because of sin?
Answer:Yes, he does! There can be no doubt that God exhibits love towards mankind, patiently waiting for transgressors to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). However, if the people of a nation consistently persevere in sin with no sign of repentance, they will eventually come to the point where God will mete out punishment or judgment on the entire nation.
For example, back in the very early days of Israel (before Abraham even had a son), God promised that Israel would own the land which was currently occupied by the Amorites. Although they were a sinful nation, God was reluctant to punish them. He gave them time and opportunity to repent before bringing judgment upon them and removing them from the land:
Genesis 15:16 – And they [Abraham's descendants] shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.
We find the same concept in the New Testament when Jesus speaks to the religious leaders of that day:
Matthew 23:29-30, 32 – "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers."
(See also I Thessalonians 2:16, Daniel 8:23). These cases (and others in scripture) provide clear evidence that God has a divinely determined measure of iniquity which must be full before he takes action to judge or punish a nation. The measure is likely different for each nation or kingdom, depending on their level of understanding regarding God's commands. In each instance, God's great mercy and love are evident when he allows time for repentance.
At this point, we know that there is a basket/ephah which is being used to measure something. We also know the item being measured is the sin of a nation or kingdom.
The next logical question is this: Whose iniquity is being measured – Israel, her enemies, or the iniquity of some other nation/kingdom?
Let's first consider the case of Israel.
Israel certainly produced her share of iniquity. In fact, she had already filled up her own measure of sin at least once. We know this because after repeated warnings against idolatry and time for repentance, God judged/punished the nation of Israel by sending her into captivity in Babylon.
Many scholars believe she was well on her way to filling it again during the time of Zechariah. In support of this view, they point to the cumulative sins of theft and perjury mentioned in the last vision.
We can also point to Israel filling her measure of iniquity at the time of the incarnation, when the Jews firmly and vehemently rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They persisted in their unbelief even after irrefutable evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead. And despite the astonishing formation/growth of the church, the miracles of the apostles, and the words of the prophets, they still refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah.
Apparently the measure of their iniquity was finally full in AD 70, and thus judgment arrived. The city of Jerusalem was razed, the temple (and all its rites) was destroyed, and the Jews were disbursed among other nations.
Many bible scholars believe that present-day Israel is busy filling up yet another measure. They predict it will be full at the end of the age, during the reign of the antichrist.
This view asserts that from the time of Christ until now, the Jewish nation has continued to reject Jesus as Messiah and they have completely turned away from honoring the covenant. Therefore, at the end of the age (during the tribulation), their measure of iniquity will once again be full.
As a result, Israel will again be persecuted when the Roman Empire is revived. Those who hold this view believe these judgments are predicted in scripture (Daniel chapter 8 and throughout Revelation).
Conclusion: We cannot deny that the nation of Israel has filled up her own measure of iniquity more than once. But assigning the sins in the basket of this vision to her, presents us with some difficulties.
For instance, as we will soon see, the measure of sin in this vision is taken to another place where it will dwell permanently. This is a problem because there is no place in scripture where the sins of God's people are ever 'taken elsewhere' to be shielded and preserved. Either the nation suffers appropriate judgment for them, or they are atoned for and/or blotted out through sacrifice.
For this reason (and others we will shortly discover), it does not seem possible that the iniquity in the basket that Zechariah sees could belong to God's people.
Having said that, it should be noted that there are differing opinions. There are some commentators who DO believe that the sins in the measure belong to Israel and the vision looks to the future time of the Messiah. This is a view that you can investigate further on your own, if you wish.
Now let's consider the case of the enemies of the Jews (heathen nations).
Israel has encountered many enemies in the course of her existence. But if we think about this logically, it makes no sense for the sins of any specific heathen nation to be present in the vision of Zechariah.
This vision is a message to God's people, not a warning of repentance to the heathen. In fact, the heathen of that day probably never learned of this vision. What good would it do for God to reveal the sin of another nation to the children of Israel? Truthfully, that wouldn't help either nation. If God wanted to send a warning to one of the heathen nations, he would communicate with them directly.
With this in mind, it seems very unlikely that the iniquity in this vision refers to a specific heathen nation. (However, I must once again point out that some people disagree.)
Thus far, we have not discovered the identity of the nation or kingdom whose iniquity is being measured, so let's continue with our study and see what else we can uncover.
Zechariah 5:7 – And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket!
The assisting angel has already revealed that the basket represents a measure of iniquity. As Zechariah looked, the cover of the basket was raised so he could look inside. I'm not sure what he expected to see, but it obviously wasn't a woman!
Woman – The woman is the personification of iniquity, wickedness, and sin. Why would this be the case?
Those who believe that Israel's sin is in the basket point to the fact that throughout the Old Testament, it is very common to find backsliding Israel represented as a faithless and adulterous woman (Jeremiah 3:6, Hosea 9:1, etc).
On the other hand, even sinful nations/kingdoms are pictured in scripture as being female:
Revelation 17:6 – And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Others believe sin takes the form of a woman because Eve was the first to transgress the laws of God. Some even suggest that sin is presented as a woman because women are flattering and beguiling – they often entice men into sin where they are subsequently trapped!
All we can say for sure is that in this specific vision, sin and iniquity are personified as a woman.
Sitting in the basket – Sitting is normally considered a position of rest or tranquility. The implication here is that the nation/kingdom in the basket sits shamelessly in the measure of their sin.
In fact, they openly and proudly declare their sin like the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. They revel in it with great pleasure and delight, without any regard for their own future eternal state. (Hmm... Do you see any parallels here to modern day nations like Russia, America or even the people who consider themselves Palestinians?)
Nevertheless, whether they know it or not, these nations/kingdoms sit in a 'measure', which has been predetermined by God. This means there are limits and/or boundaries to the spread of their iniquity and power because they cannot surpass the limits set by God. When he deems it appropriate, he will bring judgment against them.
Cover made of lead – There is a heavy lid which traps the woman in the basket. This suggests the image of a manhole cover, which firmly keeps a lid on the access tunnels which run under public streets.
The lid in the vision is made of lead, which is one of the heaviest metals. This is symbolic of the weight of judgment or punishment for sin, which is by nature heavy:
Psalms 38:4 – For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
Interestingly, this heavy lid is a picture of comfort for the righteous. From our perspective, it may seem as though iniquity has no bounds; it freely spreads and extends throughout the earth. But the basket and its lid show that this is not the case.
All iniquity is enclosed and restrained in God's measure and the lid of his judgment ensures there is no escape except through repentance.
This was a great comfort to the Jews in Zechariah's day, for it showed that God was in control. He was watching over his people, and he would bring them to victory, despite the attacks and oppression of their enemies:
II Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.
This is also a great comfort to the church of today. Though our enemies are fierce and relentless, they still sit in the measure of God. His protective eyes are upon the church, and he will both restrain and judge evil at the appointed time.
Zechariah 5:8 – And he said, "This is Wickedness." And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.
Once again, we are clearly shown that evil/wickedness does not exist unchecked. It does not have free reign in the world. It is kept within certain bounds by God. He alone determines those boundaries, and he alone will deal with the wicked at the time and place of his choosing.
Psalms 104:35 – Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Thus we see that the weight of God's judgment, which the wicked can never lift or remove, shuts the woman up as in a prison to suffer the punishment of all her sins.
When God says something, we know it is important. When he stresses it more than once, it would be best for us to pay close attention! In this case, we find a recurring theme in this vision – iniquity does not have free reign. It cannot flow outside the boundaries that God has set in place. What a comforting thought!
Zechariah 5:9 – Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.
Two women – There seems to be an infinite number of explanations as to the identity of the two women!
Here are some examples:
- The two women represent Assyria and Babylon, who took Israel and Judah into captivity.
- The women should be seen as Ezra and Nehemiah, who helped Israel cast evil from her midst.
- The two women are symbolic of Gods power and justice, which removes sin.
- The two represent the last two wicked kings of Israel/Judah whose actions ultimately led to judgment.
- They are evil spirits who propagate wickedness throughout the world.
- The two women represent two sinful nations, similar to the woman in the basket. The thought is that women bear away the woman signifying that iniquity eventually brings about its own destruction.
And of course, some scholars believe that the two women don't symbolize anything at all - they are just a necessary part of the vision because of the basket.
Wings of a stork – Scripture tells us that the stork was an unclean bird (Leviticus 11:19), however, there is probably no real significance to the stork. It was simply a common and easily recognized bird in that area. It also fits the vision well because it is a migratory bird which has powerful wings and can fly rapidly.
Wind in their wings – Here we have a single point of agreement (yay!). Wings and wind are commonly associated with swiftness. During or after the time of Zechariah, wickedness was swiftly moved or gathered to an appointed place.
Lifted up the basket between heaven and earth –The meaning here is similar to what we encountered in the vision of the flying scroll. The unfurled scroll was flying through the air to show that God's commands were not secret; they had been clearly outlined long before judgment came.
Likewise, the basket or measure of iniquity was flown through the air by the two women to show that the sins of this nation/kingdom were not secret.
As we already mentioned, this nation/kingdom flaunted their sin because they were proud of it. Because their iniquity was public, their judgment will be public also.
Zechariah 5:10-11 – Then I said to the angel who talked with me, "Where are they taking the basket?" He said to me, "To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base."
Shinar – This is not the first time that Shinar has been mentioned in scripture. Genesis 10 tells us that Nimrod built cities in the land of Shinar. This was the eventual location of the Tower of Babel, where man first erected a tower in an effort to establish a world-empire against God. It was here that God changed the common tongue of man into many languages and caused people to be scattered throughout the world. This thwarted their plans for a world-wide kingdom.
Later on, Shinar will be the site of the city and kingdom of Babylon, where Israel spent 70 years in captivity. Babylon was famous for using false reasoning to profane God in art, literature, music, and philosophy.
It's important to know that in scripture, Babylon becomes the symbol of any world-empire which operates in direct rebellion against God. The empire may include business/economic entities, false religions, and/or government authority.
Build a house for it/set it down on its base - The building of a house and the establishment of a lasting base for the basket indicates that the woman (who represents iniquity) was taken or gathered to a permanent dwelling place where she would be protected and preserved.
Summary – There is by no means a universal understanding of this vision of Zechariah. Many interpretations have been given (some definitely better than others) and you are free to believe whichever one seems best to you. However, I want to present the following summary because it aligns very closely with the rest of scripture.
In this vision, Zechariah sees a woman sitting in a basket, which is flown through the air and delivered to a permanent dwelling in Babylon, which is the symbol of any world-empire that operates in direct rebellion against God.
The basket contains iniquity. It is not the iniquity of any single specific nation; it is the iniquity of all those who love evil. The roots of rebellion against God grow and multiply in the midst of this iniquity.
Back in the days of Zechariah (or soon after that) these roots of iniquity were moved to a permanent place. In other words, they were gathered under a single head or authority which would control, guide, and nurture them throughout the ages. Under this mantle of authority, they began to grow and intertwine, forming kingdoms of evil and oppression and/or taking control of existing kingdoms and causing them to rebel against God.
The eventual outcome of this will be a single world-wide kingdom or empire which will be all encompassing - it will include economic components, false religious components, and government authority. It will be fully dedicated to eradicating God and all those who follow him.
This world-wide kingdom is revealed in the books of Daniel and Revelation as the revived Roman Empire. It will be operated by Satan through his antichrist and false prophet.
The kingdom of iniquity will attempt to challenge the kingdom of heaven, which was established on earth by the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah (The Branch).
Matthew 4:17 – From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Through the sacrifice of Christ, Jews and Gentiles were blended into a single family of God also called the body of Christ or the church. Jesus is the head or authority over the church.
Colossians 1:18 – And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Jesus nurtures, leads, protects and guides the church. Under his mantle of authority, the kingdom of heaven will continue to grow and thrive as the gospel message saves lost sinners, freeing them from the bondage of Satan.
Thus, we see a clear picture of the two kingdoms present on earth:
There is the losing side, led by Satan. He thinks he is powerful enough to sit on God's throne, but that idea just makes God laugh, because Satan is nothing more than a created being (made by God) who has very limited power, authority and understanding.
His capacity for evil and iniquity only exists within a 'measure', which has been predetermined by God. And at some point, God is going to close the lid of judgment upon him and his kingdom. He (and sadly his followers) will be sent to a place of eternal punishment.
Then there is the winning side, led by the Great Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-sufficient. He is the Alpha and the Omega.He is the God who knows the end from the beginning.
The earth is his footstool, and he holds the seas in the palm of his hand. He is the author and sustainer of all life. He created the vastness of space and he names each star. He is the fountain head of every good and perfect gift. He is life, love, joy, abundance, light, and peace.
And, just so you know, He is completely and utterly victorious in every situation. He has NEVER lost a battle and he certainly isn't going to lose the fight for humanity to a worm like the devil!
In the end, this vision was a word of comfort to the Jews of Zechariah's day. Evil was present, and it was opposing the Jews, but God placed strict limits upon it. For their part, the Jews were to repent and rid themselves of iniquity (as revealed in the vision of the scroll). As they continued to trust in the Lord, he would watch over them and bring them to ultimate victory.
Whether they realized it or not, God was giving his people a glimpse of the roots and formation of the kingdom of darkness. This kingdom of iniquity intends to wage war upon the kingdom of heaven and the people of God. Although many skirmishes have already occurred, the final showdown will take place at the end of this age.
The final battle will result in God easily defeating this contemptible, paltry foe. There is no reason for God's people to fear, for God is always victorious.
Let me offer you some encouragement and some relief:
If you have trouble fully understanding the seventh vision of Zechariah, you are not alone!
Whenever we come to a passage of scripture that we don't understand (which can be frequently), we have a choice to make. One option is to simply walk away and remain ignorant of what God wants to reveal to us.
The other option is to dig into the Word and see what we can find. You can do this by cross referencing other scriptures, by consulting online studies, by studying commentaries, by examining the meaning of root words, etc.
There was a time when these resources were only available to a select few, but that is no longer the case. Free resources abound online. Other sources can be purchased for much less than you might think. Teaching about every portion of scripture can be found on TV, radio, printed material and even pod casts.
You don't need to be a pastor or scholar to gain a better understanding of the Word. All you need are a few resources, a hunger for knowledge, and the help of Holy Spirit, who is standing by to reveal the word to you (John 14:26, I Corinthians 2:11-16).
Let me offer you some strength:
Although we don't fully understand every aspect of the vision in today's post, one thing is absolutely certain: God is in control.
I know that from our limited, earthly perspective this doesn't always appear to be the case. Sometimes it seems that evil and wickedness are expanding at such a rate they will soon swallow up the whole world.
But the vision assures us that this is not true (and honestly, we knew that already, because our God is all-powerful).
When you come head-to-head with iniquity, remind yourself that it sits in a measure. God's divine power and wisdom have limited it. This is also a good time to remind yourself that God has given you spiritual weapons with which to fight that iniquity.
Let me just remind you that your mission is not to wipe out the person who is full of iniquity – your mission is to rescue them from the kingdom of darkness and help them find the kingdom of God. In the end, it will be Jesus who finally vanquishes/destroys evil forever.