Zechariah 5:5-11
5 Then the angel who had been speaking with me went out and said to me, “Now raise your eyes and see what this is that is going forth.”
6 And I said, “What is it?” Then he said, “This is the ephah going forth.” Again he said, “This is their appearance in all the land.
7 And behold, a lead cover was lifted up.” He continued, “And this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.”
8 Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her into the middle of the ephah and threw the lead weight on its opening.
9 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of the stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.
10 So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?”
11 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.”
The Seventh Vision
A woman inside the ephah
The content prophesied in the seventh vision is that “wickedness” will be removed from Israel and transferred to the land of Shinar (Babylon). (1) In the seventh vision, Zechariah is shown an ephah basket. It is a container used for measuring dry goods, with a capacity of about 22 liters (about 6 gallons). This was the largest measuring container in use at that time. (2) The angel of the Lord says, “This is the ephah going forth (from Israel),” and also says, “This is their appearance (iniquity) in all the land.” In other words, the ephah is filled with sin. (3) “‘And behold, a lead cover was lifted up.’ He continued, ‘And this is a woman sitting inside the ephah’” (v 7). The “lead cover” is not an ordinary lid. A heavy lid is needed to keep the sin confined inside the basket. (4) When that lead cover is lifted, there is a woman sitting inside. This woman symbolizes idolatry and sin. “Then he said, ‘This is Wickedness!’ And he thrust her into the middle of the ephah and threw the lead weight on its opening” (v 8).
To the land of Shinar
(1) This ephah basket is lifted up by two women who newly appear. They are not angels but evil spirits. Angels do not take the form of women, nor do they have wings. Evil spirits are carrying this out under God’s command. (2) These women are about to carry the ephah basket to the land of Shinar. The purpose is “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” (v 11). (3) The land of Shinar is the place where evil originated and refers to Babylon (ref. Gen. 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Evil will be sent back to its original place and will be confined there. In Revelation 18, Babylon becomes the center of world politics. At the same time, it also becomes the center of the global economy. The merchants of Babylon will likely become wealthy by using “unjust measures” (deceptive business practices). In this way, the “wickedness” that was within the people of Israel will be completely removed in the end times. Let us also begin preparing for that now. In our social lives and in our economic activities, let us strive to use “just measures.”
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, please cleanse and bless my economic activities. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.