Originally posted: 11/27/2021
Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side,” (5:3).
Two visions fly before Zechariah’s eyes. Literally.
First comes a flying scroll containing God’s judgment advancing on those who have committed injustices against their fellow man, (everyone who steals, v.3) and who have sinned against Holy God (swears falsely by My name, v.4).
And this scroll is unusually large, thirty feet long by fifteen feet wide, written front and back, flying above all, for all to see.
Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” (5:1-2).
Written on this flying scroll were the words of His Covenant Truth bearing the curse that His people had incurred upon themselves through their sin and unfaithfulness.
curse: 423. אָלָה ʾālāh: A feminine noun meaning an oath, a sworn covenant, or a curse. The word signifies an oath to testify truthfully (Lev. 5:1; 1 Kgs. 8:31); a sworn covenant, bearing a curse if violated (Deut. 29:19; Neh. 10:29[30]); a curse from God for covenant violations (Deut. 29:20; 2 Chr. 34:24; Dan. 9:11); God’s judgment on sin (Deut. 30:7; Isa. 24:6; Zech. 5:3); and that which is accursed because of unfaithfulness, such as an adulterous wife or the erring tribe of Judah (Num. 5:27; Jer. 29:18; 42:18; 44:12), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
This large flying scroll, written front and back with His sworn covenant that His people had violated, depicts the reality that He will reveal and judge sin. And because the flying scroll bore His covenant curses, this Judgment was coming not against their enemies, but against those whom God had called into His covenant, the Jews.
The second vision is that of flying ephah. An ephah was a measuring unit the Jews used in their trade of dry goods.
ephah: 374. אֵיפָה ʾēyp̱āh, אֵפָה ʾēp̱āh: A feminine noun of measurement transliterated as ephah. An ephah was a dry measurement and equaled ten omers (Ex. 16:36)… The ephah was a measure used often when preparing sacrificial offerings or foods… It is especially prominent in the sacrificial practices of the new temple vision of Ezekiel (45:10, 11, 13, 24; 46:5, 7, 11, 14). Israel was to keep honest measures as a part of her righteousness. Micah observes that in her rebellious and unrighteous practices, Israel had shortened her ephah (Mic. 6:10). The business practices of God’s people were to be based on true weights and measures in the marketplace, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
Again this vision was also meant as an indictment against the Jews who had made dishonesty acceptable in its appearance as their standard of measure.
I said, “What is it?” And 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); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah,” (5:6-7).
And although these visions were flying, the message would stop the Jewish people dead in their tracks. For up to this point, God had been encouraging them in the Hope of His Return, in His promise to Dwell in their Midst, in His Rebuking the accuser and Leveling Mountains. But now these visions of His swift and coming judgment were leveled directly against the Jews. It was a wake-up call, a reminder that disobedience cannot be hidden from God and that our sin will always find us out.
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out, (Numbers 32:23).
These visions would call the Jews, and all of us, to consider His Truth. Yes, God is patient and merciful, but He will not tolerate sin and demands holiness; and in His perfect justice, He will judge sin. And through these flying visions sent to Zechariah, we are still pointed to the future, to the place He is preparing, the Place He will reign in His Righteousness and Justice, in His Lovingkindness and Truth.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You, (Psalm 89:14).
And if we have placed our faith in Christ, then as we consider these visions, we will see Him Who Will Purge Away Wickedness.
Consider Him Who Will Purge Away Wickedness
- He Will Purge Away Wickedness by His Covenant Truth.
- Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side,” (5:3).
- While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins,” (Matthew 26:26-28).
- Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side,” (5:3).
- He Will Purge Away Wickedness, consuming it to its very foundation.
- “I will make it go forth,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones,” (5:4).
- The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all,” (Malachi 4:1 NLT).
- “I will make it go forth,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones,” (5:4).
- He Will Purge Away Wickedness, to be thrust down and overcome.
- Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening, (5:8).
- And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death, (Revelation 12:9-11).
- Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening, (5:8).
- He Will Purge Away Wickedness, to be cast out to the place which has been prepared.
- 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,” (5:10-11).
- “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels,” (Matthew 25:41).
- 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,” (5:10-11).
How do we respond to Him Who Will Purge Away Wickedness?
As we consider His Purging Away Wickedness, it can sound scary and harsh. But it is actually a beautiful reality of His work in the lives of those who have come to Him through faith in Christ.
In the Hebrew, Purge means to be free, to be clean, to be pure; to be emptied. Through the blood of Christ we are made free from sin and cleansed and purified by His free gift; and then emptied of the guilt of our sin and the fear of eternal punishment.
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Romans 6:22-23).
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, (Hebrews 10:22).
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love, (1 John 4:18).
But we cannot ignore that He sent His judgments against His people. God sent flying visions to direct our attention to look up to His promises for our future, and to also look toward ourselves, reminding us that judgment begins in His household first.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17).
Oh, may we never take for granted the great cost of our salvation, that we would live each day ever mindful of the precious blood that bought us to Purge Away Wickedness and redeem us from our sin and the futility of this life.
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ, (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Oh, may we live in ceaseless gratitude for His precious blood shed for us that we would walk in His holiness and light. For as we do, we can walk in the confidence that He is faithfully at work to Purge Away Wickedness until He comes again.
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin, (1 John 1:7)