Daily reading assignment – Zechariah 5-9

Today’s Scripture reading is Zechariah 5-9, and finds us in the midst of eight visions that came to the prophet Zechariah in the night. We have already noted the first five of the eight visions.

The first vision was of horsemen among a grove of myrtle trees (1:7-17). The second vision was of “four horns,” each representing four world powers (1:18-21). The third vision was of a man who was surveying the city of Jerusalem” (2:1-13). A fourth vision was of the high priest Joshua who was seen wearing “filthy garments” and was given a “change of raiment” (3:1-10), symbolic of Israel repenting, being cleansed of her sin and restored. The fifth vision was of a Menorah, golden lampstand (“candlestick of gold”) that presented “seven lamps” supplied with oil by “two olive trees” (4:1-14).

Zechariah 5 presents us with two visions of the eight visions recorded by Zechariah. The sixth vision is described as a “flying roll” (5:1).  The seventh vision was of a woman in “an ephah [i.e. basket] that goeth forth” (5:5).  The eighth and last nightly vision of Zechariah was of “four chariots” pulled by horses (6:1-3). The four horse drawn chariots represented four angels of judgment (described as “the four spirits of the heavens” (6:5).

I will limit the focus of today’s devotional to the sixth vision found in Zechariah 5:1-4.

The Sixth Vision (5:1-4)

Zechariah’s sixth vision was of “a flying roll,” or perhaps more precisely, a flying scroll (5:1). Zechariah describes his conversation with a man, whom we have already identified as the “angel of the LORD” (1:11; 2:3; 3:6; 4:1; 5:5), and whom I believe was a pre-incarnate appearance of the LORD Jesus Christ).

The angel asked, “What seest thou?” (5:2). Zechariah then described a “flying roll,” giving its dimensions (5:3); however, he did not know its meaning. The angel then revealed to Zechariah that the scroll was a symbol of the Law of God and was inscribed with two commandments:  The third commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7), and the eighth commandment, “Thou shalt not steal”(Exodus 20:15).

I am unsure why only two commandments were inscribed on the “flying roll;” however, it is certain that the Commandments were a reminder to Zechariah: Break the Law of God and you will surely “be cut off” (5:3, 4).

Entering the house as a “flying roll,” the Law remained “in the midst of [the] house” (5:4).  A reminder that, though we might dismiss the weight of the Law of God, we cannot dismiss its judgment.

Copyright 2020 – Travis D. Smith