Did you ever wonder about Zechariah’s vision of a flying scroll and a woman in a basket? What could these symbols mean? Here is a short study with some thoughts that might help explain this strange vision.
Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. Zechariah 5:1
What is this flying scroll? Here are some clues.
Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. Isaiah 8:1
This roll in Isaiah is a prophecy of the judgment against Damascus and Samaria that is described in the rest of the chapter.
Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. Jeremiah 36:2
In this passage also the roll appears to contain judgments of God.
And 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. 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. Zechariah 5:2, 3
This roll is said to contain a curse for the whole earth! The dimensions given are the same as the Holy Place in the Sanctuary—twenty cubits long, ten cubits wide. Why? This curse comes because of the desecration of the sanctuary mentioned by Daniel.
Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. Daniel 8:11
The word “daily” comes from the Hebrew word tamiyd which is used in the Pentateuch for the daily or continual ministration in the temple. The word “sacrifice” was added by the translators; the daily ministration included more than sacrifices. Every day, continually, there was a sacrifice burning on the Altar of Burnt Offering (symbolizing forgiveness and consecration), there was water in the Laver (cleansing), the Holy Place was lighted by the lamps on the Candlestick (Holy Spirit illumination), the smoke of incense went up from the Altar of Incense (intercession), and the Bread of the Presence was maintained on the Table of Shewbread (spiritual nourishment). This “continual” ministration in the Outer Court and in the Holy Place represents what Jesus has been doing and providing as our Mediator in the heavenly sanctuary. (Hebrews 4:14-16, etc.)
Many aspects of this daily ministration have been replaced or corrupted by the Roman Catholic Church. They put earthly priests in place of our Heavenly High Priest, Jesus. They marketed indulgences in place of Jesus’ all-sufficient sacrifice for forgiveness. For cleansing, they introduced sprinkling instead of immersion baptism. The spiritual illumination of the Holy Spirit was squelched by keeping the Bible inaccessible to the common people. Jesus’ intercession was replaced with the intercession of Mary and various saints. The uncorrupted bread from heaven, the Word of God, was replaced with corrupted manuscripts that support Catholic doctrines and agenda.
I 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. Zechariah 5:4
God will bring forth the curse. It is a curse to those who are falsely called “Christian” and who are really serving the enemy of souls. What is this enemy that is a curse to the whole earth? We see her in the following verses.
Then 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. And 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. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. Zechariah 5:5-7
The word “resemblance” (Strong’s number H5869) is the word for eye but can have the meaning of affliction according to Strong’s dictionary. So the prophet sees this woman in a basket as the affliction or curse to the whole earth.
The woman in Revelation 12 is God’s true church. The woman in Revelation 17 is a false church, a prostitute who commits fornication with the kings of the earth. This is the basis for considering this woman in the basket as a church. This wicked woman in the basket represents a corrupt church.
And 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. Zechariah 5:8
The woman in the basket appeared as the curse of the earth but then was contained for a period under the heavy lid. This is Roman Catholicism, the persecuting power of those horrible times, the curse in the earth, during the Dark Ages. She was restrained in her power for a short time after Napoleon took the Pope captive in 1798. But what happens when we see the lid opened at the end of the vision?
Then 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. Zechariah 5:9
There are now two women instead of one coming out of the basket. According to the Spirit of Prophecy the prostitute Babylon in Revelation 17 symbolizes various entities including Roman Catholicism and Apostate Protestantism (two horned beast).
In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman, a figure which is used in the Scriptures as the symbol of a church. A virtuous woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. Babylon is said to be a harlot; and the prophet beheld her drunken with the blood of saints and martyrs. The Babylon thus described represents Rome, that apostate church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of Christ. But Babylon the harlot is the mother of daughters who follow her example of corruption. Thus are represented those churches that cling to the doctrines and traditions of Rome and follow her worldly practices, and whose fall is announced in the second angel’s message. {4SP 233.1}
The vision that Christ presented to John, presenting the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, is to be definitely proclaimed to all nations, people, and tongues. The churches, represented by Babylon, are represented as having fallen from their spiritual state to become a persecuting power against those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. To John this persecuting power is represented as having horns like a lamb, but as speaking like a dragon. . . . {TM 117.4}
These women have wings of a stork, an unclean bird. What does the Bible say about an unclean bird?
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 18:2
Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And 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. Zechariah 5:10, 11
The land of Shinar is where the tower of Babel was built. These women, unholy churches, go together to again erect the tower of Babel. This is symbolic, as is all the rest of this vision, of the plans to set up a one-world religion and make all nations bow the knee.
What is the main issue to be decided at the end of time?
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? Revelation 13:4
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Revelation 13:15
The first beast in Revelation 13 represents the same as the harlot riding a beast: Roman Catholicism in its political form. The second beast establishes another system that has political power: apostate Protestantism. Both of these systems command and receive worship. What does God have to say in the next chapter?
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:6, 7
The conflict at the very end is all about worship. Who will you worship? God or His enemy?
Get ready; these things are soon to come to pass.
Christians should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise, and this preparation they should make by diligently studying the word of God and striving to conform their lives to its precepts. The tremendous issues of eternity demand of us something besides an imaginary religion, a religion of words and forms, where truth is kept in the outer court. God calls for a revival and a reformation. Prophets and Kings, p. 626