Visions of Warning

Bible Study Questions 10224

PASSAGE: Zechariah 5:1-11

COMMENT: In this chapter, God gives Zechariah two visions of warning. First, he sees a flying roll, which is identified as the curse (v.3). This pictures the law of God and the curse on those who disobey it. Second, he sees a woman sitting in a basket called an ephah (after the size of the basket). This vision is called wickedness (v.8) and portrays false religion.

WHAT DOES IT SAY?

1. The length of the flying roll was ________ cubits and the breadth of the roll was ________ cubits.

2. When the roll enters into the house of a sinner, it shall remain in the _________ of his house.

3. In Zechariah’s second vision of this chapter, he saw a woman sitting the midst of an ___________.

4. The ephah of the second vision had a weight of __________ upon the mouth of it.

5. The ephah was carried by two _________ who had the wind in their wings and their wings were like the wings of a _________.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

1. What is the roll mentioned in the first verses of this chapter? One good way to understand a word is to look it up in other Bible passages. Read Jeremiah 36:2 and Ezekiel 2:9. What do these verses tell you about the meaning of the word roll?

2. Verses 3-4 refer to two particular sins: stealing and swearing falsely in God’s name. Both of these sins break one of the Ten Commandments. Check out the Ten Commandments as recorded in Exodus 20. Which of the commandments does each break? Hint: swearing falsely in God’s name is not bearing false witness.

3. What is an ephah? You may need to look the word up in a Bible dictionary or an English dictionary. Understand also that a unit of measurement is sometimes used to refer to the container that holds that unit of measure. For instance, is a cup a particular measurement or is it the container that holds that unit of measure?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

1. In verse three, Zechariah says of the flying roll, “this is the curse.” Almost certainly, the flying roll is a picture of the law of Moses. How can God’s perfect law be considered a curse? Read Deuteronomy 27:26; Galatians 3:10-13; Romans 7:7-14. How does one escape the curse of the law?

2. The second vision of this chapter (the woman sitting in the ephah) is almost certainly a picture of false religion. It has a house built for is “in the land of Shinar” (v.11). Where is the land of Shinar? Read Genesis 11:1-4 and explain how Shinar is connected with false religion.

SUGGESTED MEMORY VERSES: None

TEXT: Zechariah 5:1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.

2 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.

3 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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 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.

7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

8 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.

9 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.

10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?

11 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.

For More Information See:

Curse of the Flying Roll - Audio Sermon and Outline