What does Zechariah 5:1 mean?
"Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll." - Zechariah 5:1
Zechariah 5:1 in the King James Version of the Bible reads, "Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll."
This passage is part of the vision that the prophet Zechariah had, which is recorded in the book of Zechariah. In this vision, Zechariah sees a flying scroll, which may seem mysterious and enigmatic at first glance. However, by examining the context, themes, and symbolism of this verse, we can gain a deeper understanding of its significance.
The book of Zechariah is a collection of prophetic oracles delivered by the prophet Zechariah during the post-exilic period, when the Jewish people had returned to Jerusalem after being in exile in Babylon. The purpose of Zechariah's prophecies was to encourage and exhort the people to rebuild the temple and to remain faithful to God. The visions and symbolic acts in the book of Zechariah are meant to convey important messages to the people in a vivid and memorable way.
In the immediate context of Zechariah 5:1, the prophet had just seen a series of visions that involved a golden lampstand, a flying scroll, and a woman in a basket. Each of these visions carried a specific message about the spiritual condition of the people and the consequences of their actions. The flying scroll, in particular, is described as being large in size, and it represents a message of judgment and justice.
The flying scroll in Zechariah's vision is symbolic of the Word of God. In the ancient world, scrolls were used for writing and preserving important documents, and the idea of a flying scroll would have been extraordinary and awe-inspiring. This image conveys the powerful and authoritative nature of God's Word, which transcends human limitations and has the ability to reach and impact all people.
The themes present in Zechariah 5:1 include judgment, justice, and the holiness of God's Word. The flying scroll is a symbol of God's law and the moral standards that His people are expected to uphold. The fact that the scroll is flying signifies that God's Word is not bound by earthly limitations and has the ability to bring about swift and far-reaching consequences. It also emphasizes the urgency and importance of the message it contains.
The imagery of the flying scroll also conveys the idea of accountability and responsibility. Just as a large scroll would be difficult to ignore or overlook, so too is the Word of God an undeniable and inescapable force. The people are called to heed the message of the scroll and to recognize the gravity of their actions in light of God's standards.
In a broader context, the flying scroll can be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate judgment and justice that God will bring upon the world. This vision serves as a reminder that God's Word stands as a standard of righteousness and that all people will be held accountable to it. It also underscores the importance of repentance and obedience in aligning with God's will.
Overall, Zechariah 5:1 and the vision of the flying scroll convey a profound message about the authority and power of God's Word, as well as the implications of living in accordance with or in defiance of it. It serves as a timeless reminder of the enduring relevance and significance of God's moral law and the call for all people to submit to His righteous standards.
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Zechariah 5:1 - "Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll."
"Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll." - Zechariah 5:1
Zechariah 1:5 - "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?"
1 Chronicles 5:7 - "And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,"
"Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" - Zechariah 1:5
Ezra 5:1 - "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them."
1 Chronicles 16:5 - "Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;"
Zechariah 1:1 - "In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,"
Zechariah 8:5 - "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof."
Zechariah 1:1-6
Zechariah 5:7 - "And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah."
Zechariah 5:10 - "Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?"
Zechariah 5:5 - "¶ 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."
"And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah," - 1 Chronicles 5:7
Zechariah 7:1 - "And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;"
Zechariah 2:5 - "For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."
Zechariah 12:5 - "And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God."
Zechariah 5:8 - "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."
Zechariah 4:5 - "Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord."
Zechariah 5:6 - "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."
1 Chronicles 9:37 - "And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth."
Zechariah 5:11 - "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."
Zechariah 1:20 - "And the LORD shewed me four carpenters."
Zechariah 1:7 - "¶ Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,"
Nehemiah 11:5 - "And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni."
Zechariah 13:5 - "But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth."
Zechariah 6:5 - "And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."
1 Chronicles 24:25 - "The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah."
Zechariah 1:2 - "The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers."
Zechariah 8:1 - "Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,"