Read Zechariah 5-6 at Bible Gateway.
Concerning Zechariah’s visions, I don’t know what they mean. The subject of Zechariah’s prophecies has been, the Branch who builds the temple of the LORD. So I assume these visions have to do with that subject or that time.
What I learn from the flying scroll, is that curses and blessings come by means of words, because words are what is on a scroll. This word of the LORD cursed thieves and perjurers, two of ten activities which break the LORD’s commandments. If we think about it, a lot of people won’t murder because it is one of the Ten Commandments. They won’t commit adultery because it is one of the Ten Commandments. But a lot of otherwise good people will take things from the office, or not return money which was overpaid to them, or otherwise steal. A lot of otherwise good people will stretch the truth, or otherwise lie. All the LORD’s commandments are important; breaking any of them carry consequences.
The woman in the basket is named Wickedness, who is set on its base in the land of Shinar. Shinar is synonymous with Babylon or Babel. This brings to mind the woman whose name is Mystery Babylon the Great, who is the mother of harlots and the abominations of the earth. I would guess that this passage is thematically connected to Rev 17 and 18.
The four chariots incidentally have horses drawing them the same four colors as the four horsemen of the apocalypse, in Rev 6. I would guess that this passage is thematically connected to Rev 6.
The command to crown Joshua confirms for me what we have been seeing in Zechariah all along: that Joshua the high priest is a type of Messiah Yeshua, whose anglicized name is Joshua. It is Messiah who is the High Priest of our confession. It is Messiah who is the Man whose name is the Branch, the root and Branch of David. It is Messiah Yeshua who will build the temple. It is Messiah Yeshua, moreover, who will sit on His throne as King and Priest, not Joshua the high priest.
It is my suspicion that Zec 6:9-15 forms a matching element with Zec 3, if anyone would like to work out the chiastic structure.
For further reading:
Biblical Horizons Newsletter: A Flying Scroll
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