zechariah 5 and 6

Read Zechariah 5 and 6 at Bible Gateway.

Hebrew paragraph divisions

Zec 4:8-5:8 {s} Zerubbabel to finish the temple/ two sons of new oil/ vision of the flying scroll + basket
Zec 5:9-11 {s} Two women departed with the basket to build a house for it in Shinar, where it will be established
Zec 6:1-8 {s} The vision of four chariots who patrol the whole earth/ rest to My Spirit in the north
Zec 6:9-15 {s} Crown Joshua (Yeshua) the high priest, saying, Behold, the Branch/ He shall build the temple of YHVH

Zec 1:7-6:8 chiastic structure (2nd prophetic message)

1a) Zec 1:7-21 {sx3} The vision of four horsemen who patrol the earth/ four horns overthrown;

1b) Zec 2:1-13 {p+sx3} The vision of the man with the measuring line, to measure Jerusalem;

1a) Zec 2:1-4, The vision of the man with the measuring line, to measure Jerusalem;
1b) Zec 2:5 {p} YHVH a wall of fire around Jerusalem;
central axis) Zec 2:6-7 {s} Come out from Babylon, for I have spread you abroad;
2b) Zec 2:8-9 {s} He has sent Me to the nations which plunder you, the apple of His eye/ they shall become plunder;
2a) Zec 2:10-13 {s} Rejoice Zion, for YHVH is coming to dwell in you/ many nations joined to YHVH in that day;

1c) Zec 3:1-10, Yeshua the high priest/ Iniquity removed, Spirit + Grace/ My servant the Branch;

1a) Zec 3:1-5, Joshua (Yeshua) the high priest: a brand plucked from the fire;
central axis) Zec 3:6-7, Then the Angel of YHVH admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says YHVH of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here;’”
2a) Zec 3:8-10, Joshua (Yeshua) the high priest: I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH;

1d) Zec 4:1-7 {p} The vision of the lampstand supplied with the oil of two olive trees;

central axis) Zec 4:8-10, Zerubbabel appointed to build the temple, lay its foundation + finish it;

2d) Zec 4:11-14, The two olive trees are the two sons of new oil;

2c) Zec 5:1-4, The vision of the flying scroll, the curse on the house of lawbreakers;

2b) Zec 5:5-11 {s+s} The vision of the ephah (measuring basket) measuring wickedness/ its house in Shinar;

2a) Zec 6:1-8 {s} The vision of four chariots who patrol the earth/ My Spirit finds rest in the north.

The message of the structure is a message of reconciliation, salvation, redemption, and return.

A pair: With the four patrols, the theme is YHVH comforting Jerusalem again, and His Spirit finding rest in the north (the four horns, or authorities, who troubled Jerusalem are themselves overthrown – in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, we just read that Jerusalem’s trouble came from the north). In Hebrew the word for “comfort” and “rest” come from the same root, the same root that the name “Noah” comes from.

B pair: The matching elements are the measuring line and the measuring basket. The Hebrew word for “basket” in the vision of the basket, is Strong’s H374, an ephah – the unit of dry measure. Jerusalem is being measured for good and for increase (1B) while Wickedness is measured to be separated from Jerusalem and taken away to Babylon (Shinar). In fact, the central axis of IB is Come out of Babylon (Rev 18:4)!

C pair: Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Joshua) the high priest + the Branch + removal of iniquity (Spirit and grace) is contrasted with the curse of the flying scroll against lawbreakers. To me it is a repeat of the basic message of salvation (which at this time in history was still a hidden mystery): acceptance of Yeshua erases a person’s transgressions of Torah, so that they are not imputed against them (which comes with a new heart and spirit to now walk in Torah), contrasted with rejection of Yeshua which causes a person’s transgressions of Torah to stand against them, so that the curse of lawbreaking comes upon them.

D pair: The two sons of new oil, who are the two olive trees and the two witnesses, Judah and Ephraim (see again Eze 37, Rom 11 and Rev 11, and my study notes on the two sons of new oil from Rev 11). The oil which lights the menorah (the Holy Spirit, the anointing oil) fills them and their light shines!

I believe the central axis is a type of Messiah. Zerubbabel, the son of the house of David, is called to lay the foundation of the temple and finish it. Messiah Yeshua said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up,” (Joh 2:19). Only the temple He builds, the house for His name, He builds out of the living stones of Judah and Ephraim (1 Pet 2:4-5). We are living in these days!