Zechariah 5
Through Zechariah 5:5-11 we have recorded the vision of the woman in the ephah.
This is the second of two visions which deals with the overthrow of evil by God in the land. The first one shows the pronouncement of God’s judgement and this second vision shows him accomplishing his word, when he removes not only the guilt of sin but the sin also.
The first object which meets the prophet’s eye is an ephah; this is a measure holding about three pecks or seven gallons. In the midst of it he saw a woman who represents wickedness, here symbolic of the very embodiment of evil in all its attractive surroundings and seductive manner, truly a full measure of sin. This had a lid made of lead, this being the heaviest metal would indicate the sureness of God dealing with the sin. This is then removed to the land of Shinar, that place where men first conspired to defeat God at the tower of Babel and where they met defeat at God’s hands.
This is a picture to gladden the heart of all true Israelites. God has effectively dealt with sin once and for all and has removed it out of the land never to rear its ugly head again. Having just dealt with the problem of sin it would encourage the people to continue with a renewed vigour their work and worship in building the Temple as a place for God to dwell.
Written by G. Stoves Jun 27, 2019
