Topical Bible: Vision of Zechariah of the Flying Roll

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The Vision of the Flying Roll is one of the prophetic visions experienced by Zechariah, a post-exilic prophet whose ministry is recorded in the Book of Zechariah. This vision is found in Zechariah 5:1-4 and is part of a series of eight night visions that convey messages of judgment and restoration for the people of Israel.

Context and Background

Zechariah's ministry took place during the period following the Babylonian exile, a time when the Jewish people were returning to Jerusalem and rebuilding the temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. The visions given to Zechariah were intended to encourage the people in their efforts to rebuild and to remind them of God's sovereign plans for Israel.

Description of the Vision

In Zechariah 5:1-2, the prophet describes the vision: "Again I lifted up my eyes and saw before me a flying scroll. 'What do you see?' asked the angel who was speaking with me. 'I see a flying scroll,' I replied, 'twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.'" The dimensions of the scroll, approximately 30 feet by 15 feet, suggest a large and prominent object, symbolizing the public and unavoidable nature of the message it carries.

Interpretation and Symbolism

The angel explains the vision in Zechariah 5:3-4: "Then he said to me, 'This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to what is written on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what is written on the other side, every liar will be banished. I will send it out,' declares the LORD of Hosts, 'and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and consume it, with its timber and stones.'"

The flying roll represents a divine curse, a message of judgment against sin, specifically targeting theft and false swearing. These sins are emblematic of a broader moral decay and violation of God's covenant. The scroll's flight over the land signifies that God's judgment is comprehensive and inescapable, reaching every corner of the community.

Theological Significance

The vision underscores the holiness and justice of God, who cannot tolerate sin among His people. It serves as a warning that God's law is active and that transgressions will be met with divine retribution. The specific mention of theft and false swearing highlights the importance of integrity and truthfulness in the covenant community.

Moreover, the vision of the flying roll is a reminder of the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. The curses inscribed on the scroll echo the covenant curses found in the Torah, particularly in Deuteronomy 28, where blessings and curses are outlined based on Israel's obedience or disobedience to God's commands.

Application for the Post-Exilic Community

For the post-exilic community, the vision was a call to repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. As the people rebuilt the temple and reestablished their society, they were reminded that their success and prosperity depended on their adherence to God's law. The vision encouraged them to pursue righteousness and justice, ensuring that their community reflected the character of God.

In summary, the Vision of the Flying Roll in Zechariah serves as a powerful reminder of God's righteous standards and the serious consequences of sin. It calls believers to live in accordance with God's commands, fostering a community marked by truth and integrity.

Nave's Topical Index

Zechariah 5:1-4
Then I turned, and lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Zechariah
... The flying roll of the sixth vision, v.1-4 ... But, though Zechariah's message was largely
concerned with the ... for the most part in terms of vision and apocalyptic ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/zechariah.htm

In Our Last Chapter we Sought to Show that in Rev. . .
... the contents of the first four chapters of Zechariah. ... the punishment of apostate
Israel: the "flying roll" symbolizes the ... 1-4). Then follows the vision of "the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in our last chapter we.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... xvi." The Sixth Vision "on Earth." The Seven Vials. ... the pride of Assyria shall be
brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away" (Zechariah 10:10 ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

The First vision "In Heaven": Chapters 4-5
... as a man, and the fourth Zoon like a flying eagle.8 ... The seven eyes, Zechariah 4:10
and iii.9, denotes the fact ... v.8-14, concluding this first Vision "In Heaven.". ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the first vision in heaven .htm

The Second vision "On Earth"
... cleaving in two of the Mount of Olives in Zechariah 14:4 ... former it was the voice
of "an eagle flying in mid ... And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the second vision on earth.htm

The Seventh (And Last) vision "On Earth"
... E^7., xix.17" 15. The Seventh (and Last) Vision "on Earth.". ... This could be done only
by flying creatures. ... Compare Psalm 122:5. Ezekiel 43:7. Zechariah 6:13. ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the seventh and last vision.htm

The Flight into Egypt and St. John the Baptist in the Desert
... way and mortified his senses, how his vision grew ever ... flocks of bright-colored birds
came flying to perch ... HEROD HAS ZECHARIAH CAPTURED, QUESTIONED, AND KILLED ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xvi the flight into egypt.htm

A Clearing-Up Storm in the Realm
... the iniquitous scenes being enacted on earth an angel is seen flying in mid ... to his
work as God's messenger he was shown in vision the branch ... [123] Zechariah 12:1 ...
/.../vi a clearing-up storm in the.htm

Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... to the impracticability of their own contention they are as incapable of vision
as men ... itself, being retained by the force that embraces it from flying off at ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/answer to eunomius second book.htm