The first five visions in this book (1:7—4:14) are positive, as a comforting, consoling, and encouraging word from God to Joshua, Zerubbabel, and the people. In contrast, the last three visions (Zech. 5:1-11; 6:1-8) are negative, concerning God’s universal judgment on the evil people and the evil on earth.

The flying scroll signifies God’s righteous law and its justice (just judgment). This scroll will be the base of God’s thorough judgment over all the sin on earth (cf. Rom. 3:19).

The length of the flying scroll being twenty cubits and the breadth being ten cubits signifies the testimony of the law by two squares of ten cubits by ten cubits. The number two is the number for testimony (Deut. 17:6), and the number ten signifies completion in fullness (Rev. 2:10 and note Rev. 2:10^2g). Therefore, the law of God is a testimony to the whole world, and the two squares of ten cubits by ten cubits point to the completion in fullness of the law.

The curse signifies God’s punishment in judging sins according to His righteous law (Gal. 3:13a). The fact that God’s judgment is a curse indicates that it is a very serious matter.

Stealing signifies sins toward man, which are the issue of greed and covetousness, whereas swearing falsely by Jehovah’s name signifies sins toward God, which are the issue of a wrong relationship with God. The law of God given to Moses is of two sections, the first concerning the relationship between man and God, and the second concerning the relationships among men (see note Exo. 20:2^1a). To be right with God and with man is to be righteous. Those who are not right with both God and man will suffer God’s judgment.

Referring to God’s judgment. The description in this verse indicates that the exercise of God’s judgment of sins will be most serious and also very thorough.

Lit., it. An ephah vessel is a measuring vessel, a container able to hold one ephah, used for purchasing and selling in business. The vision of the ephah vessel signifies the wickedness of business, or commerce, on the earth.

Commerce seems to have a proper appearance; actually, it is evil, full of wickedness (vv. 7-8).

The woman sitting within the ephah vessel signifies the wickedness contained in commerce (v. 8a), such as covetousness, deceit, and the love of money. The vision here corresponds to that of Babylon the Great in Rev. 18. The two visions show that in the sight of God the wickedness contained in commerce is a form of idolatry and fornication. Business is an adulterous woman desirous of making money.

A lead cover (v. 7), a lead weight, being thrown over the opening of the ephah vessel signifies the restriction of the wickedness in commerce by God’s sovereignty.

The one woman (v. 7) becoming two women signifies a double effect of commerce once it becomes free of the restriction. The vision in this verse of the two women going forth signifies the rapid spreading of wicked commerce.

This signifies that God’s sovereignty will cause the wickedness in business, which the people of Israel learned from the Babylonians in their captivity, to go back to Babylon (the land of Shinar — Gen. 11:2, 9; 2 Chron. 36:7; cf. Dan. 1:2).