Zechariah 5:2
"What do you see?" asked the angel. "I see a flying scroll," I replied, "twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide."
“What do you see?” asked the angel.

The interpreting angel directs Zechariah’s attention to what God has revealed, requiring him to observe carefully before receiving the meaning. God often used angels to communicate and explain visions to His servants, as with Daniel and later with John in Revelation.

Amo 7:8 “Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD.…
Jer 1:11-12 And the word of the LORD came to me, asking,…
Ezk 40:4 “Son of man,” he said to me, “look with your eyes,…

“I see a flying scroll,” I replied,

Zechariah sees God’s written decree moving swiftly through the land. The scroll carries the covenant Lord’s judgment against persistent sin, especially theft and false swearing in His name. Its flight shows that no home, person, or hidden act lies beyond God’s righteous notice.

Rev 6:14 The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up,…
Ezk 2:9-10 Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me,…
Rev 10:2 He held in his hand a small scroll, which lay open.…

“twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.”

The scroll measures about thirty feet by fifteen feet, making its message public and unmistakable. Its dimensions correspond to the entrance porch of Solomon’s temple, recalling the holiness of God’s dwelling and the authority of His covenant law. The coming judgment proceeds from the God who dwells among His people and who will cleanse the restored land from open rebellion.

1Ki 6:3 The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple…
2Ch 3:4 The portico at the front, extending across the width…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Zechariah
A prophet of the post-exilic period, Zechariah is the recipient of visions from God, including the vision of the flying scroll.

2. Angel
A divine messenger who communicates with Zechariah, guiding him through the visions and providing explanations.

3. Flying Scroll
A large scroll seen in Zechariah's vision, symbolizing God's judgment and the proclamation of His word.

4. Jerusalem
The city where Zechariah prophesied, significant as the center of Jewish life and worship during the post-exilic period.

5. Post-Exilic Period
The time after the return from Babylonian exile, marked by the rebuilding of the temple and the re-establishment of the Jewish community.
Teaching Points
The Authority of God's Word
The flying scroll represents the authoritative and active nature of God's word. It is not static but moves to accomplish God's purposes, reminding us of the power and reach of Scripture in our lives.

Judgment and Accountability
The dimensions of the scroll (twenty cubits by ten cubits) are significant, as they match the dimensions of the Holy Place in the tabernacle, symbolizing God's standard of holiness and the judgment that comes from failing to meet it. We are called to live in accordance with God's standards, knowing that His word holds us accountable.

Repentance and Restoration
The vision serves as a call to repentance for the people of Israel, urging them to turn from sin and return to God. In our lives, we must be vigilant in examining our hearts and aligning our actions with God's will.

The Universality of God's Message
The scroll's flight signifies the universal reach of God's message. It is not confined to one place or people but is meant for all. We are encouraged to share God's word broadly, knowing it has the power to transform lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the vision of the flying scroll in Zechariah 5:2 challenge our understanding of the authority and power of God's word in our daily lives?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are living according to God's standards, as symbolized by the dimensions of the scroll?

3. How does the concept of divine judgment, as seen in the flying scroll, influence our approach to repentance and seeking forgiveness?

4. What parallels can we draw between the flying scroll in Zechariah and the scrolls mentioned in other parts of the Bible, such as Ezekiel and Revelation?

5. How can we actively participate in spreading the message of God's word, inspired by the imagery of the flying scroll reaching far and wide?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ezekiel 2:9-10
Similar to Zechariah's vision, Ezekiel sees a scroll, which represents God's message of lamentation and woe.

Revelation 5:1-2
The scroll in Revelation, sealed with seven seals, signifies divine revelation and judgment, paralleling the flying scroll's symbolism.

Jeremiah 36
Jeremiah's scroll, which is read to the people, underscores the power and authority of God's word, akin to the flying scroll's message.
A Curse in the FamilyA. J. Gordon, D. D.Zechariah 5:1-4
A Plague in the HouseF. B. Meyer, B. A.Zechariah 5:1-4
Judgment with ConsolationZechariah 5:1-4
RetributionW. Forsyth Zechariah 5:1-4
The Flying RollN. L. Frothingham.Zechariah 5:1-4
The Flying RollT. V. Moore, D. D.Zechariah 5:1-4
The Flying RollOutlines by London MinisterZechariah 5:1-4
The Flying RollS. Thodey.Zechariah 5:1-4
The Flying Roll -- Divine RetributionHomilistZechariah 5:1-4
The Flying Roll: Divine RetributionD. Thomas Zechariah 5:1-4
The Lord's CurseGeorge Hutcheson.Zechariah 5:1-4
People
Ephah, Zechariah
Places
Jerusalem, Shinar
Topics
Air, Breadth, Cubit, Cubits, Fifteen, Flying, Length, Roll, Scroll, Seeing, Seest, Ten, Thereof, Thirty, Twenty, Wide, Width
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Zechariah 5:2

     4803   breadth

Zechariah 5:2-3

     5515   scroll

Library
The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending;
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Zechariah
CHAPTERS I-VIII Two months after Haggai had delivered his first address to the people in 520 B.C., and a little over a month after the building of the temple had begun (Hag. i. 15), Zechariah appeared with another message of encouragement. How much it was needed we see from the popular despondency reflected in Hag. ii. 3, Jerusalem is still disconsolate (Zech. i. 17), there has been fasting and mourning, vii. 5, the city is without walls, ii. 5, the population scanty, ii. 4, and most of the people
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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