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Zechariah 5 Commentary Verses 1-4
Zechariah 5 Commentary: We’re going to study Zechariah’s 6th vision today. So, turn your attention to the 5th chapter of the book of Zechariah.
We’ll be studying the first four verses of Zechariah 5. And
the point of this passage is to tell the Jews of Zechariah’s day that at some
point in the future God will totally cleanse sin from their land. And he’ll do
that by immediately and directly punishing sinners.
So, let’s read the entire 5th chapter of
Zechariah and then we’ll go on to study the details of verses 1-4.
[Read Zec 5…]
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Verse 1
So, to begin, we just read about what Zechariah saw. Let’s
read that once more.
KJV Zechariah 5:1 ¶ Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and [behold/there before me was] a flying [roll/scroll/LXX: sickle].
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Direction
So, this new vision begins with the prophet Zechariah coming
to the realization that something new is in front of him. Well, actually, he
makes it sound like it was behind
him. He had to turn to see this new
reality.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: A Roll?
And what did he see but a flying roll!
Now, I wouldn’t doubt that there would be some who would
read this in the KJV and think that Zechariah is a flying piece of bread. But
it’s not that kind of roll!
Zechariah 5 Commentary: A Scroll
The word “roll” is the word used by the KJV to speak of a
scroll. After all, you roll-up a
scroll and you unroll scroll.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: A Sickle?
And I’ll just mention this because it’s interesting to me – the
Septuagint – the Greek version of the Old Testament – translates the word
“roll” to rather be “sickle.” And I wasn’t able to figure out why that is,
quite honestly. But I think that as we go along in this vision, we’re going to
see that this thing – whatever it is – has two sides and writing on both sides.
Does that sound more like a scroll or a sickle? Sickles don’t have writing on
them – at least in Zechariah’s day they wouldn’t have. So, I’m not sure why the
Septuagint has what it has, but it seems to be the wrong translation of that
word. Thankfully we’re using the Hebrew text and not the Septuagint.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Megillah
And one last thing about this scroll – you might actually
know the Hebrew word that’s behind our English translation “roll.” It’s megillah. As in the phrase, “the whole megillah” which means the entirety of
something. Maybe you’ve heard that expression before. Well, that comes from
this word that means scroll.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Flying
And this scroll is not set neatly on a table. It’s not
rolled-up in a cabinet somewhere. It’s flying. Flying like a bird or like a
locust. It’s on the move and in the air.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Summary of Verse 1
So, this is what Zechariah sees. A scroll that is flying.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Verse 2
Alright, now all of a sudden someone talks to Zechariah
about what he just saw.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: The Question
2 [And he said unto/Someone asked/He asked] me,
What [seest thou/do you see]?
Now, we’ve heard this question before asked by the angel
who’s been leading Zechariah through these visions. And even though he’s not
identified by name in this vision, I think it’s most likely that he’s the one
who is asking this question t
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By PaulZechariah 5 Commentary: We’re going to study Zechariah’s 6th vision today. So, turn your attention to the 5th chapter of the book of Zechariah.
We’ll be studying the first four verses of Zechariah 5. And
the point of this passage is to tell the Jews of Zechariah’s day that at some
point in the future God will totally cleanse sin from their land. And he’ll do
that by immediately and directly punishing sinners.
So, let’s read the entire 5th chapter of
Zechariah and then we’ll go on to study the details of verses 1-4.
[Read Zec 5…]
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Verse 1
So, to begin, we just read about what Zechariah saw. Let’s
read that once more.
KJV Zechariah 5:1 ¶ Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and [behold/there before me was] a flying [roll/scroll/LXX: sickle].
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Direction
So, this new vision begins with the prophet Zechariah coming
to the realization that something new is in front of him. Well, actually, he
makes it sound like it was behind
him. He had to turn to see this new
reality.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: A Roll?
And what did he see but a flying roll!
Now, I wouldn’t doubt that there would be some who would
read this in the KJV and think that Zechariah is a flying piece of bread. But
it’s not that kind of roll!
Zechariah 5 Commentary: A Scroll
The word “roll” is the word used by the KJV to speak of a
scroll. After all, you roll-up a
scroll and you unroll scroll.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: A Sickle?
And I’ll just mention this because it’s interesting to me – the
Septuagint – the Greek version of the Old Testament – translates the word
“roll” to rather be “sickle.” And I wasn’t able to figure out why that is,
quite honestly. But I think that as we go along in this vision, we’re going to
see that this thing – whatever it is – has two sides and writing on both sides.
Does that sound more like a scroll or a sickle? Sickles don’t have writing on
them – at least in Zechariah’s day they wouldn’t have. So, I’m not sure why the
Septuagint has what it has, but it seems to be the wrong translation of that
word. Thankfully we’re using the Hebrew text and not the Septuagint.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Megillah
And one last thing about this scroll – you might actually
know the Hebrew word that’s behind our English translation “roll.” It’s megillah. As in the phrase, “the whole megillah” which means the entirety of
something. Maybe you’ve heard that expression before. Well, that comes from
this word that means scroll.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Flying
And this scroll is not set neatly on a table. It’s not
rolled-up in a cabinet somewhere. It’s flying. Flying like a bird or like a
locust. It’s on the move and in the air.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Summary of Verse 1
So, this is what Zechariah sees. A scroll that is flying.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: Verse 2
Alright, now all of a sudden someone talks to Zechariah
about what he just saw.
Zechariah 5 Commentary: The Question
2 [And he said unto/Someone asked/He asked] me,
What [seest thou/do you see]?
Now, we’ve heard this question before asked by the angel
who’s been leading Zechariah through these visions. And even though he’s not
identified by name in this vision, I think it’s most likely that he’s the one
who is asking this question t