One of the most interesting passages relating to The Time of Jacob’s
Trouble, the Man of Sin, and to Babylon is found in Zechariah chapter five.
This passage is highly symbolic, but taking the trouble to unlock the symbolism
is well worth the effort.
In the first two verses, Zechariah looks up and sees a **flying scroll. **Point of Interest: In December of 2006,
an Israeli airline, Israir Airlines, became the first airline to maintain an
authentic Torah Scroll (First five books of the Bible/the Law of Moses)
onboard for its passengers to read. This scroll is officially known as “Sky
Torah”
and has been dubbed “The Flying Scroll.”
Zechariah is told by an angel, that the Flying
Scroll represents a worldwide curse (a judgment). In what way could the Sky Torah
contain a judgment? The Torah contains prophecies of a blessing…the true
Messiah. But what if Messiah is rejected?
Read the
following:
·
Luke
16:28-31
·
Luke
24:27
·
Hebrews
10:7
·
Galatians
3:23-24
The coming judgment (curse) is coming only
because the true Messiah, who has been fully revealed in the Torah, was
rejected by his people Israel and also by the world at large –Psalm 2:8-12, John
5:45-47, Galatians 3:24, Hebrews 10:1, Malachi 4:5-6.
The
scriptures speak of only three worldwide judgments: 1.) The first
was the flood in Genesis, which wiped out all but eight people world-wide. 2.)
The second will be The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, which this writer believes to
be future as this is being written and is synonymous with what is commonly
known as The Great Tribulation. This terrible time, also known as “A time of
Trouble,” will destroy approximately 75% to 80% of the world population within
the short span of just seven years. 3.) The third world-wide judgment
will be the fiery purge that will take place at the end of the first 1000 years
of Christ’s reign on earth –Zechariah 5:1-3 [1-5], Genesis 6:11-13 & 7:19,
Matthew 24:21-22, Isaiah 24:1,3-6, Revelation 20:9.
The curse in Zechariah chapter five can refer to the second world-wide judgment—The
Time of Jacob’s Trouble. We know this for three reasons: 1.) The first
world-wide judgment (the Genesis flood) has already taken place 2.) The
third world-wide judgement, the fiery purge, will not take place until the end
of the first 1000 years of Christ’s Kingdom.
So that leaves only the second—The time of Jacob’s Trouble—which is
placed in the end times during the seven years immediately preceding the visible
and physical return of Messiah as conquering King.
In this passage, the prophet saw how the Man of Sin will come to power
and where his base of operations will be located.
The angel tells Zechariah to look and see what is going forth. In
Zechariah 5:2-3, the angel calls the prophet’s attention to a strange sight.
Zechariah was told to look and see what was going forth.
Something
was happening.
Winds
of change were blowing.
Something
was moving forward.
And
the thing he was told to look at was an ephah (a basket).
By process of elimination, we already know that the worldwide curse in
Zechariah’s vision corresponds to THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE –Zechariah 5:6,
Matthew 24:1-8, 21.
Jesus said THE TIME OF TROUBLE would be so horrendous that this world
has never seen anything like it before, nor ever would again. Considering the
horrors this world has already experienced (i.e., Hiroshima, the Holocaust,
and, of more recent times, the atrocities inflicted upon those conquered and
occupied by the Islamic State [ISIS])—Jesus’ prediction of worse times coming
is veritably unimaginable, but up to 75-80% of the world’s population will die in
short order during this fearsome time. All through the Bible we read to have
faith and fear not, but concerning the coming devastation, the prophet Joel
says to be, “very afraid.”
Zechariah
saw a flying scroll and was told it was a world-wide judgement going forth.
By
the time Jesus returns [physically], the Jewish population will be so reduced,
that Isaiah predicted even a child could count them. No wonder God said to
tremble at the very thought of it—to be very afraid –Isaiah 10:17-21, Joel 2.
Look, see, pay close attention, to what is happening—right now.
We
believe Zechariah’s prophecy is for the very near future and gives important
details as to how the Man of Sin will come to power and from where he will be
operating afterwards.
What
possible significance could an ephah have, not just any measuring
basket—but specifically an ephah, concerning a judgment that will impact
the entire earth?
Notice the order of events in Zechariah’s vision:
1.
First, we see a flying
scroll [Sky Torah], a judgment moving forward
2.
Then, we see an ephah
moving forward –Zechariah 5:1-3, 5-6
An ephah was the largest basket of measure in use among the
Jewish people of Zechariah’s time. It was commonly used as a symbol of commerce
much like a “basket” of currency was used in connection with the **Euro.
**ECU (European Currency Unit): A
composite monetary unit consisting of a basket of European Community currencies that served
as the predecessor to the Euro. An interesting choice of words—coincidence?
** Euro: The name for the composite
monetary unit that has replaced national currencies in several European
countries. The Euro was introduced on January 1, 1999 and went into general
circulation on January 1, 2002 (described as: The specific amounts of euro in
the valuation basket…).
The basket (ephah) Zechariah saw moving forward
symbolized currency and commerce—both in his day and again in the 20th
and 21st centuries.
The angel elaborated further and said the basket was disguising (hiding) something.
The resemblance (the outward appearance of it) looked good. It appeared
that commerce was getting a well-needed boost and was moving forward. But the
angel said the outward appearance of commercial prosperity was being used to deceive
the whole earth.
It
is helpful, at this point, to have a Bible whose Old Testament is based on the
Ben Chayyim Masoretic Text (the Hebrew text that underlies the King James
Bible). Ben Chayyim being both a Masorite Jew and a born-again Christian, was uniquely
and doubly qualified to handle the Hebrew scriptures.
Unfortunately,
many translations are based on texts that obscure what God is revealing in this
passage, especially in verse six, where Zechariah is warned that the
resemblance (the appearance) of this commercial boost will deceive the masses.
The ephah in Zechariah’s vision has a lid made of lead. This lid
effectively hides the contents of the
basket. So, we understand from this verse, that what can be seen is deceptive.
But God gives those who are alert, insight into what is really going on.
What
will be hidden in this basket that is disguised as a commercial boost or even
boon?
The
scriptures say a woman will be hidden
in the ephah. The angel introduced the woman by saying, “This is Wickedness.” A literal rendering of the angel’s words is,
“her name means Wickedness” –Zechariah
5:7-8.
The
Bible says that all humanity is inherently wicked, both men and women, so we
know that womankind in general is not being used to represent wickedness in
this passage, but rather, it is a particular woman’s name that represents wickedness. Could it be the woman depicted in
Revelation 17? – Revelation 17: Whole Chapter, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10.
The basket itself, the ephah, represents a commercial boost. We
know that commercial prosperity will indeed be a reality in the Kingdom of the one
known by many names, including The Anti-Christ. We read in the
Revelation that a day’s wages will buy a loaf of bread but the oil and the
wine will not touched. Food will become scarce and unaffordable for the
masses, while at the same time, the rich will continue to get richer and, for
them, luxuries will still abound.
Zechariah watched as the lid was lifted and the woman stood up (or was
lifted up by the angel). She was briefly exposed, then the angel cast her back
into the container, replaced the lid, and allowed her to remain hidden as she
was whisked off to her destination –Zechariah 5:8.
Zechariah looked again and saw two **women with wings. They had wings
like a stork, and he saw that the wind was in their wings. The women with wings
picked up the basket containing the Woman Whose Name Means Wickedness–Zechariah
5:9.
The women with wings are spiritual beings, but they are not holy angels.
They have wings like a stork, which according to scripture, is an unclean bird.
Thus, they are identified as unclean spiritual beings. The wind is in their
wings, which means they fly very fast. When they pick up the basket, containing
the Woman Whose Name Means Wickedness, they will get it to its final
destination with amazing speed.
Do not be confused by the image of the woman [Whose Name Means Wickedness]
and dismiss Zechariah’s vision as not having to do with the Man of Sin. His
vision has everything to do with the Man of Sin.
The Man of Sin will use the Woman Whose Name Means Wickedness, he
will use the false spirituality represented by the women with wings, and he
will also use commercial prosperity (or at least the illusion of it) in his
rise to power. But everything he does is for his own benefit. He will use
people and ideologies as long as they benefit him, and then he will dispose of
them. All of the power will
ultimately go to himself alone –Daniel 8:25, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9, Revelation
13, Revelation 17:15-17.
Zechariah was told precisely where the unclean spiritual beings would
take the woman. They will carry the Woman Whose Name Means Wickedness to the Land
of Shinar, and the purpose of transporting the Woman to Shinar, will be to
build a house for her there. It will become its “own base”—its own place or
base of operations –Zechariah 5:11.
Zechariah 5:11 identifies the Land
of Shinar, ruling out the possibility that the vision refers to some vague,
metaphoric, spiritual, location. This wickedness is heading for a specific,
physical, geographical location.
The Land of Shinar was the physical locale of ancient Babylonia, which
was located in the Middle East. The name, Shinar, was also used to describe the
physical location of the ancient city
of Babylon.
The city of Babylon will either be rebuilt, or an existing city will be
renamed. But it is certain that the location will be in the Middle East
somewhere within the boundaries of what was ancient Babylonia. At one point,
the Babylonian empire was huge, encompassing the entire Middle East. During THE
TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE, Babylon the Great will become the personal capital of
the Man of Sin. And, during his short reign, will also become the capital city
of the world. The site of the ancient city of Babylon is still located in
modern-day Iraq, but the city has a shared history with Iran (ancient Persia)
–Revelation 18:9-11.
Zechariah’s vision, which aligns perfectly with 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9, predicts a time when most of the world
population will be living under a great delusion, and the entire world will
experience the judgment of an Almighty God.
The Antichrist will be assisted in his meteoric rise to power by a false
spirituality and a real or promised boost to the world economy. These will
effectively, for most, disguise a desperately wicked agenda.
This will all happen in a very swift manner, and his base of operations
will be set up in a city, that will be located in the Middle East, in Land
of Shinar (which is located somewhere in what was once ancient Babylonia). The
capital city will be called Babylon and will be known as Babylon the Great –Revelation
13:3-4,14, 18:10-13,15-19, 20:10.
Additional Commentary on the
end-times world of Zechariah chapter five:
The angel told Zechariah to lift up his eyes,
and look, and see what is going forth. That is good advice for us today. When Jesus
came the first time, those who were alert and knew the scriptures understood
they were living in the time of his coming and were actively watching for his
arrival –Zechariah 5:5, Luke 2:25-26.
It
is important to note, that it is always God who is in control of the times and
the seasons—even the horrendous season of THE GREAT TRIBULATION –Acts 1:7, Daniel
2:21.
God knows, that those who are alert and love the truth will not be
motivated to deviate from the simplicity found in Jesus Christ. But those who
love not the truth, who rebel against the simplicity of Christ, who are greedy
for personal power and gain, and who seek after spiritual experiences, signs,
and wonders, these will be deceived.
** The only women with wings, found in the
entire Bible, are seen in Zechariah’s vision. Women with wings are not holy
angels. Images of women with wings do not represent holy angels. Although wings
are seen in scripture on certain classes of angelic beings such as seraphim and
cherubim [and as a symbol of God’s protective covering in Psalm 91:4], wings
are also depicted as an abominable covering in Daniel 9:27. The women with
wings in Zechariah chapter five, have the wings of an unclean bird. This means
they are unclean spiritual beings, representing an unclean and false spirituality
–Psalm 91:4, Revelation 12:14, Zechariah 5:9, Isaiah 30:1.
This writer believes the woman hidden in the basket, carried by the
women with wings to the Land of Shinar, may relate to the false religion represented
the Whore of Babylon, as described in Revelation chapter seventeen.
The false religion as represented by the Whore of Babylon, is filthy
rich, causes worldwide spiritual adultery, and has shed so much blood, the
Bible says she is drunk with it. The religion of Babylon has been around since
before the Tower of Babel, and still exists today within the traditions and
practices of Roman Catholicism. Islam also finds its roots in the spirituality
of ancient Babylon. In the book of Judges, descendants of Esau are portrayed
with the religious symbolism of their crescents (the same crescent moon used today
by Islam, and seen all over the Middle East) –Revelation 17:1-2,4,6,15, 18:1.
Satan
can appear as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of
righteousness. His traps are often baited with a seductive veneer of
spirituality and/or financial prosperity. There is a way that seems right unto humanity
but in the end is the way of death. Many who will lose their souls in a last
day defection from biblical faith, and will do so believing they are truly
following Christ –Matthew 7:22-23, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, 1 Timothy 6:9, 2
Timothy 4:3.
Jesus
said the signs of the times could be observed and understood, and he had harsh words
for those who ignored the obvious simply because the truth did not suit them.
There is a massive falling away predicted to occur among professing
Christians just prior to the Resurrection from the Dead and the Snatching (Harpazo)
of those who are living “IN CHRIST.” Paul spoke of this, when he wrote that the
time would come when professing Believers would not endure sound doctrine. The
context of his letters place this time in the latter days. The Bible says professing
Christians will defect from the true faith, and God will turn them over to believe
THE LIE that will ultimately cost them their souls –1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy
4:2-3, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8, 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
The Bible says God will allow a great delusion to overcome all who love
not the truth. This is a reference to the end-time defection from the true
faith –Luke 12:54-56, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 10-11.
It is a dangerous thing to reject the truth contained within the pages
of God’s Written Word—the Bible. Any “truth” that does not line up with what
has already been written is no truth
at all, but rather a lie. And the Bible warns those who love the lie, that they
will be given over to believe it. And this will cost them their souls –Isaiah
8:20, 2 Thessalonians 2:11.
Only
believers can fall away from the faith. The scriptures say, if a believer
falls away, renewal into repentance becomes an impossibility –Hebrews 6:4-6,
10:26-29, 12:15-17, Genesis 25:30-34, 27:34-38.
Some
claim the falling of 2 Thessalonians 2:3, took place during the second or third
centuries. It is said that “truth” was lost to the church shortly after the
apostles died, but scripture does not back those claims. Such skewed
interpretations of 2 Thessalonians 2:3, contradict Psalm 100:5, which assures
seekers that not one single generation will ever be lost because they have been
deprived of God’s TRUTH.
Translations
that use the Ben Chayyim Masoretic Hebrew text read: “His Truth endures to every
generation.” The
Ben Chayyim Masoretic text was essentially the de-facto Hebrew Bible for
several hundred years before losing favor to the Ben Asher Masoretic text in
modern scholarship. It is considered the “Received Text” of the Old Testament.
The Ben Chayyim text underlies the Old Testament portion of the King James
Translation and differs in places from the Westminster Leningrad Codex. Many
English Bibles obliterate this precious promise by replacing the word truth
with love or faithfulness. Though it is true that God’s love and faithfulness
does endure to every generation, translations that replace the word truth with
love [in Psalm 100:5] steal HOPE from people, by causing them to question
whether or not we still have God’s Word today.
We do still have God’s Word today.
Jesus
said God’s Word is truth. We have his promise that he preserves and honors his
Word, even above his name and makes it available to every generation –Psalm
100:5, Psalm 138:2, John 17:17.
The
falling away predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7-8,10-12 refers to an end-time defection
which will take place just before the Man of Sin makes his sudden entrance onto
the world stage and is accepted by most everyone as a Messiah. 2 Thessalonians
says the Resurrection and Harpazo/Rapture
must take place before the identity
of the Antichrist can be revealed, so attempting to guess at who he might be is
a fruitless exercise –2 Thessalonians 2:7-9.
The end-time apostasy will not come about as a result of truth being
lost. It will not be due to misunderstanding, but rather rebellion against known
truth. This defection will be so overtly rebellious and contrary to the Written
Word of God, that the Lord will give the defectors over to believe the lie they
have loved so much. Being given over to believe the lie, means they lose all
chance of ever receiving a love of the truth and obtaining eternal life,
because they have heard the truth and eternally rejected it.
This
means they will fall for the devil’s lie and will take the Mark of the Beast…and
that is a “forever” decision.
This is not the time to blindly follow teachers without reading and
studying the Word of God for ourselves. There is never a time when Christians
should place trust in extra-scriptural messages just because they claim to be
validated by experiences, signs, or wonders. Below are quotes from the types of
teachers that should be avoided:
1.
God
is a lot bigger than doctrine (We are commanded to learn good doctrine)
2.
God
is bigger than his book! (His book is his Word, and he honors his Word above
all his name)
3.
The
Church is so hung up on Bible study, they don’t know Jesus! (Jesus constantly
quoted scripture…Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path)
4.
It
doesn’t matter that Hindus, Buddhists, and New Agers use this kind of prayer
and meditation in their religion. If our goal is to glorify God, we can adopt
their methods. It is the motive—not the method—that matters. (Woe to those who
are replenished from the east…)
5.
The
Bible has become an idol! (utterly speechless)
The above statements defy scripture. The first two fly in the face of
every verse that commands and encourages the study of the Bible and the
intentional, diligent, acquisition of sound, biblically-based teaching.
How do we resolve the above quote [number four] with the command not to
imitate unbelievers and to learn none
of their ways –Jeremiah 10:2?
Jesus is the Word –John 1:1
God is the Word –John 1:1
Christians are commanded to learn sound doctrine which is derived from Holy-Spirit-led-Bible-study.
Believers are admonished to pay close attention to sound Bible teaching –2
Timothy 4:2.
The
Apostle predicted the day would come when the majority of professing Christians
would no longer tolerate the teaching of God’s Word.
That day is fast approaching.
In Matthew chapter seven, Jesus warned against following prophets and
teachers who will one day stand before him woefully crying out, “Lord, Lord!
Didn’t we do many miraculous works in your name?” Jesus will inform them that
they are workers of iniquity, and that he never knew them. He will then
banish them from his presence forever –Matthew 7:22-23.
Do not allow spiritual experiences, miracles, signs, or wonders to be a
basis for deciding whether someone (or something) is or is not from God. Jesus
said there was no greater prophet than John who came baptizing, yet John never performed a miracle –Jeremiah 10:2,
Matthew 11:11, John 10:41.
Do not misunderstand. This writer fully embraces the supernatural nature
of God and manifestations of the miraculous acts he performs for and through his
children. But this must be balanced against biblical warnings that those who
will be given over to believe the last days lie, will be deceived by means of
miracles and lying wonders –2 Thessalonians
2:9, Revelation 16:13-14.
These
would include the experiences described by those involved in various forms of
the occult and who practice eastern, New Age, forms of meditation, such as mantra
meditation which includes but is not limited to vain repetitions of the names
of Christ and words or phrases from the Bible.
Jesus
included mantra meditation practices in the memorized rote prayers he warned
against, calling them “vain repetitions” –Matthew 6:7.
During
THE GREAT TRIBULATION, spirits of devils working miracles will be prevalent,
and by means of miracles the people
of earth will be deceived –2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 13:14, 16:14.
Why
was Zechariah given a vision of the world-wide judgement and
the methods the Man of Sin will use in his rise to power, and where his capital
city will located?
We believe it was a warning to those who will be living during that time, to
those who would not be given over to believe the lie, to those who will refuse
to take the mark of the beast. For the average person, that will be a
difficult, near impossible, thing to do.
If
you are reading this and the Man of Sin has not been revealed yet (2
Thessalonians 2:7-8), you never have to know who he is. Jesus said you must be
born again. Call on God to save you through faith in his risen son. The Bible
says if we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is the Risen
Son of God, we will be saved.
http://prophecyplus.blogspot.com/2016/07/sky-torah-zechariahs-flying-scroll.html
