Theft and a false oath are different crimes, but here they are mentioned side by side and cursed together. The differences in...
Theft and a false oath are different crimes, but here they are mentioned side by side and cursed together. The difference in the nature of these actions does not alter the sameness of their essence: unlike sins are equally abhorrent. Moreover, the sinners themselves bring them closer together by choosing the same arguments for self-justification (“There is nothing terrible about it; everyone does it...” ).
An ephah, a measure of liquid equal to forty liters, contains the woman who personifies wickedness, and this reservoir of sin must be removed far away. But then we see that in a pagan land people want to build a house—that is, a temple—for the wickedness being banished, which means that they want to make wickedness an object of worship. We have no right to say that because pagans are mentioned here, these words do not apply to us. By permitting ourselves “small and forgivable sins,” we imperceptibly turn away from God and risk sinking into sin up to the crown of our heads, becoming its servants and worshipers. The consequences may prove sadder than the fruits of open paganism.
5 The vision of the flying roll, Zec 5:1-4.
Of the ephah, the talent of lead, and the woman, Zec 5:5-11.
5:1 A flying roll - A volume, or book spread out at large, flying in the air, swiftly.
5:3 This - This roll or book containeth the curse, due to sinners.The whole earth - Either the whole land of Judea, or all the world, wherever these sins are found. According to it - According to the threats inscribed thereon. Sweareth - Profanely, or falsely.
5:4 It shall enter - This curse shall come with commission from me.It shall remain - It shall stick close to them and theirs like Gehazi's leprosy. And the stones - Nothing shall remain, as when both the timber and stones of a house are consumed.
5:6 He - The angel. An ephah - A measure which held about three bushels. Goeth forth - Out of the temple. Their resemblance - This is an emblem of this people everywhere. Thus there is limited time and measure for them, while they sin, and are filling the ephah with their sins, they will find that the ephah of wrath is filled up also, to be poured out upon them.
5:7 And behold - Here is another part of this vision.Lifted up - Brought thither to cover it. A talent - A piece of lead of a talent weight, as large as the mouth of the ephah. A woman - A woman, the third in the vision. Perhaps this vision was purposely obscure, least a plain denunciation of the second overthrow of the state and temple, might discourage them from going forward in the present restoration of them.
5:8 This - This woman represents the wickedness of the Jews.He cast it - The angel cast down this woman. On the mouth - And so shut her up, to suffer the punishment of all her sins.
5:9 There came out - From the same place whence the ephah came.Their wings - They had wings, like the wings of storks, large and strong, and flew before the wind with great swiftness. The judgments came thus flying, and so bore away with them those that were incorrigible.
5:11 To build - Not in mercy, but in judgment. Of Shinar - Of Babylon whither many of the Jews fled, and others of them were forced by the Romans. Set there - There they shall be confined without hope of release. Her own base - They are settled upon the lees of their own unbelief: their wickedness is established on its own bases.