Here is a speculative theory that runs in contradiction to early commentaries about Zechariah’s prophecy in chapter 5. Throughout Mesopotamia and adjacent ancient empires, there were multitudes of people along the Fertile Crescent who have come against God’s covenant people Israel. In recent years as an effort to erase the borders of Sykes-Picot and to build a Caliphate or a return of the Ottoman empire.
Medo-Persian Empire | The Land of Shinar
The Fertile Crescent [540BC – 460+BC]
- Assyrian Empire
- Babylonian Empire
- Roman Empire
- Medo-Persian Empire
- Greek Empire
- Ottoman Empire
- Arab Spring
- Islamic State
All of these, over time, comprise the land of Shinar along the Fertile Crescent. The crescent shape of fertile territory across numerous empires over the centuries.
According to prophecy, somewhere in this geographical area, there is to be delivered God’s judgment as described in vivid detail through Zechariah’s writings. He writes specifically about what he was shown and what he has heard.
A flying Megillah about the size of 20 cubits x 10 cubits when it is folded or rolled up.
As it is written during the time of Zechariah (about 540+BC Medo-Persian Empire).
“Again, I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll (“roll” KJV or Megillah, H4039 מְגִלָּה). Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits (10 yards by 5 yards).”
Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.” -Zec 5:1–4
The flying scroll’s destination is to the house of the thief and the house of him, who swears falsely by the Lord’s name. According to Matthew Henry’s commentary:
“This flying roll is a curse; it contains a declaration of the righteous wrath of God against those sinners especially who by swearing affront God’s majesty or by stealing invade their neighbor’s property.”
“Thieves; it is for everyone that steals, that by fraud or force takes that which is not his own, especially that robs God and converts to his own use what was devoted to God and his honor, which was a sin much complained of among the Jews at this time, Mal. 3:8; Neh. 13:10.”
“Swearers; Sinners of the former class offend against the second table, these against the first; for the curse meets those that break either table. He that swears rashly and profanely shall not be held guiltless, much less he that swears falsely (v. 4); he imprecates the curse upon himself by his perjury, and so shall his doom be; God will say Amen to his imprecation, and turn it upon his own head. He has appealed to God’s judgment, which is always according to truth, for the confirming of a lie, and to that judgment he shall go which he has so impiously affronted.”
Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 1575-1576). Peabody: Hendrickson.
Matthew Henry’s commentary was written in the early 1700’s when today’s technologies did not exist. So, here is further speculation about what the Megillah symbology is and what it contains.
“Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.” And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman (ishshah; H801 אִשָּׁה “burnt offering by fire”, H802 אִשָּׁה “woman”) sitting in the basket! And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.”
-Zec 5:5–8
Delivered by the Wings of a Stork.
“Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women (ishshah; H801 אִשָּׁה “burnt offering by fire”, H802 אִשָּׁה “woman”) coming forward! The women or אִשָּׁה fire as fire from engine afterburners?
The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?”
He said to me, “To the land of Shinar (the Fertile Crescent) He said, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.” – Zec 5:9–10
So, speculation about the writing is that judgment shall come from a flying scroll with a “woman” in the center declared as wickedness. And two women (ishshah; H801 אִשָּׁה fire) will on the wind of wings deliver the basket to the house of thieves and swearers.
Or written in a further speculative way, advanced and modern weaponry is capable of delivering a Megillah מְגִלָּה shaped object with a basket (ephah) which symbolizes a warhead containing either ishshah; H801 אִשָּׁה “burnt offering by fire” or H802 אִשָּׁה “woman” according to the original language of the text. Notice the text in both cases אִשָּׁה and אִשָּׁה.
So what are these objects? What do they represent? In time, the meaning of the language may take on greater significance or weight. However, the farther out we get in time, as technologies advance, we have questions about what the Lord YHWH intends for people who are of the Fertile Crescent region. A basket of fire, or a method of judgment delivered and yet unseen or delivered? Who are the people of the Fertile Crescent, and what is the precise geography in which they reside?
