Zechariah’s Vision of the Flying Scroll
12/18 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 21; Revelation 9; Zechariah 5; John 8:12-59
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
12/18 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 21; Revelation 9; Zechariah 5; John 8:12-59
Zechariah 5:1
Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll!
GOSPEL
For the past few days, we have considered the sealed scroll in Revelation, that it represents the truth of Christ and His gospel. Today’s first few verses from Zechariah’s fifth chapter foreshadow what we have been seeing revealed in Revelation. The flying scroll here foreshadows the gospel of Christ prior to the Lord’s incarnation (mentioned in a devotional from 2020, found here). It is flying for several reasons, but one we will consider is that it speaks of the swiftness of the gospel work upon the sinner’s soul. The dimensions given, speak of the truth of Christ Himself, as the dimensions of the scroll directly correlate to the dimensions of the Holy Place of the Tabernacle (Zech 5:2). This area contained the solid gold, seven-branched menorah (candlestick), the table of the bread of presence (or shewbread), and the altar of incense standing just before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, which contained the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. The ministry for the items was performed by Aaron’s sons— trimming the menorah, replacing the unleavened bread, and burning incense upon the altar of gold— presenting a gospel witness of the Messiah to come. Jesus was the menorah, because He is the “Light of the World” (John 8:12). Jesus is the Bread of God’s presence, because He is the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35). Jesus is the burned incense and the prayers of saints, because His prayers alone were pure, perfect, and sinless, which are imputed to our account as believers because our prayers our impure, imperfect, soiled from the corruptions remaining in our mortal flesh (Heb 5:7; 7:25; Eph 5:2; Rom 8:26; 2 Cor 2:15; Rev 8:3-4). The Lord Jesus Christ is the gospel! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
For those who have rejected the gospel of Christ, there is judgment by Christ’s gospel and will be a curse upon them (Zech 5:3-4; John 12:31). When you and I stray from Christ, and from consequently from His gospel truth, the judgments in the gospel are there, front and back, to draw us back to Christ in contrition and repentance, for judgment begins “at the household of God” (1 Pet 4:17).
The gospel hid in ancient texts
Must be reveal’d by Christ;
Jesus said they speak of Him, and
In Him alone is life.