Zechariah - chapter 5
This study is our personal Catholic view and we also wish to express that some material within this section (as well as other portions of this website) are not meant to seek anyone's conversion but rather to share our opinion based upon our understandings we have gleaned from Scriptural study, prayer and teachings of our Church. In this particular study we will be showing where we suspect Babylon will be during the Last Days and why we believe this. As always we welcome feedback or the rich knowledge of others who can find any errors in our approach so we may make any necessary corrections. Without further ado, here is Zech.5 and the placement of the future Babylon:
"Again I left up my eyes and saw and behold, a flying scroll! And he said to me, 'What do you see?' I answered I see a scroll; it's length is twenty cubits, and it's breadth ten cubits." Zech.5.1-2
Right after the placement of the witnesses in the end times (including the seven churches in chapters 3-4) we see a scroll. Following into chapter 6 we believe we see the horses of Revelations riding (we'll explain this connection further on). Similarily in Revelations there is also a scroll placed between these same two events- the witnesses of the churches and the horses. How does this assist in understanding the scroll? To begin with, the scroll has seven seals (Rev.5.1) and these we believe represent events that must occur and when they do, we cannot step back into the previous circumstances, that is we are progressing further into the coming of our L-rd. Now, the only One who can read this scroll is Yeshua (Rev.5.5), although this does not preclude Him sending His Word through a follower, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. From this prophecy we can add that this scroll is twice as long as it is wide (in increments of ten). And what we found that was interesting is that the vestibule to the Temple (built by Solomon) is the entranceway (door or gate)that was of the same dimensions as this scroll (1Kgs.6.3). Therefore we see this fact so as to say to the body of believers in G-d must first enter this vestibule, that is through this scroll, before we can enter the Temple of G-d. So what must we learn or do in regards to this scroll?
According to our faith, Yeshua is the only gate for it is written:
"So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.'" Jn.10.7-9
So to reiterate, Yeshua is gate and we cannot come unto faith without Him. Still HaShem has a special place for His children in Judah and how He will saved them is, according to Paul- a mystery. For it is written that ALL Israel will be saved (Rom.11.25-26), and this may not be done in our usual understanding. Nevertheless, this salvation (from our reckoning) includes all the Jews previous to our time and Yeshua's sacrifice.
So the first thing we learn is that Yeshua is the gate and by His example and words are we to follow; yet why is He depicted as a "scroll"? Well, as we alluded to earlier, this scroll appears to be the same one that only the Lamb can open, which is bound by the seven seals of Rev.5.5. Thus this seems to state that this is the same L-rd of this prophecy in Revelations as well as the prophecy given here in Zechariah. Yet Yeshua is also within His Church which He founded upon the seat of Peter and this detail we believe we can give proof through this study as well, including why He chose the city of Rome for her temple and not Jerusalem.
So this prophecy goes out at the mouth of the Shepherd, even if it is delivered ultimately through the hands of His servants. And its message is:
"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 cut off henceforth according to it, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off henceforth according to it. I will send it forth, says the L-rd 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 abide in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.'" Zech.5.3-4
From this we perceieve that there are two groups that face damnation. The first are those that steal, but why single out thieves? We suspect because these are spiritual thieves and these Yeshua condemned very strongly:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his sheep by name and leads them out." John.10.1-3
"So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I Am the door for the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I Am the door; if anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes out to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd lays down His Life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.'" Jn.10.7-12
So what are "spiritual thieves"? We suspect they are those that do not carry their crosses but claim a faith while offering the "peace and security" message which undermines the bearance of the cross each of us are to carry. We guess that when persecution arises these thieves will flee and leave their frightened flocks to the wolves of the faith without the proper tools to survive (think of the 5 foolish bridesmaids). Therefore their souls will be confined to Sheol for they led many astray within His body.
If thieves are spiritual thieves then what are those that "swear falsely"? We suspect they are actually similar. The thieves were the false shepherds, and we wonder if those that "swear falsely" are those false sheep that claim a faith but who do not live or show that faith. Thus we see that this scroll (Yeshua's prophecy) will enter the houses of the false shepherds and the false sheep and consume it in fire (judgment), both timber (trees or flock) and stones (little Peters or leaders). Why would the scroll bring damnation when Revelations is professed as a book of hope? We suspect because that hope is for the true believer only and not for cafeteria Christians and their money and/or power-hungry leadership. Therefore we, as a Church will go through our Passover (Cat.677, probably the tribulation) to be a witness to Judah, and this also weeds out those who claim a faith but do not follow His heart, but their own (thus risking damnation).
"Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, 'Lift your eyes, and see what this is that goes forth.' And I said, 'what is it?' He said, 'This is the ephah that goes forth,'" Zech.5.5-6
Ephah (374) is a measurement of grain. Thus we see this sign as a measure of the true grain that Yeshua planted two thousand years ago, Matt.13.37.
"And he said, 'This is their appearance in all the land.' And behold the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the ephah! And he said, 'This is wickedness.' And he thrusted her back into the ephah, and thrusted down the leaden (essence of) weight upon its mouth." Zech.5.6-8
All throughout the Christian world the body looks alive (at least to Christians), but there are still wolves and false sheep within it. The word for "cover" above can also mean "talent" (3000 shekels) and He said He would return and see how we invested these talents. Hence, could this mean He is measuring what we had done with the "talents" He gave us only to find it beneath this the wickedness He now condemns? The wickedness is a woman whom we see as Babylon (Rev.17). Then He thrusted the woman into the "ephah" and pushed down the "eben" weighted lead over its mouth. What leaden wieght is here? We see the rock on which He built His Church, Matt.16.18. This is also made of lead (a "mixed alloy") and weak, that is a human institution. Therefore we see the papacy and believe it is this that was thrusted over the mouth of the ephah of grain that possesses the wicked woman Babylon. If the papacy is true, then how can this also be true given the flaws of this institution?
In "The Catholic Answer", of March/April 2002 (Vol.16, Num.1, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Co. © 2002) edition, there is an article by Father Jay Scott Newman which we read of Rome:
"Several years after my conversion to Christ, I was sent to Rome to study for the priesthood. I went- as most do- filled with romantic visions of living in the city of Peter and Paul, the city of martyrs and confessors, the heart of the Christian world. I found, instead a chaotic and all-too-human city filled with (I thought) an unholy mix of Christian and pagan - a mix in which the pagan seemed all to often the stronger."
Then a little later he adds
"St. Benedict came to Rome in the fifth century and was scandalized by what he found, but the experience led to his Rule and the transformation of the Christian culture. Sts. Francis and Dominic came to Rome in the 13th century and were emboldened by the need for reform to spread their movements to the known world. And Martin Luther came to Rome in the 16th century and began to confirm what he feared most- that the Church had apparently abandoned the Gospel."
We suspect the answer lies in a warning Yeshua gave about apostasy moving into our Church, Matt.13.36-43. He warned us that hasatan would sow in weeds (false believers) into our faith and the world. From time to time these weeds crop up to cause scandals and do evil deeds, thus weaken the testimony of the body as whole. Yet even though this is true and their lies can infiltrate the testimony of the faith and remain there, Yeshua said to leave them in place because in removing them we might also remove true believers. Thus the Church has been correct in "sitting" atop this sin for two thousand years, because in doing so she has successfully covered their mouth, that is their ability to talk too much.
"Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings; they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the essence of the ephah between the earth and heaven. Then I said to the angel who talked with me, 'Where are they taking (the essence of) the ephah?' He said to me, 'To the land of Shinar (a plain in Babylon), to build a house for it and when this is prepared, they will set the ephah down there on its base." Zech.5.9-11
Who are those two "women"? Well, the first clue we find is that their wings are like "wings of a stork". In Hebrew the word for stork (2624) means the kind (maternal) bird or "stork". Yet if HaShem has placed an ephah (that is the measure of grain) with its wickedness (lady Babylon) within it into the plain of Babylon (the wicked city of the false prophet) then how can this be done by the wings (power) of two maternal women? What if the maternal women represent the Church, that is the two branches of the Church? Where did we get that conclusion from? It came from a quote we used in our writing of "Peter's Seat" and it states:
St Irenaeus of Lyons in Against Heresies, III, 3, 1, states (193;150;211):
"But since it would be too long to enumerate in such a volumeb as this the successions of all the Churches, we shall confound all those who, in whatever manner, whether through self-satisfaction or vainglory, or through blindness and wicked opinion, assemble other than where it is proper, by pointing out here the successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient Church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, that the Church which has the tradition and the faith which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the Apostles."
According to our Catholic sages, Peter and Paul founded the Roman Catholic Church in Rome and Ignatius Theophorus (who lived during their time) also supports this view! Yet isn't Rome also Babylon? Protestant certainly have done an excellent job building just this case, however, according to Zechariah these two sages set our Church in the most fertile plain of Babylon known as the land of Shinar to be as a "curse" upon those that steal and swear falsely. And there they built her a house which we, being Roman Catholics loyal to the Magestrium see as the Vatican! And they set this Holy City at the ephah's base or foundation.
Why place the ephah at its foundation?
Only one Church can truly tie herself back to the first century. Only one has an unbroken line of succession from this century to the first. And if we are to make a case that Yeshua is HaMoshiach Ben Yosif (the Suffering Messiah), then we need to connect His first century ministry to His present minstry. This is why we believe acceptance of the Vatican and papacy are foundational and why those of our faith must ultimately go through this truth to reach the Holy of Holies. Without the Roman Catholic Church, none of the Christian religions can successfully and continually link themselves back to the first century!
And what is the response we often get to this above claim?
"But she is centered in Babylon!" (see above and Peter's Seat)
"But she trusts in works not faith" (see Galamonter and the Sermon on the Mount)
"The doctrine of infallibilty isn't Scriptural" (see Peter's Seat)
"The Eucharist isn't the Body and Blood" (see The Eucharist)
"They worship Mirium" (see the Immaculent Conception)
However, not everyone condemns what we say but some do have a fair and honest question:
We'll leave that answer for others to think about-
Shalom l'chiam,
