The Wicked Woman of Babylon

The next passage of interest in Zechariah regarding future events is found in chapter 5. Again, I will utilize the notes from journal on this section.

Zechariah 5:5-6 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.

In these verses an angel instructs Zechariah to look up again (this is one of a series) to see another vision. Zechariah looks, but has to ask what he is seeing. He is told that it is an ephah (a specific size of container for measuring grain). The indication is that this unit of measure is the same throughout the earth (i.e., one world economic system).

Zechariah 5:7-9 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

All of a sudden the lead lid of the container lifts up to reveal a woman sitting in the middle of it. The angel informs Zechariah that she represents wickedness. The angel then pushes the woman back down into the container and closes the heavy lead lid. Then Zechariah sees two women with wings like storks come out and fly off carrying the ephah.

Zechariah 5:10-11 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

Zechariah asks the angel where they are carrying the ephah. He is told that they are taking the woman to the land of Shinar to build it a house where she will establish a base of operation. Shinar is another reference to Babylon.

The ephah represents business transactions. The fact that the woman is described as wickedness indicates that Babylon will become the base of evil business operations. It’s interesting to note that the ephah appears normal throughout the earth (v6), so the business transactions made in Shinar may appear to be fair, but they will evidently be used to promote wickedness. This is especially interesting since a worldwide base of wicked business practices could not have described the Babylon of Zechariah’s day. Today is a different story; and if, as I believe, the Antichrist establishes his base there, this would again have direct application to end times. It’s just hard not to think that there is a connection between this evil woman and the whore of Revelation 17-18.

Revelation 17:1-5 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Revelation 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Revelation 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

The stork is an unclean bird. That the storks are carrying the woman in the ephah to Shinar pictures an evil financial empire that will be established through the scheming of unscrupulous, wicked men.

It’s hard for me not to see a connection between this prophecy and the economic events occurring around the world today.