Zechariah 5:6-11: a reflection

6I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the ephah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land— 7and behold, a lead cover weighing one talent was lifted up—and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.” 8He said, “This is Wickedness;” and he threw her down into the middle of the ephah basket; and he threw the lead weight on its mouth. 9Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there were two women; and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky. 10Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah basket?” 11He said to me, “To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.”

Zechariah is shown a strange vision: a large basket, with a woman inside it who represents Wickedness, sealed under a heavy lead cover. Then two winged figures lift the basket and carry it far away, to the land of Shinar, to be set down there in its own place. The vision pictures wickedness being decisively removed from the land of God's people, contained, sealed, and carried off to where it belongs, away from them.

Notice what the vision portrays: the removal of wickedness from among God's people. Wickedness is not merely rebuked but taken away, sealed under a heavy cover so it cannot escape, and carried off to a distant place. It is a picture of God's purpose to cleanse his people by removing evil from their midst, not leaving it to fester among them, but decisively carrying it away. God deals with the wickedness that would defile his people by removing it.

That vision points to God's purpose to cleanse, both his people as a whole and each of us. God is not content to leave wickedness festering among his people or within our hearts; his purpose is to remove it, to carry it away, to cleanse. And in Christ, God has made a way to remove the wickedness that defiles us, taking away our sin. Long for that cleansing, and cooperate with it; do not make peace with the wickedness that God's purpose is to remove. Where evil clings in your life, ask God to carry it away, as the basket of wickedness was carried off, sealed and gone. God's purpose is to cleanse his people of the wickedness that defiles them; welcome that purpose, and let him remove from your life what he means to carry away, rather than clinging to what he would take from you.

Lord, Zechariah was shown a vision of Wickedness sealed in a basket under a heavy cover and carried far away to its own place, picturing wickedness decisively removed from among your people, taken away to where it belongs. Show me what it portrays: your purpose to cleanse your people by removing evil from their midst, not leaving it to fester, but decisively carrying it away. Let that point me to your purpose to cleanse, your people as a whole and me. You are not content to leave wickedness festering within my heart; your purpose is to remove it, to carry it away, to cleanse. And in Christ you have made a way to remove the wickedness that defiles me, taking away my sin. Help me long for that cleansing, and cooperate with it; keep me from making peace with the wickedness that your purpose is to remove. Where evil clings in my life, help me ask you to carry it away, as the basket of wickedness was carried off, sealed and gone. Welcome that purpose in me, Lord; remove from my life what you mean to carry away, and cleanse me of the wickedness that defiles.