Zechariah and the First Woman Astronaut

When I got to this vision, I was dreading it because it seems so “out there”, but as I studied it, I said amen because in this vision, there is a tremendous message and warning to Christians in the church today.

One of the great debates today is whether or not life exists on other planets as countless people claim encounters with UFOs and UAPs.

Even though you did not ask, here are my thoughts.

God is not limited to this universe, but His purpose is narrow.

What is His purpose? To save a group of called out people. Those people are both Israel and the church.

Too much time is wasted speculating on things that may or may not even exist. As Christians, we do not need to let speculation rob us of the blessings God wants to give us.

I do know what the Bible says about this very subject. Did you know the Bible addresses this subject? I am going to read the verse, and you can take it for what it is worth.

Psalm 115:16 “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men.”

How many ever heavens there are, they all belong to God. They are His domain. He gives man earth to have a place to live, so if there is life anywhere else, guess what? It belongs to God. Only God is sovereign. Only God rules and reigns in this universe.

Now, when we started Zechariah, we said that it was one of the apocalyptic books of the Bible, and as an apocalyptic book, it contains apocalyptic language. In other words, the book uses highly symbolic language in many places.

If you will allow me to say this, what Zechariah writes, in other words if you will, is otherworldly. LOL!

In the vision we are about to study, we are going to see the world’s first female astronaut.

1. The Vision.

Zechariah 5:5–7 “Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.”

So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.” He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth:

Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”;”

Zechariah sees this vision and wonders what in the world is going on, so he asked for clarification.

The NKJV uses basket instead of the ephah used in the KJV. An ephah was a little larger than a bushel basket if that helps you visualize.

Now, this is a vision that is looking forward to the future to the Millennium when sin and iniquity will be removed from the land, and this vision looks forward to the final and forever judgment of Babylon which must take place before sin and iniquity can be removed from the land.

In Rev. Chap. 17, religious Babylon is judged. That judgment will take place just prior to the abomination of desolations when Antichrist declares himself to be god, and only he should be worshipped.

In Rev. Chap. 18, commercial Babylon is judged. This judgment will take place just prior to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

At play here is a sin that we really dismiss in the modern church, but it is a very dangerous sin, and it is the sin of covetousness/greed.

Covetousness centers around the love of money, but most importantly, at the root of covetousness is selfish pride.

On of these days, God is going to judge the love of money, and I am going to say this again. Any modern church that tries build up a bank account or build up treasure on this earth is just building the Antichrist a nest egg.

If the Rapture happened tonight, the money that Beech Grove has in the bank, including our CDs would be used to finance a false church going forward, and the Antichrist when the Antichrist ends all false religion. Now, you can take that for what it is worth.

Yes, a church is to be good stewards, but a church is to be about God’s business building treasure in heaven, and sometimes that means that we have to turn loose of a little money. I am telling you this is a serious subject in this vision tonight.

Two of the great sins of Israel when it returned from Babylonian captivity was an insatiable love for money and an unquenchable desire for material possessions.

How many in the church today battle the allurement of money and material possessions? Many young couples get so deep in debt pursuing material possessions that they neglect the Lord and the church. They become slaves to money and possessions. Those things become idols in their lives.

God is telling Zechariah that He is going to remove the spirit of covetousness from the land.

I personally believe that covetousness is an element of spiritual warfare that is often overlooked.

Do you know why coveting is a sin?

Here is the definition for it found throughout the Bible.

Covetousness is an unhealthy focus on material wealth, possessions, and financial gain rather than spiritual contentment. As Christians, dear friend, we are to learn to be content with what the Lord gives us.

In the Bible, you will find in many places that covetousness leads to greed, theft, envy, and even murder. It is, I believe, the big sin that led the Pharisees to seek to murder Jesus. Do you want me to prove it?

John 11:47–48 “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do?

For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.””

John 11:53 “Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.”

The Bible warns us in many places not to covet, and I am going to give you some references to covetousness found in the New Testament lest you think it was just a problem for Israel.

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Colossians 3:5 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Ephesians 5:3 “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;”

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Romans 1:29 “being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,”

The clear connection is that you cannot be godly and covetousness at the same time. Why? Because the love of money associated with covetousness becomes an idol that distracts you from worshipping the One and True God.

Matthew 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Seeking material gain over spiritual contentment is a deadly sin. Just ask Ananias and Sapphira.

Now, most preacher avoid talking about money, and the reason is because they lack the spiritual courage to do so. Well, I am about to tell you something about it.

Did you know many churches are covetous today?

How many churches split over arguments over money?

Now, I hesitated to share this, but I am going to share, and you can do with it what you want, but Terry and Bruce are my witnesses that I am not making this up.

The DBA is really worried over salaries of pastors in the association. The DBA has the lowest pastor’s salaries in the state of Tennessee, and one of the lowest average salaries in the convention. As a matter of fact, salary has been a big hurdle in finding a permanent Director of Missions.

There have been at least two pastors who have left Baptist churches to preach in other denominations because of the salaries offered by those churches.

Now, I know what you are thinking.

Pastors should rely on the Lord. Yes, that is true, but churches should not hoard money for a rainy day either. If it is wrong for a pastor to want a living salary, it is wrong for a church to hoard money away too. The provision of the Lord is a two-way street.

Yes, the Lord will provide for the pastor, but so will He if something arises in the church.

I am telling you the sin of covetousness is running amok. Now, here is something elses about Zechariah’s vision.

“A woman sitting in the basket.”

Interesting!

****Anytime in Scripture that you see a woman out of place, there is an evil meaning behind it.****

Let me give you some examples.

Revelation 17:3 “So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”

Revelation 2:20 “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Matthew 13:33 “Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.””

In Zechariah’s vision, the woman sitting in the basket represents Israel, a nation that had gone into commercialism.

Is commercialism a bad thing? Let me answer by asking another question. Why did Jesus get so angry in the Temple?

God could not bless Israel until Israel’s covetousness had been dealt with, and technically, I am guessing the same must be true for the church and us as individuals.

2. The Storks Have Arrived.

Zechariah 5:8–11 “then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth.

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.

So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?” And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.””

In this passage, when the Lord says this is wickedness, who and what is He describing?

He is describing Israel and its commercialism seeking material gain.

If you want to be absolutely technical, because of its greed seeking material gain through commercialism, Israel has not relationship with God. Seeking wealth through commercialism has become more important to Israel than serving God, and I can say that because, as a nation and as a whole, Israel has rejected righteousness in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the vision, the woman in the basket tries to escape through two more women who had wings like storks.

Now, we make the mistake of saying that God always protects Israel. We should say that God always has a remnant of Israel that He protects. This is not God protecting Israel. God is judging Israel for its covetousness. Now, this is really, really interesting.

A stork is an unclean bird. In an amazing twist of irony, unclean spirits are trying to protect the woman in her ungodliness, and Zechariah says that is wickedness.

Now, in the Bible, throughout the Bible actually, unclean birds represent demonic forces.

Now, I want you to pay close attention to verses 10 and 11. This is really, really interesting.

Zechariah 5:10–11 “So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?” And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.””

God is using these evil forces to move commercialism out of Israel. It is really interesting, and it tells me how God works in this world even using those who are ungodly. Now, they may not know that God is using them, but God is using them.

Do you remember what my old pal Habakkuk said?

Habakkuk 1:5 ““Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.”

Can you not see what God told Habakkuk being in play in Zechariah?

Israel had been an agricultural people until its captivity in Babylon. After the return to the land, the returning remnant brought Babylon’s greed and commercialism. In Babylon, Israel acquired a deep desire for wealth, riches, and prestige.

Zechariah asks, “where are they taking the basket?” The answer Zechariah is given is amazing.

The basket is being taken to the land of Shinar, and when Shinar is ready, the basket will be placed there. Where is Shinar in the Bible? Babylon.

What does that mean?

Well, let me tell you what I think based on my study of God’s Word.

It tells me that Babylon will be rebuilt, and it will be rebuilt in the land of Shinar where the Tower of Babel was built.

Genesis 11:1–4 “Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.

Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.””

If throughout the Bible Shinar is literally Babylon, why would it be something else in the future?

Zechariah is not using allegorical language. He is using literal language. Babylon will be rebuilt so it can be finally and totally destroyed. Do you remember in the Church of Thyatira that the prophetess Jezebel was mentioned? Jezebel has long ago died, but her influence has continued throughout the world including the church. Babylon, thought to be destroyed, has continued its influence throughout the world, but God is going to destroy it and its influence forever.

To do that, Babylon must be rebuilt.

Once again, I am telling you what I think based on my study of the Bible.

Before Christ returns to the Mount of Olives at the end of Armageddon, do you know what He does first?

He destroys the rebuilt Babylon.

I must take the time to show you this in the Scripture.

Revelation 19:11–13 “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.”

The robe of Jesus is dipped with the blood of Babylon as it is finally destroyed. From the tower of Babel, the Babylonian world system has plagued mankind, but its influence will be destroyed, and the lost world will mourn.

Revelation 18:1–4 “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”

Revelation 18:5–8 “For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’

Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.”

If you read all of Chap. 18, you will see the arrogance of Babylon on full display as it is being destroyed. The Bible says that kings, merchants, and shipping magnets will mourn the destruction of Babylon.

Just as she is about to be destroyed, God gives an urgent call for His people to leave Babylon in much the same way that Lot was begged to leave Sodom.

I personally find this really interesting.

Babylon will be rebuilt to be destroyed. I believe Babylon to be one of the three major cities of the Antichrist.

Rome will be the AC’s political capitol. Jerusalem will be his religious capitol. Babylon will be his commercial and entertainment capitol.

The elite of the world will be in Babylon. It will be the future’s Sodom and Gomorrah.

When God finally destroys Babylon, He will use the city for a specific purpose during the Millennium.

Zechariah 13:2 ““It shall be in that day,” says the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.”

Revelation 18:2 “And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!”

Babylon will be used to imprison all the unclean spirits and every demon on earth throughout the entire Millennium period. Babylon has long been the center of dark, evil forces, and for the Millennium that is where those forces will be imprisoned for 1,000 years.

How will God keep those forces imprisoned?

I think Genesis gives us some insight.

Genesis 3:24 “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

What a vision!!! AMEN!!!!