The prophet Zechariah records a mysterious vision of a woman in a basket in chapter five verses 5-11 in his Old Testament book.
5 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.”
6 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: 7 Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; 8 then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth. 9 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.
10 So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”
11 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.”
Note that the basket’s going forth was to the land of Shinar, which is the region of Babylon. As Zechariah was a post-exilic prophet, and the vision depicts a time future to his writing, it cannot be referring to the Babylonian exile of Daniel’s day. Subsequent history tells us of the Babylonian kingdom’s eventual demise and collapse into oblivion where it remains today just as prophesied. The only significant biblical mention of the name Babylon in a future capacity is found in the book of Revelation, where it is called “Mystery Babylon” (MB), an evil woman, city, prostitute, mother of abominations, and ruler of kings of the earth. The parallels of Zechariah’s woman to Revelation’s woman are many. First, they are both women. Second, they are both connected to Babylon, her title in Revelation, and location in Zechariah. In verse 6, the words “going forth” means to “break out broadly”. Third, verse 6 also states that this woman is confined to a basket, who at some point will be released, and recognized “throughout the earth”. MB is described as sitting on many waters where there are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. Verse 7 describes the basket, a measuring container for grain, an “ephah”. It is sealed with a heavy lead (metallic gray stone) circular cover which is a Hebrew word for a broad circle of land. It is depicted as too heavy for the woman to escape from until it is lifted at the proper time for her release. Fourth, in verse 8, Zechariah is shown the woman who represents “wickedness”, and she is confined to the basket. MB is described as a filthy harlot who has become a “dwelling place for demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird”. Next, the heavy lid is put back in place to contain her until the time is right for her release. As Zechariah is writing this from Jerusalem (Zechariah 6:10), the basket is then carried away from there to her resting place, the wilderness plain of Shinar which, in Zechariah’s time, would represent the dominant seat of world power. As Jerusalem (now apostate and partially in the Diaspora) is the most likely candidate for MB the city, this represents a fifth parallel. The two women angelic beings carrying the basket away from Jerusalem had “wind in their wings,” to aid their flight. Wind, here is Hebrew “Ruach” or spirit, indicating God is orchestrating this flight to His location where the basket’s content will be released in His timing.
The burning questions that remain are when will her release take place, and what will that look like? If my supposition is correct that the woman in the basket is Mystery Babylon, the answers can be found in Revelation, chapters 17-19. There, we see that she will exercise control over the world’s governing authorities, economic systems, and even religion. Her wickedness will be pervasive and addicting to a secular world. She will meet her ultimate demise at the hand of the ten nation confederacy of the antichrist. But when and how does she come to have such power? My personal opinion is that the cover was removed and she was released in 70 AD, the beginning of the second Jewish exile from their homeland in Israel. In this diaspora, due to rejection of her Messiah, she, along with much gentile assistance began her rise to dominance in bureaucratic control of national governments, and their economic systems. I also believe she is, at present, controlling much of the world’s governance and economic decision making, though behind the scenes. And, she is growing stronger day by day.
For a much more detailed analysis of Mystery Babylon, click on the permanent link below. A Biblical Tale.doc – Google Docs. I believe God, through Zechariah, was giving us a warning 2500 years ago of what to expect in these last days. His people had just endured a long captivity under a harsh Babylonian rule. His vision foretells a time where the whole world will be under captivity to a modern Babylon. Fortunately, for us, God’s angelic messenger elaborated to the apostle John just what we should be watching for and exhorted us to come out of her (MB).
Be warned.
Be ready.
Maranatha, Jim
