The following is a discussion of Zec 5 and shows that God in fact did know our present day history 2500 years ago. Zec 5 is a continuation of a set of visions Zechariah was receiving from the angel in Zec 4. In the Zec 4 vision the angel showed how God would provide witnesses for himself. The last part of Zec 4 discusses GOLDEN PIPES showing up as witnesses to God (see the 2 witnesses article). In the Zec 5 vision, Zechariah is seeing a flying roll that he described as consuming a house, both the timbers and the stones making it up. In the bible, that flying roll has given dimensions of 20 x 10 cubits. Given 20" per cubit, that would make the flying roll about 17' x 34'. So the question becomes, what's this flying roll doing to consume a house? How does it set up itself in the house and start consuming it? Don't people get concerned having such a flying roll hovering around inside their house? Wouldn't such a large flying roll destroy the house just by banging around in it? This does sound pretty absurd doesn't it?? Why would God show such a thing to Zechariah? Simple: he didn't. To get to the bottom of Zec 5, you have to return to the original Hebrew and realize some basic historical facts. The word given for "roll" in Hebrew also means "scroll". Zechariah was describing what looked like to him to be a flying scroll, or flying rolled up scripture. But notice: ====================================================== It was NOT some little hand sized scroll, it was HUGE. ====================================================== Another bit of information that isn't obvious is that the original Hebrew word for "20" can also mean "120". By using the available meaning of "120", the proportions of the flying scroll begin to make sense. That flying object shaped like a SCROLL would be 120 x 10 cubits. This 12:1 ratio is in line with what a rolled up SCROLL looks like. So just how big was the flying SCROLL Zechariah saw? The answer to this depends on several things: * Was Zechariah just estimating the size and saying it was dimensioned like a scroll? If so, him just giving rough size information would be good enough. * Was Zechariah using the standard "cubit"? * Was Zechariah using the forearm based "cubit"? Assuming he wasn't just estimating the size, let's calculate the SCROLL size using the standard cubit and then using the forearm based cubit. Standard cubit at 20"/cubit: Length = 120 cubit * 20"/cubit * 1 ft/12" = 200 feet Width = 10 cubit * 20"/cubit * 1 ft/12" = 16.7 feet Forearm base cubit at 12"/cubit: Length = 120 cubit * 12"/cubit * 1 ft/12" = 120 feet Width = 10 cubit * 12"/cubit * 1 ft/12" = 10 feet Now something to notice: ============================================ The object shaped like a "flying scroll" is correctly dimensioned to match a present day ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile). ============================================ For the "standard sized cubit" the rocket would have dimensions of 5.1m x 61m (16.7' x 200') and MANY rockets come quite close (1): Country Rocket Size --------------------------------------------- Ukraine Zenit 3.9m x 49.9m USA Shuttle DC-3 5.1m x 61.9m USA Titan 5 6.0m x 60.0m UK HOTOL 7.0m x 62.8m Russia Vulkan 7.8m x 68.5m For the "forearm sized cubit" the rocket would have dimensions of 10' x 120' and several current ICBM based rockets fall into this category (2): Country Rocket Size ------------------------------------------------- USA Titan II 10.0' x 103' USA LGM-25C Titan II 10.0' x 102.7' China DF-5 11.0' x 106.96' Russia SS-18 Satan 10.5' x 119.76' Russia SS-9 Scarp 9.84' x 114.8' Russia SS-X-10 Scrag 9.84' x 124.02' Notice the table shows a "Satan" rocket at 10.5' x 120' that pretty much matches the SCROLL described in Zec 5 when using the "forearm based cubit". (it's also called Satan as well) But the idea is not to narrow in on any one rocket, just that the overall trend is that Zechariah did in fact see a military based rocket similar to our present day ICBM types. Zechariah saw a vision from God and wrote: * the standard dimensional ratio for current ICBMs * that the "scroll" (rocket) would fly * that the "scroll" (rocket) was HUGE * saying it was like a "scroll" even matches the rocket being mostly hollow when they run out of fuel. * When using the forearm base cubit, the dimensions are basically dead on with present day ICBMs. The variance between a "standard cubit" and a "forearm based cubit" shows that either Zechariah saw a present day ICBM or a future larger ICBM. The larger rocket would of course carry a heavier payload over the same distance. And there are a large number of rockets NOT having listed measurements due to them being military types. As you can well guess, many countries do not give out their rocket dimensions, so the above list is only a small sample of MANY possible. The idea is not so much to find any one particular rocket, but that MANY fit the Zechariah prophecy and MANY are not listed. There are quite a few military rockets both larger and smaller than the one given by Zec 5. The general survey of rockets shows that Zechariah had the proper dimensions for the typical present day rocket required for either an ICBM or a long range heavy payload ICBM. ICBMs are usually armed with nuclear warheads and those nuclear warheads can easily destroy houses, destroying both the timbers and stones making it up. So to summarize the prophecy: * God gave a vision to Zechariah 2500 years ago of a properly ratio'd height to diameter flying "scroll" or rocket. * God gave the proper SIZE for MANY present day military rockets. * God showed the rocket as CONSUMING the timbers and stones of houses, which is pretty much what a military rocket is often designed to do when fitted with a military warhead as it's payload. * God said those flying "scrolls" or rockets would be a curse sent over the world, and those rockets are a curse. You can not outrun a missile or dodge a nuke going off. You can not hide from an ICBM. But notice, Zechariah was using his own language and terminology to describe the vision he was seeing 2500 years ago (given by God) and Zechariah ended up being right. Or was Zechariah some ancient rocket scientist? No, it would be ABSURD to think Zechariah could just dream up twentieth century missiles, what they would do, or imagine such a thing the size of present day rockets flying through the air 2500 years ago. Further, Zechariah said he was receiving the vision from an angel of God. Therefore, 2500 years ago God knew the present history and gave Zechariah the vision as another proof of himself. But notice: ================================================== The one giving the Zec 5 vision is also the one giving the Zec 4 vision that WITNESSES to Jesus being the ARM OF GOD who showed up on the center ridge of the Mount of Olives, olive trees on either side of him later with two GOLDEN PIPES on either side (see the 2 witnesses article). ================================================== That same ARM OF GOD (Jesus) died for all our sins so that we can be saved. God made it all, Jesus died for our sins.
(1) Launch Vehicle Index
(2)
Missile Index
Note: The above information was written by John P. Boatwright and is freely given. The information is simply my opinion based on how I perceive the content discussed. Anyone reading such should use their own judgement as to whether or not the information has any value to them. You may copy portions of the above opinions as long as a reference to this page is included and no text within said portion is altered. If copied to another medium other than the internet, include the entire text. The above content may change over time.
Best wishes.