Facts of Faith

The Woman In The Ephah

The prophet saw “an ephah ” (which is a fitting symbol of the business world) and “a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.” Zechariah 5:7. A woman in prophecy symbolizes a church, and in the book of Revelation this woman is called “the mother” church, which is “drunken with the blood of ... the martyrs of Jesus.” It is also represented as “that great city” on ’ “seven mountains.” (Revelation 17:5, 6, 9, 18.) M’Clintock and Strong says :“The city of Rome was founded ... on the Palatine Hill; it was extended by degrees, so as to take in six other hills.” — Encyclopedia, art. “Rome.” This woman is said to be trading in all kinds of “merchandise“: linen, silk, wine, flour, sheep, chariots, and souls of men. (Revelation 18:12, 13.) A more striking picture of the Papacy could hardly be given, for no advantage in the business world escapes her vigilance. She always seeks to place her members in strategic government positions, and at advantageous labor posts. FAFA 310.1

The ephah, in which this prophetic woman sat, was covered with “a talent of lead,” and when this cover was lifted the “wickedness” was seen, or, as the Septuagint has it: “This is the iniquity.” (Zechariah 5:7, 8.) And just so, when the Reformation of the sixteenth century pulled off the cover, “the mystery of iniquity” was seen in all its “wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7, 8.) But the prophet saw the cover placed back on again, and, through the efforts of Jesuits, this covering-up work is being accomplished. “Two women” are next seen who “lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.” (Zechariah 5:8, 9.) That is, after the true nature of the papacy has been concealed, the miracle-working power of Spiritism in some Christian form, and fallen Protestantism (these two women) will raise the Papacy to the sky. FAFA 310.2

“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.” Verses 10, 11. It was “in the land Shinar” that the former tower of Babel was built, as a man-made way to heaven, so as to avoid the judgment of God in case of another Flood. The builders called it “Babil” — “Gate of God,” but God called it “Babel,” “Confusion.” It was around this tower that the city of Babylon was built - and it stands as a synonym for a man-made way of salvation; and for this reason the Roman Catholic Church is called “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER.” Revelation 17:5. Even Cardinal Gibbons declares: “‘Babylon,’ from which Peter addresses his first epistle, is understood by learned annotators, Protestant and Catholic, to refer to Rome.” — “Faith of Our Fathers,” edition of 1885, p. 131; and p. 106 in “Eighty-third Revised Edition” of 1917. It is natural, therefore, when the prophet speaks of the Papacy’s being established “there upon her own base,” that he should symbolically refer to it as “the land of Shinar,” or Babylon. (Zechariah 5:10, 11) Thus we see, that, through the cooperation of modernized Protestantism, and Christianized Spiritism, the Papacy will be brought back to power. This is so aptly stated by another author that we give the quotation here: FAFA 310.3

“When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with Spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near.” — Testimonies for the Church 5:451. FAFA 311.1

Then the “deadly wound” will be fully healed (Revelation 13:3), and in her restored relationship to the kings of the earth, the Papacy will exclaim in the pride of her power: “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” Revelation 18:7. But, as pride and “a haughty spirit” go before a fall, her glorying will be short, for she shall “go into perdition.” Verse 8; 17:8. Thus we can better understand the seven heads of the beast. The Papacy is said to be one “of the seven” heads, and yet it is “the eighth” (Revelation 17:11), because, as one of the seven it received its deadly wound, and when this is healed it comes back as the eighth in rotation, while in reality it is only one of the seven coming back to life and power. (Compare Revelation 13:3 with 17:8, 11.) FAFA 311.2