Purity comes before Blessings

Read Zechariah 5.

Throughout the night, the visions kept coming to the prophet concerning God's work in Israel.  The term "day of the LORD" has two aspects: judgment and joy.  The previous three chapters have majored on the good news to come for the nation and two of its leaders.  Chapter 5 focuses on God's dealing with sin in the future.

1. Vision #6: Personal sin shall be judged. (vv.1-4)
There are two particular individual sins named.  We are not told why these are singled out, but they must have been rampant enough among the people to warrant such mention of judgment.
-Stealing.  Not only was this a sin, but it specifically violated the eighth commandment (Exodus 20:15).  Taking what does not rightfully belong to us is a sin against God, against the other person(s), and damages our character.  There is no benefit.  A healthy culture depends upon the respect for the property of others.
-Lying.  This seems to indicate falsely swearing.  Perjury, telling a lie under oath, especially in misusing the LORD's name is condemned in Exodus 20:7.  Mostly this is done for self-protection.  But publicly lying before God and witnesses is nothing but cruel, deliberate harm.  An indicator of a culture's deterioration is the loss of the value of words and their definitions.  "Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29)

2. Vision #7: National sin shall be removed. (vv.5-11)
Sin is personified as a woman in a basket with a tight lid.  This is a picture of God loading up all the evil the Jews picked up in exile and escorting it right back to Babylon from which it came.

A key purpose of the Great Tribulation will be the cleansing and preparation of Israel for the Millennial Kingdom.  As foretold in Revelation 17-18, a rebuilt Babylon will be the center of the world's evil.  God's judgment in that day will be decisive and severe.  God's purposes always begin with purity first.  This is true personally and nationally.