Zechariah 11- Judgment of Israel

Leave a reply

Open your doors, O Lebanon, That fire may devour your cedars.  Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down.  There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins. There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.  Zechariah 11:1-3

When it comes to eschatology, the study of end times, 70 AD is an important event in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, not only symbolic of God’s judgement upon Israel and the end of the Mosaic Covenant. 

This is exactly what the prophet Zechariah is prophesying about here, the same what Jesus predicted at the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) The sign of the old religious system coming to an end (The Temple, The Sacrificial System, The Priest Line)

And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  Matthew 24:2

Thus says the LORD my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter,  whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them.  For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the LORD. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.”  Zecharian 11:4-6

The reference to the religious leaders, the false shepherds , who have misled the people and led them to the slaughter. The false teachers who have rejected the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and have conspired to crucify The Lord of Glory on the cross

“The shepherds do not pity them” the religious leaders of Israel have no concern for their people, just as false teachers and false prophets (Matthew 7) they are only concerned with themselves 

God warns of his judgement “They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand” The destruction of Jerusalem foretold because of the sins and disobedience of his people, and ultimately their rejection of the true Messiah, the son of God, Jesus Christ

“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.  Daniel 9:26

But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Matthew 22:7

So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock.  I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.  Zechariah 11:7-8

As Jesus revealed, Christ is “The Good Shepherd” (John 10:11) The Christ has come to feed and protect His sheep, Gods people. Jesus is also the Way, the Truth, and The Life (John 14:6) by His word, he exposed the false shepherds, the religious leaders, the 3 shepherds (priests, elders, and scribes) They are all corrupted and The Good Shepherd has exposed their wickedness and removed their positions, the fulfillment of the Mosaic Covenant

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. / Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 23:1-2

Those who are the true Sheep, the people of God, hear the voice of the Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and listen to His voice and follow Him (John 10, Psalm 23)

Zechariah 10- Restoration of Israel

Leave a reply

Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.  I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.  Zechariah 10:7-8

Epharaim is another name for Israel, Israel shall be like mighty men and their heart rejoices as if with wine. One of the signs or symbols of the Messiah comings is an abundance of wine. This is why it was very fitting that Jesus first miracle was changing the water into wine (John 2) This was not only a sign of His deity , but was a clear sign of Jesus being the Messiah, and preparing for the Great Wedding Feast of The Lamb (Revelation 19)

The Prophet Isaiah says this about the coming Messiah

And in this mountain The LORD of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees.  And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.  Isaiah 25:6-8

God said “I will redeem them” by the prophet Zechariah, the God said “I will swallow up death forever” by the prophet Isaiah, this is all about the coming of Jesus Christ, who brings salvation to the world

“I will sow them among the peoples, And they shall remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their children, And they shall return.  I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them.  Zechariah 10:9-10

We have the prophecy of the “scattering of the Jews” across the entire world , as it states “in far countries” However God promises “They shall return” God promises to restore the nation of Israel, and they will rule and reign with Messiah, when Jesus returns during the Millennial Reign (Revelation 20:4-6)

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.  Revelation 20:6

He shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the waves of the sea: All the depths of the River shall dry up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall depart.  “So I will strengthen them in the LORD, And they shall walk up and down in His name,” Says the LORD.  Zechariah 10:11-12

Just as God delivered Israel from Egypt by parting the Red Sea, God will make a way for the restoration of Israel once again. No nation or anything shall stand in the way of Israel being restored as a nation and coming to their Messiah Jesus

Notice the prophet declares “they shall walk up and down in His name” what name? The name about all names (Philippians 2) the only name which you can be saved (Acts 4:12) Jesus

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;  Romans 11:26

Zechariah 10- The Lion of Judah

Leave a reply

Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.  For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.  Zechariah 10:1-2

Where does your hope come from? The prophet Zecheriah and telling Israel to ask God for their needs, to trust in God as their provider and not the false idols of this world. Isn’t this very relevant for even us today? What do we put our faith and trust in? Who is going to make America great again? God or our government? Who do we really put our faith in when times are tough?

As God says “They are in trouble because there is no shepherd” The good news is we have a Good Shepherd in Jesus Chris (John 10) The One that all the prophets of the Old Testament are pointing towards, put your faith in Christ and He will take care of you like a Shepherd over His flock

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  John 10:11

My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.  From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.  Zechariah 10:3-4

Many false shepherd have come and gone, many that misled Israel (religious leaders) and many false shepherds today, but God will not be mocked! Notice the warning God have to false shepherds through the prophet Jeremiah:

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. / Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 23:1-2

But notice “From Him (Judah) comes the cornerstone” Out of Israel , God sent his only Begotten Son, the Messiah, the Good Shepherd, to save us from our sins! (Matthew 1:21) The Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ, is the foundation of our faith, that will never leave or forsake us, One day Israel will turn to Him for salvation!

So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.  Isaiah 28:16

They shall be like mighty men, Who tread down their enemies In the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the LORD is with them, And the riders on horses shall be put to shame  “I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the LORD their God, And I will hear them.  Zechariah 10:5-6

As we know the world is against Israel, however as the prophet states “they shall fight because The Lord is with them” God will keep His Covenant with Israel and save and restore them during the Millennial Reign of Christ. “For I AM The Lord their God, and I will hear them (Israel” Those who fight against Israel are fighting against The Lord God

When Christ first came, He came as the The Lamb of God to take away our sins (John 1:29) However when Christ returns, He will return as The Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), to rule and reign with a rod of iron

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.  Revelation 19:11