Zechariah 11: The Jewel of the Gospel

​Key Verse
17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!”
 
Meditation
The jewel of God’s steadfast love shines brightest when contrasted against the darkest backdrop of humanity’s sin. Paul explains the “power of the gospel” through dissecting God’s wrath against sin (Romans 1:18-32), God’s righteous judgement (Romans 2), and the depravity of humanity (Romans 3:1-20). The glory of God’s redemption is magnified by honesty of rebellion and rejection of God.
 
When humanity rejects God, we exchange God’s truth for a lie and are “given over” to the lusts of our flesh (Romans 1:24-25). This truth is revealed in today’s reading as God gave Israel over to their desires, illustrated by two signs from the prophet Zachariah. The first sign demonstrates why they were given over to division and exile (vv. 4-14) and the second explains why they were given over to foolish shepherds (vv. 15-17). Rejecting God as our Shepherd leads to destruction and ruin.
 
God’s grace restores the “favor” and “union” of His people by taking the judgment the worthless shepherds and sheep deserve. The “woe” pronounced on the worthless shepherds (v. 17) was welcomed by our Good Shepherd who laid His life down for His sheep (John 10:11). Jesus was rejected, betrayed, and killed so all who trust in Him can be welcomed, loved, and have abundant life.
 
The prophet’s focus on the rejection and ruin of Israel serves to highlight the covenant faithfulness of the Lord who reveals His love in this, that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:9). God Himself was given over for our sins so our hearts can be given to Him!
 
Today’s Reading
Open your doors, O Lebanon,
    that the fire may devour your cedars!
2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
    for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
    for the thick forest has been felled!
3 The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
    for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
    for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

4 Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them.6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”

7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. 8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” 10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. 14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd,
    who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
    and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
    his right eye utterly blinded!”
 
Richly Dwelling
-Which aspects of the ruin of Israel detailed by Zechariah’s sign-actions stands out to you? Why?
 
-How does acknowledging the rebellion of humanity glorify God’s covenant faithfulness? Where do you need to confess your rebellion and rejection of God?
 
-Jesus is our Good Shepherd who laid His life down for God’s sheep. He died so we can live! What does it look like for you to repent, responding to God’s grace by going in a new direction and returning to our Father’s unconditional love? Be specific!
 
Key Verse
17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!”