SHOWERS

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Zechariah 12:1 – The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him:

This verse begins a new prophesy given from the Lord through Zechariah.  We are using the ESV (English Standard Version) of the scriptures, which translates the original Hebrew word as ‘oracle’.  Since the definition of an oracle is ‘a communication, revelation or message delivered by God to the prophets’, this is an accurate translation.

However, other versions (King James Version, for example) use the term ‘burden’ rather than oracle.  This is also an accurate translation, because the original Hebrew actually means ‘threatening prophesy’. 

Since the ‘burden’ is concerning Israel, we would expect this word to be a threat or judgment against God’s people.  But as we read it, we find just the opposite!  This chapter speaks of a time when a group of nations will band together and invade (or attempt to invade) Israel.  However, they will be unsuccessful.  Not only will God step in and rescue his people, he will bring destruction upon those who attempt to overthrow or annihilate his chosen nation/people. 

The clear implication is that the judgment or ‘burden’ spoken of in this chapter will not fall upon Israel.  It is reserved for all those nations who rise up against her.

Most scholars believe Zechariah’s prophesy describes a literal military invasion.  These same scholars tie this prophesy (Zechariah 12) to the predicted invasion of Israel spoken of in Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39, which is commonly expected to take place at the end of this age under the direction of the antichrist (see Zechariah chapter 11). 

Scholars and commentators see a spiritual fulfillment of this prophesy as well.  They believe a time is coming when the people of the world will band together in an attempt to destroy the true church of God.  In fact, they maintain that this is happening even today and it will continue to happen until the end of this age, when Christ returns and rescues his people.

With this background in mind, let’s take a look at our text.  After declaring that this oracle/burden/prophesy is a word from the Lord, Zechariah takes a moment to remind the reader (or listener as the case may be) just who God is. 

 Specifically, God is the one who stretched out the heavens.  In other words, he is the one who created the expanse we know as ‘space’, which contains so many planets, stars and other heavenly bodies that we literally cannot count them all.  According to scientists, the universe is still expanding today, with new planets and stars continually being formed.

That’s an indication of just how big, how wise and how powerful our God truly is!  And, as if that were not enough, scripture tells us that God not only created the heavenly bodies, he also named each one as well:

Psalms 147:4-5 – He [God] determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.  Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

(See also Psalms 104:1-2).  Again, this description calls attention to the infinite power, greatness and wisdom of God.  If he is capable of creating and naming all those planets and stars, he is surely capable of taking care of his people.  This is a great comfort to Israel and the church; it is also a dire warning to those who oppose God and his purposes.

The prophet now moves our attention from the vastness of the heavens to the planet where we live.  He reminds mankind that God is the one who founded the earth.  He created this planet (Genesis 1:1), setting it upon its invisible foundations (Job 38:4).

Psalms 24:1-2 – The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

He is also the designer and creator of all life on planet earth, from the smallest single cell organism (Mycoplasma bacteria) to the largest known life form (blue whale).

While we are still awestruck by the power and glory of the creator of the earth, the prophet once again changes our focus.  He now draws our attention to mankind, reminding us that God formed the spirit of man that is within him.

Genesis 2:7 - Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

God created us in his image, giving us an eternal soul and spirit which will live forever.  In his vast unsearchable wisdom, he gives us the opportunity to join him in heaven as a son or daughter.  We have no idea why God would choose to do this; it is a mystery that even the angels seek to understand (I Peter 1:12)!

Clearly, the divine plans and purposes of God are so far beyond our understanding, just thinking about them should cause us to stop and bow before him in worship and reverence.

The bottom line is that the reader/hearer of this prophesy is given an opportunity to pause and consider the omnipotence and sovereignty of God.  This in turn causes faith to spring up and the reader becomes fully persuaded that whatever God is about to say in this prophesy, he has more than enough power and authority to make it happen. 

Zechariah 12:2 – “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples.  The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah.”

God then goes on to declare that he will make Jerusalem a ‘cup of staggering’. 

Obviously, this is not a literal cup like we use for coffee (Mmmm... coffee!).  It is a word picture or a symbol found in numerous places throughout the scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament.  In all cases, the ‘cup’ contains the wrath or judgment of God.

Sometimes, Israel herself drinks from this cup because of her sin (Isaiah 51:17).  At other times, it is Israel’s enemies who drink from the cup:

Jeremiah 25:15-16 – Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.  They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”

In Jeremiah 25, God then goes on to give a whole list of nations that would be drinking from this cup.  The list includes Edom, Moab, the Philistines and the Babylonians.  (If you have a spare five minutes, I highly recommend that you read Jeremiah 25:15-38.  It also mentions the destruction of false shepherds which were the focus of Zechariah chapter 11.)

This brings up a logical question – how do nations ‘drink’ from the cup of the wrath of God?

They do so by continual sinning or by attacking God’s people. 

In the case of sin, God gives people (and nations) ample time to repent from sin.  During that time, he will also graciously give them signs that they need to change, or face the coming judgment.  If nations continue to rebel and remain in sin, they are essentially drinking from the cup of God’s wrath, which will eventually result in destruction (Genesis 15:16).

Now let’s consider the case of attacking God’s people.  There are many instances where God has chosen to use foreign powers as his ‘rod of correction’.  In other words, God allowed these nations to oppress or trouble Israel, so that they would repent of their sin and return to him.

However, when nations overstepped what was reasonable and moved into the realm of trying to annihilate Israel, God put a stop to their actions.  At that point, he defended his covenant people and forced the foreign nation to drink from the cup of his wrath. 

Isaiah 51:22-23 – Thus says the Lord, the Lord, your God who pleads the case of his people: “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more; and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, ‘Bow down, that we may pass over’; and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass over.”

Once the foreign power drinks from the cup, their utter destruction follows.  Once such example was the nation of Babylon (see Jeremiah chapter 51).

Now that we have a better understanding of the meaning of the cup, let’s return to our text. 

We are told that at some point in time, Jerusalem will be attacked by ‘all the surrounding people’.  This indicates that multiple nations and/or people groups will be involved.  In other words, there will be an alliance of nations or people who will gather together to attack Jerusalem.  Their intent will be the total annihilation of Israel and her people. 

But the minute they advance upon her, God will make them drink from his cup of wrath; his undiluted anger and vengeance will be poured out upon them.  They will stagger and fall like a drunk man because of the terror of the Lord and his fierce retribution.

Take a minute to imagine this scene.  Satan, who hates God’s people, incites sinful nations to unite together with the intent of ending the existence of Israel by killing every single one of God’s chosen people. 

What reason will they use to justify this attack?  Perhaps Israel will control some valuable commodity or resource which these nations want.  Perhaps these nations want control of a holy site, or maybe they simply want the land for themselves.  Perhaps the alliance will claim their actions are justified retaliation for a prior skirmish. 

Regardless of what excuse they use to justify their actions, the end result will be a multi-nation force of millions of soldiers.  This alliance will have the combined resources, intelligence, weapons, strategy and communications of the entire world.  It will literally be a case of Israel against the world!

In the minds of Israel’s enemies, they are already victorious because there is no way that Israel can defeat such a formidable foe, and there is no way of escape for the Jews.  The alliance forces clearly expect to overrun and destroy God’s people within a short amount of time. 

But at the exact moment when their pride and self-assurance reach the heavens, God will come to the rescue of his people!  He will deliver Israel, and it will cause great astonishment to her enemies.  Their hearts and minds will stagger with incredulity at Israel’s victory and they will be rendered incapable of thinking or fighting.  Then they will be destroyed.

While such an event could literally take place at any time, most commentators believe the events described in Zechariah chapter 12 will either occur at the end of time (under the direction of the antichrist) or after the 1000-year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:9). 

Moving on, we notice that verse two says that ‘the siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah’. 

 There is some difference of opinion on what this means. 

The most common explanation is that the mention of Jerusalem and Judah indicates the entire Jewish population of Israel.  This means that the enemy attack will be against the entire nation of Israel, not just the capital city and its inhabitants.  It then follows that when God intervenes, he saves the whole nation, not just the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

However, I want you to be aware that there is another explanation being offered.  In this scenario, some of the Jews (those in Judah) will actually join forces with the foreign nations and be part of the alliance that is against Jerusalem.  If that is the case, these Jews will drink the cup of God’s wrath and be destroyed, just like the other nations.  This scenario seems much less likely, but it does have some proponents.

While everyone agrees that this prophesy describes an actual military invasion, there may also be a spiritual parallel as well.  Jerusalem is used symbolically to represent God’s people, which includes the church.  For this reason, the prophesy could be interpreted as an alliance of people or nations who seek the extermination of the church (all Christians). 

But there is no reason to fear.  If this is the case, we can rest assured that God will take care of us.

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Let’s be honest… this word of the Lord seems a bit scary!  It certainly indicates a time of great uncertainty when the nations of the world are on edge and looking for war.

If you are feeling a bit fearful right now, let me encourage you with this thought:

Romans 8:31 – If God is for us, who can be against us?

Cast your mind back to the beginning of Zechariah 12:1.  Our heavenly father is still the same omniscient, omnipotent and sovereign God that he has always been.  Remember, he stretched out the heavens, created the earth and breathed the breath of life into YOU.  In fact, he loves you so much, he sent his only Son to die for your sin. 

With that in mind, do not allow fear to have a place in your heart or mind!  You may or may not be on the earth when this prophesy is fulfilled.  If you are, you can be sure that God has you under his protection, and no evil will touch you (Psalms 91:1-8).   You will have the privilege of being a firsthand witness to the power and glory of the Lord!

Let me offer you some strength:

As we mentioned in today’s post, the divine plans and purposes of God are far, far above anything we can understand or imagine.  As we look back on history, we see his hand at work in the lives of our nation, our church, our families and ourselves.

These demonstrations of God’s power and purposes should fill us with awe and prompt us to worship him.  They prove that he is at work in our lives and that he has the ability to work all things out for our good! 

Why not spend some time today in praise and worship to our amazing God!   

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Zechariah 11:12 – 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.

We will now proceed to examine the last part of Zechariah chapter 11.  Thus far, we have seen that this chapter was a word of warning/judgment.  God gave a vision to Zechariah in which Israel was troubled by spiritual and temporal leaders who led them astray.  The end result of this bad leadership was the destruction of the nation and most of its people.

While this situation could be found more than once in Israel’s history, we are focusing our study on the period of the incarnation of Christ. 

During that time, the leaders of Israel were very poor shepherds.  They placed their traditions and ideas above the commands of God.  They put spiritual burdens on the common people which they themselves would not follow.  Furthermore, they enriched themselves at the expense of the people they were supposed to serve and they failed to give justice to the poor, the widows and the orphans.

Worst of all, they rejected Jesus as the Messiah and refused to embrace the sound spiritual doctrine he brought from the Father.  Thus, they chose death instead of life.

However, there is good news too.  God used the occasion of Israel’s apostasy to open up the gospel to the Gentiles.  In addition, he still had the ‘poor of the flock’ or a remnant of the Jews who fully embraced Jesus as the Messiah.  For full details, please refer to the prior four posts. 

Now let’s continue with our study.

As we already noted, in this particular vision Zechariah represents Christ.  In this portion of the vision, he speaks to the corrupt shepherds.  There are generally two interpretations for this verse.  They are most easily understood by examining two different translations of the Hebrew scriptures. 

The first interpretation is expressed well in the English Standard Version of the bible which says:

‘If it seems good to you, give me my wages, but if not, keep them.’

If this represents Jesus speaking to the Jewish leaders of his day, then what wages is he talking about?  Why would Jesus give these corrupt leaders the option of keeping his wages?

The concept of wages implies that some type of work or service was performed in exchange for a benefit. So let’s think for a moment – did the Lord perform any services for the Jews?

Of course he did!  He called them out of the world and made them into a nation that was set apart for his glory.  He led them to Egypt where their numbers were greatly increased.  Afterward, he brought them out of bondage with great wealth/riches.  He made an everlasting covenant with them, to be their God and make them his own people.  He gave them a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’. 

From the time the covenant was made with Abram, God had protected them, led them, blessed them, and provided for them.  He appointed priests and prophets to lead them in the ways of righteousness.  He appointed kings to reign over them.  Now he desired to give them the greatest gift of all - eternal life through the blood of his only Son. 

And what benefit or payment did God require for his services?  He desired for his people to have faith in him, to cling to him in love, to honor and worship him.  He required them to be faithful to his commands.  Was that so much to ask?  Of course not!  And yet, the religious leaders of that day refused to give Jesus even the smallest token of respect or gratitude!

As odd as it seems, God extends the same option to all of us:  each and every individual person is free to serve, worship and honor him, but they are also free to completely reject him and give their allegiance to Satan. 

Think about that for a minute… Almighty God, the supreme creator and ruler of all things, gives each person the free-will choice to accept or reject him.  While he desires for us to live under his authority, love and protection, he will not force us to do so.  He simply sets life and death before us and allows us to choose our path. 

Moses expressed the thought well in his address to the children of Israel:

Deuteronomy 30:19 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live…

The same choice is later presented to Israel by the prophet Elijah:

I Kings 18:21 – If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. 

This astonishing choice is also reflected in God’s statement to the corrupt Jewish shepherds; he tells them to pay him his wages if they wish, but he won’t force them to do so.

This is a good time for us to pause and examine our own lives.  Think about your past and your present.  What has God done for you?  How has he blessed you, provided for you, healed you, and comforted you?  What sin has he forgiven for you?  How has he protected you and delivered you?  What prayers has he answered for you?

Furthermore, what about the promises of his future blessing?  If you are a child of God, then your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  You have a future awaiting you that is so amazing, you can’t even imagine it! 

1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.

One day you will be united with Christ in heaven.  As a citizen of heaven, you will live a productive, rewarding life free from sin, sickness, disease, chaos and evil.  You will never be separated from the Father, Son and Spirit. 

Given all that God has done (and will do) for us, how can we not ‘give him his wages’ by faithfully serving him and obeying his commands? 

Now let’s examine the second interpretation of this verse.  It is expressed well in the King James translation which says:

‘If you think it good, give me my price; and if not, forbear.’

Instead of ‘wages’ this translation uses the word ‘price’.  The concept of price implies value.  In other words, things that are highly valued (the Mona Lisa for example) have a high price.  In fact sometimes we call these things priceless, indicating that they are of inestimable worth.  On the other hand, things that have little or no value can be bought for a very low price.

In this interpretation of the verse, Jesus is referring to the price or the value which the Jewish leaders placed upon his life, doctrine and ministry. 

While you and I would say that the life or blood of Christ is priceless, the Jewish leaders gave him a very different value – 30 pieces of silver.  In case you weren’t aware, that is the price assigned to the least valued slave in Israel:

Exodus 21:32 - If the ox shall gore a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.         

And as you know, that was the exact price the corrupt Jewish leaders offered to Judas Iscariot to betray Christ to his death:

Matthew 26:15 - …and said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

These men not only refused to give Christ the honor and glory he was due, they added insult to injury by assigning his life (and blood) the same value as the lowest slave.  Thus, the price of the Messiah’s life was exactly what God predicted it would be hundreds of years before Christ came to earth in the form of a man.

Zechariah 11:13 – 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.

Father God, who is intensely angry with the Jews for treating his Son like garbage, refers to the 30 pieces of silver as a lordly or princely price.  Clearly, he is being sarcastic.  By assigning the life of Jesus a value of 30 silver coins, the Jewish leaders showed contempt for Christ, his doctrine and his blood.  They rejected him and cast him away as something that was vile and worthless.

In the fulfillment of this prophesy, Judas Iscariot flung the thirty pieces of silver back into the temple before he went and hung himself (Matthew 27:5).  The Jewish leaders then took the money and used it to buy a worthless piece of ground from the local potter (Matthew 27:6-8).  So we see that by the providence of God, the money went from the temple to the potter.

This is exactly what Zechariah saw in his vision.  In fact, it is likely that in the vision Zechariah saw himself casting the coins into the temple and he either saw or knew they ended up with the potter (Matthew 27:9-10).

Zechariah 11:14 – Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Back in verse 7 of this chapter, we saw that the Great Shepherd took to himself two staffs.  One was called Grace (or Beauty) and the other Unity (or Bands).  At that time, we noted that there were literally dozens of different interpretations for the meaning of these two staffs. 

Now we find the Lord breaking the staff of Unity.  Naturally, the meaning of this breaking depends on the view you took of the staff back in verse 7, but here are three of the most accepted views:

• It signifies the removal of any form of civil government from the Jews. 
• It signifies the abrogation (repealing) of the Mosaic Law.  This would include the Jewish ordinances which Gentiles/Christians were forced to adopt for a short time.  An example of this would be circumcision.  When Gentiles first came to the faith, the Jews insisted they be circumcised, but later it was determined that circumcision had nothing to do with grace, so it was optional (Acts 15:1-30).
• It signifies the removal of unity between the various factions of Jews, particularly those who lived within Jerusalem during the Roman siege. True religion bonds people together in peace.  When it was cast aside by the Jews, we see them murdering Jesus and eventually falling upon one another.  This led to the victory of Rome.    
• It signifies God removing his hand of protection and care from the Jews, only because that was what they wanted.

Whatever you specific interpretation, we can say in general that when the Jews chose to reject the Lord, he in turn rejected them, allowing them to walk away from his grace and mercy.  Because they were no longer ruled by the Prince of Peace, the Jews ended up with anarchy, confusion and destruction. 

Zechariah 11:15 – Then the Lord said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd.”

The word ‘foolish’ is defined as ‘void of understanding, unwise, absurd, despicable, contemptible or without judgment/discretion.’

Now God instructs the prophet to once again take up a staff (symbol of authority and leadership), but this time it is the staff of a fool.  This means that the Jewish people can expect to have leaders (civil and religious) who are unwise, make absurd decisions, act despicably and generally rule without sound judgment.  They will rule the Jewish nation with force and cruelty, taking no real care of the flock or people.  The end result of such leadership is always chaos, confusion and eventual destruction.  (As an American citizen, I’m having a sense of déjà vu here… what about you?)

In the New Testament, Jesus refers to these leaders as blind guides (Matthew 15:14, Matthew 23:16 & 24) and adds that those who follow blind guides will suffer the same fate they do.

Again, we need to point out that this was NOT what God wanted for his people, but it was their decision to reject the Great Shepherd and when they rejected him, they were left with nothing else. 

While this applied to the Jews who died in the war against Rome of 71 AD, many scholars see a still future fulfillment under the rule of the antichrist.  These scholars point out that as a whole, the Jews rejected Christ during the incarnation, and they are still rejecting him now. 

II Thessalonians 2:9-12 – The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

If they continue to reject him during the great end time harvest, their only option will be to become fooled or ensnared by the false antichrist of the final days.  Once that happens, they can expect chaos, calamity and eventual destruction, unless the Lord intervenes on their behalf.  (Incidentally, this refers to the Gentiles as well.)

Zechariah 11:16 – “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.”

What is being revealed about the foolish shepherds of Israel?

They do not care for those being destroyed (cut off), or seek the young:  In any flock, the sheep must be trained to follow the shepherd.  This is why immature lambs often wander away from the flock.  A good shepherd will go in search of those who are lost and restore them to the safety of the group.

Spiritually speaking, God’s children are his flock.  If one of them strays from the faith, it is the job of the shepherd to seek them out and restore them. 

But the foolish shepherd will not go after those who have spiritually abandoned the Lord.  This is not surprising, since they themselves no longer have fellowship with God.  

Jesus, however, is the Shepherd who always goes out to seek the lost lamb; that is the reason he came to earth:

Luke 19:9-10 – And Jesus said to him [Zacchaeus], “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

They do not heal the maimed:  People are sinful and as such, we reap sickness and death in many different ways.  We need to be healed physically, mentally and emotionally.  We often need healing, restoration or even resurrection in our marriages, our relationships, our finances, our careers, etc. 

False or foolish leaders have no compassion for the sick and hurting; neither do they possess the means to heal.  They will often refuse to give even basic comfort to those who need it.

But Jesus, our Great Shepherd, paid for all our healing during his suffering and death on earth.  He is willing and able to heal, restore or resurrect anything in our lives that needs his touch.

Isaiah 53:5-6 – But he [Messiah] was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

They do not nourish the healthy:  Foolish shepherds feed their followers a steady diet of what they want to hear, whether it is truth/sound doctrine or not:

II Timothy 4:3 – For the time will come when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions…

Meanwhile, true spiritual shepherds feed their flock the sound doctrine of scripture.  Sometimes that doctrine is pleasing or ‘tasty’ (like ice cream), but the faithful shepherd will also feed his/her flock whatever they need to be healthy Christians, even if that doctrine isn’t so tasty (like okra or liver).  Though it might not be especially pleasing, it’s what they need to spiritually grow and mature.

They devour the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs:  Shepherds who do not follow God are concerned only with their own wealth, glory and comfort.  They are characterized by negligence, selfishness and cruelty.  They will devour or destroy those under their authority in order to enrich themselves.

Zechariah 11:17 – “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!”

In general terms, we can say that the foolish (worthless, good-for-nothing) shepherds are leaders who accept the title of shepherd while performing none of the duties associated with that office.  In fact, they will enrich themselves by killing the flock, if given the chance.  Eventually, punishment will be executed upon these wicked leaders. 

Specifically, the worthlessness of the foolish shepherd is interpreted in two ways. 

In the first theory, the shepherd is worthless because he or she ultimately betrays the flock by abandoning them all together in the time of their greatest need. 

John 10:12 – He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

In other words, false leaders will remain in place as long as they get what they want and no harm comes to them.  However, once they themselves are threatened in any way, they will immediately flee in an attempt to save themselves.

Of course, Jesus is the complete opposite of these shepherds.  He has promised never to leave us or forsake us, regardless of what we walk through (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5, etc).  He promises to be with us even to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

The second theory says the worthlessness of the foolish shepherd should be interpreted to mean that the false shepherd is like a religious idol – a worthless thing with no power/ability; a thing full of ‘nothingness’. 

While this aptly described the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, most scholars see an additional future fulfillment during the end time rule of the antichrist.  Let’s examine this further.

The worthless shepherd described here will eventually find his arm withered and his right eye blinded.  What does that mean?

In the scriptures, one’s arm is a representation of strength and power (Psalms 44:3, Job 38:15, Deuteronomy 9:29, etc).  So here we have a shepherd (one with civil and/or spiritual authority) who also has great strength and power.  Scholars believe this may refer to the civil power wielded by the antichrist at the end of the age. 

A clear right eye signifies intelligence and wisdom.  According to scholars, the antichrist will seem both wise and intelligent.  At some point, he will pretend to understand the mysteries of God.  He will claim to see into the spiritual realm and have more revelation than any former prophet; he will then claim to be the Messiah of the world.

But in reality, it’s all a lie.  His only desire is to sit on the throne of the temple like God and receive the worship of men.  The Jews (and indeed the world) will trust in him, but he is worthless and full of ‘nothingness’; has nothing to offer mankind.

Here is some good news:  Zechariah reveals that this shepherd (antichrist) will eventually find his power withered away and his wisdom blinded.  In other words, he will not prevail. 

Jesus will destroy him by the power of his word and his very presence.  All of antichrist’s crafty schemes will be exposed, and everything he vainly worked to achieve will be taken from him.

II Thessalonians 2:8 – And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Today’s post talks about all the amazing benefits that God freely and lovingly gives to his children.   These include, but are not limited to, healing, peace, joy, finances, forgiveness, eternal life, wisdom… the list goes on and on.  All of us could easily say that, like Israel, God has placed us in a land that flows with milk and honey.

How are we responding to that love?  Do we honor, adore and worship him, living in faith to his promises?  Or are we like spoiled children who complain and throw tantrums if we don’t get what we want? 

If you find that you need to make a change in your relationship with Jesus, I have good news for you – you can do so right now!  Scripture tells us that Jesus is constantly knocking on the door of our hearts, desiring to have a closer relationship with us.

The first step in opening the door to your heart is to repent of ingratitude.  Ask Holy Spirit to assist you in renewing your mind so that you are constantly reminded of all his good benefits.

Psalms 103:1-5 – Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Here is something you might want to try:  Set an hourly alarm on your watch or phone during your waking hours.  When it rings, think of a benefit God has given you and then praise him for it!

Let me offer you some strength:

In this post we noted that God broke the staff of Unity/Bands.  Although there may be differences of opinion on exactly what that staff represents, we do know that unity is an important part of the New Testament church.

The apostle Peter tells us that believers should have unity of mind, sympathy and brotherly love, as well as a tender heart and a humble mind (I Peter 3:8).  While we cannot condone unrighteousness or allow disobedience in the church to continue without correction, we do need to be able to overlook minor differences in the way we worship and serve the Lord. 

God has created each one of us in a unique way.  We need to find a way to honor those differences while still coming together in unity so our local church can continue to serve the Lord and bring others into the fellowship of his kingdom.

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Zechariah 11:8 – In one month I destroyed the three shepherds.  But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.

Thus far in our study of the vision given to Zechariah in chapter 11, we have discovered that a time would come when the Jews were led by false shepherds, both civil and religious. 

These men were supposed to lead and guide the common people in the ways of the Lord.  They were to be champions of justice and protectors of the poor and fatherless. Sadly, they had abandoned their calling and were using their positions of authority to enrich themselves. 

But they did not operate outside the knowledge of God.  He saw their works and became impatient and disgusted with them when they refused to repent.  The judgment God pronounced against them is detailed in verses 4-17.  Although there could be multiple fulfillments of this judgment, our study will focus on the events which occurred at the time of Christ.

In the vision described by Zechariah, the prophet represents Jesus the Great Shepherd.  In our last post we saw that he had taken up two shepherd staffs.  Although there is a difference of opinion on the exact meaning of these staffs, we know that when a shepherd took up his staff, it signified two things:

• One, he had officially accepted the role of head shepherd.
• Two, he possessed the ability and authority needed to fulfill his role.

In the same way, when Zechariah symbolically picked up the two staffs in his vision, it signified that at some point, Jesus officially agreed to take up the office of the Shepherd/Messiah/Redeemer of mankind.  It also signified that he possessed all the power and authority needed for this role.

Now the prophet tells us that in one month, he destroyed three shepherds.  What does that mean?

Let’s discuss the 30-day period first.  There are generally two interpretations for this.  One, it is believed to simply represent a short span of time; not necessarily an exact 30-day period.  Or two, each of the thirty days represents a year, which translates to roughly a 30-year time span.    

As for the three shepherds who were replaced, different answers are given based on the different fulfillments of the prophesy.  For example, some scholars identify the three as Judas, Jonathan and Simon Maccabees, because they believe this prophesy was fulfilled during that era of time (approximately 167-141 BC).   

We, however, are focusing on the time period before, during and after the incarnation of Christ.  As it relates to this particular time period, it is widely believed that the three shepherds do not represent three individuals, but three groups of leaders/magistrates over the Jews:

1. Princes – This category includes those who maintained some type of civil authority over the Jews including judges, the Sanhedrin and/or other smaller governing councils.
2. Prophets – This category includes the Scribes, Pharisees, teachers of the Law, etc.  Basically it would be religious leaders who were not priests.   
3. Priests – This category includes all those within the priesthood, including the high priest(s).

When these three groups are destroyed or cut off, the end result is the cessation of civil government, the sealing up or closure of vision/prophesy (as it relates to the Law or OT covenant) and the end of sacrifice. 

Historically, we can show that all three of these groups (and their purposes) ceased to exist for the Jews when Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 71.  Thus, God’s word was fulfilled exactly as he said it would be.  

 Zechariah goes on to say that ‘I became impatient with them (or my soul loathed them), and they also detested me’. 

To loath is to be filled with disgust or aversion.  Used in this context, the meaning is that Jesus was filled with disgust when he looked upon the works of the princes, prophets and priests of that day.  In our culture, we might say that the three groups had so corrupted their purpose and misused their authority, that it made Jesus angry and ‘sick to his stomach’.

In turn, the men of these three classes ‘detested’ Jesus.  To detest is commonly defined as ‘to hate’, but it also means ‘to witness against, to denounce, to condemn’. 

It isn’t difficult for us to read through the gospels and find example after example of the Jewish leaders doing exactly that:

Witness Against - Matthew 26:59- Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

Denounce - John 5:16 - And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.

Condemn - Mark 10:33 - Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

Worse yet, they incited large numbers of the common Jews to reject him as well.   

Zechariah 11:9 – So I said, “I will not be our 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.”

Many scholars believe Zechariah’s words are a paraphrase of what was spoken years earlier by the prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 15:1-2 - Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not turn toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.  …Thus says the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.    

These two prophesies are very similar and they have virtually the same meaning.  So what is the God saying through his prophets?

The Lord declares ‘I will not be our shepherd’ or as the King James Version says, ‘I will not feed you’.  The meaning is this: because the people have rejected the Lord and his commands/laws, he will stop ‘feeding’ them or giving them sound doctrine.  

Those who reject sound doctrine set themselves up for destruction.  In this case, the Jews who rejected the gospel message had only one way left to obtain eternal life - to live a sinless life under the law, which we know was impossible.  Therefore they chose death instead of life. 

That kind of death/destruction is not just spiritual; it is often physical as well.  In the case of Jews alive during the incarnation, those who rejected Christ eventually found themselves embroiled in a bitter war with the Romans, which led to the physical destruction of their homes, their city, their temple and themselves.

Sadly, the principle of rejecting sound doctrine in favor of false beliefs/gods occurs many times throughout the scriptures (for instance, the entire book of Judges).  It is important to note that the end result of false doctrine is always the same: spiritual and physical destruction/death. 

This is exactly what we would expect, because in rejecting the ways of Jehovah, you are embracing the ways of Satan and he has nothing to give but bitterness and death.

This leads us to one inescapable conclusion: the judgment of God cannot be considered cruel or malicious, because he tried all possible means to gather his flock to himself.  In the end, they refused; it was their decision to reject Christ’s doctrine and authority.

Luke 13:34 - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets, and stones them that are sent unto you; how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen does gather her brood under her wings, and you would not!   

Let’s look at it another way.  We know that the shepherd is set over a flock for specific purposes: to lead them to places of bountiful food and water, to defend them from wild beasts and robbers, to heal or nurse them and to do what is best for them.

Spiritual shepherds do the same thing.  They provide spiritual food, defend against false teachers/doctrines, provide comfort/healing and generally lead them in the manner that is best for their spiritual good.   

Jesus was more than willing to do all this (and more) for the Jews, but they refused.  Therefore, Jesus ceased to be their Shepherd; he removed his hand of protection/provision from them.  Once that happened, the only possible outcome for the Jews was physical and spiritual death.     

 When the Jews rejected Christ, God then opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles:

Acts 13:46 - Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you [the Jews]: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.    

You and I need to take this lesson to heart, because it is still possible for Christians today to reject sound doctrine and fall into spiritual death.  The apostle Paul warned of this in his letter to Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:3-4 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they draw to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto myths.

As Christians, it is our responsibility to make sure we don’t begin having ‘itchy ears’ that long for false doctrine.  So how can we avoid falling into the same trap?  Here are some tips to keep us from being deceived:

- Be careful who you allow to be a spiritual leader or teacher in your life.  What do you know about the background of this person?  Are there any ‘red flags’ in their everyday lives or ministries that would cause you to pause?  If so, make sure you investigate them fully. 

- As you are being taught in Sunday morning services, or in a bible study or through an online ministry, be sure that you are carefully watching and listening to what they say.  Have your bible close by and double check the scriptural references for accuracy.  If Holy Spirit gives you a warning sign, be sure to listen.  

- Just as Holy Spirit will never give a word of prophesy or vision that does not match up to scripture, neither will he supersede or replace the scriptures with a new ‘word’ or command of God.  If a spiritual leader or teacher tells you they have a ‘new’ word from the Lord that replaces an existing command, beware!

- If you come across a ministry that requires a donation in order for you to receive prayer, or a ministry that claims God will not hear you without a donation, stop following them immediately!  While tithes and offerings should be a part of Christian life, they are not required for answered prayers.

Remember, the devil is a liar who specializes in half-truths.  If you want to avoid being fooled, know the scriptures!

Zechariah 11:10 – And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples.

In this verse we see God officially ‘breaking up’ with his people.  But this does not mean that the grace and salvation of the gospel were completely withdrawn from mankind.  Rather, it was temporarily taken from the Jews (Romans 11:25) and given to another flock – the Gentiles. 

Matthew 21:43 - Therefore I [Jesus] say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Because of God’s goodness and grace, you and I can also receive the salvation given to the Jews!  Such a blessing is almost incomprehensible!  Hallelujah!

In light of the fact that we have received such an astonishing gift, let’s commit ourselves to bringing forth fruit in the kingdom of heaven.

Zechariah 11:11 – So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders (poor of the flock), who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.

There is no doubt that the majority of the Jews rejected Christ as their Shepherd.  But God always has a remnant that is faithful to him (Romans 9:27).  In this prophesy that remnant is referred to as ‘sheep traders’ or ‘poor of the flock’. 

These Jews ‘watched’ or placed their full attention on Jesus, taking note of his commands and words of warning.  Thus, they knew or were fully convinced that the prophesy concerning the destruction of the Jews and the city of Jerusalem was certainly going to come to pass.

Luke 21:20-22 - And when you shall see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let them who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them who are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter into it.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

These Jews were saved from the horrific destruction that eventually came upon those who remained in Jerusalem because they closely listened to the Holy Spirit and obeyed his voice. 

There is still a spiritual war going on today.  If we want to come through it victorious, we too must listen to the voice of Holy Spirit and follow where he leads.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

As we consider the prophesy of Zechariah, one thing becomes very clear – God is always faithful to his word.  When he promises destruction for those who reject him, they will be destroyed.  When he promises blessing for those who follow him, they will be blessed.   

So on those days when life seems hard, or it seems difficult to do the righteous thing, encourage yourself with the promises of God.  Today may be a difficult day, but the time will come when the trumpet sounds and you will live in eternal bliss and glory with King Jesus!

Let me offer you some relief:

Is it possible that you are reading this blog post while being in a state of rebellion against the Lord?  Are you a prodigal who has walked away from your faith?

If so, I want to give you a word of hope and relief.  God did everything in his power to call the Jews back to himself.  He would have forgiven them and immediately placed them back into his flock if they had only asked.

God is more than willing to do the same for you.  All you need to do is humble yourself, confess your sin and ask for forgiveness.  When you do, the blood of Christ will immediately cleanse you from sin and you will be back under the care of the Great Shepherd.    

Let me offer you some strength:

 Are you walking through a difficult time?  If so, let me remind you that you don’t walk alone.  Our loving Shepherd is walking with you every step of the way.  He will lead you in the paths of righteousness and restore your soul.  Even in the valley of the shadow of death, he is there to comfort you.  He will prepare a table of blessing for you under the eyes of your enemies.  Surely his goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of this life (Psalms 23)!  

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Zechariah 11:5 – “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.’”

Welcome back, readers!  In our last post, we began to examine a new word from the Lord through Zechariah.

In that prophesy, God instructs Zechariah to become a shepherd to a doomed flock.  We determined that in this vision/prophesy Zechariah is symbolically representing someone else. 

He represents a future leader of Israel who will instruct a particular generation of Jews that will completely reject his teaching.  In so doing, that generation will also be rejecting Jehovah, who appointed the shepherd to teach them.  Because they reject the word of the Lord (and by extension the Lord himself), they doomed themselves to destruction.

While we could point to a number of different instances in the history of Israel which fulfill this word, we are confining our study to one example – the generation of Jews who rejected Jesus as Messiah during the incarnation.

Now let’s continue on with our study.  Verse 5 is often interpreted in a spiritual sense and in a literal sense.  Let’s look at the spiritual interpretation first. 

Here in verse 5, the prophet speaks of three distinct groups of people:

• Those who ‘sell’ the Jews. 
• Those who ‘buy’ and ‘slaughter’ the Jews. 
• The shepherds who have no pity on the Jews.

However, as it turns out, all three groups are really the same people!

First, let’s discuss the shepherds who are without pity.  This refers to the Scribes, Pharisees, priests, teachers of the law and any other religious leaders of that day.  The spiritual welfare of the people was their responsibility.  They were to serve out of compassion and love, keeping the flock of God on the paths of righteousness. 

But when we examine the scriptures, we find that during the incarnation, this was not the case.  In general, the spiritual leaders of Israel showed no compassion to their fellow Jews; they were putting heavy burdens upon the people, which they themselves could not keep (Matthew 23:4)!

In fact, Jesus says that the religious leaders not only refused to enter into the age of grace, they intentionally hindered anyone who was trying to enter in:

Luke 11:52 – Woe to you lawyers!  For you have taken away the key of knowledge.  You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.

In addition, they chose to enforce or cling to the traditions of their elders even when those traditions were at odds with the commands of God.  They rejected the grace of God and continued to seek eternal life/salvation by the works of the law. They were intentionally blind regarding the things of God, and they forced the common people down those same paths.

Mark 7:7-8 - But in vain do they [the religious leaders] worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such things you do.

This is the same group of men who ‘sold’ the Jews.  Scripture tells us that the religious leaders of the day were all about financial gain:

Matthew 23:14 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater condemnation.  

In short, we can say that these men enriched themselves through collecting a tithe of everything, refusing to take care of their own parents (Mark 7:10-13), and basically using any means at their disposal (moral or immoral) to make money for themselves. 

Worse yet, after doing so, they turned around and offered false praise to God for their ill gotten gains!

They were also the men who spiritually slaughtered the common people.  They fed their fellow Jews regular doses of poisonous doctrines, commanding them to reject the salvation and grace offered by Christ.  They continued to insist that salvation could be achieved through the works of the law, even though the law could only produce death.

Now let’s take a moment to examine the temporal/physical interpretation of verse 5.

In this scenario, the shepherds who have no pity on the Jews and the people who sold them to their enemies are still the same group of people - the religious leaders of the day. 

Again, it was the duty of Israel’s shepherds to protect the nation.  They were to feed the Jews with the word of God, govern according to God’s command, seek the lost, heal the sick and protect the weak.  But they did none of these things. 

Instead, they became like wolves and lions, taking advantage of their own people.  Eventually, after rejecting Christ, they led the Jews in a rebellion against Rome, which caused their own death and ruin. Thus, the religious leaders ‘sold’ their own people to destruction.

History confirms that in 71 AD the Roman commander Titus killed large numbers of Jews while desecrating the temple and destroying Jerusalem.

Here is something interesting to consider:  Those who hold this view (a temporal fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophesy) believe that the Romans would go unpunished for their slaughter of the Jews.  What is the reasoning behind this?  

First we need to understand that God considered Israel his own people, so to attack or strike Israel was the same as attacking or striking God himself.

Jeremiah 2:3 – Israel was holy to the Lord, the first-fruits of his harvest.  All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the Lord.

Attacking Israel was an offence against God, because Israel was God’s chosen nation; the Jews were his covenant people.  Bur the generation destroyed by Rome was the same generation that had rejected Christ as their shepherd. 

In rejecting that shepherd, they also rejected God himself.  Therefore, at that point (due to their own decision) they were no longer in covenant with God so their enemy (Rome) could attack them without fear of retribution from the Lord.

Proponents of this view point out that God often used foreign powers as the rod of correction for his people (as in the entire book of Judges, the conquest of Judah by Babylon, etc).  Unless these foreign nations offended the Lord with their pride or were excessively cruel towards Israel, they were unpunished for their attacks on the Jews.

It is certainly possible for both the spiritual and literal interpretations of this verse to be true.

Zechariah 11:6 – “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.”

The Jews pronounced judgment upon themselves for their rejection of the Messiah.  This verse gives an overview of what that destruction would look like, and we can’t help but notice that it seems to mesh with the known circumstances which took place in 71 AD.

History tells us that during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, the Jews actually killed one another as various religious factions fought among themselves.  Thus, some of the Jews died at the hands of their neighbors.

The word of the Lord predicted that others would be killed by their ‘king’.  Did that occur?  Yes, it did!  When calling for the crucifixion of Christ, the Jews publicly declared that Caesar was their king:

John 19:5-6 – They [the Jews] cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!”  Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”  The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”  So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

By their own request, the Jews rejected Jesus and chose Caesar as their king, and God gave them what they wanted.  Unfortunately, their ‘king’ ruled without pity, slaughtering large numbers of people while destroying and burning the city of Jerusalem and the holy temple.    

In the past, God had delivered his people (either wholesale or a remnant) from all their enemies (the Philistines, Midianites, Ammonites, etc), but not this time.  Because of their rejection of Jesus, God did not deliver anyone in the city from the hands of the Romans.  History records that under Vespasian and Titus, 97 thousand Jews were taken captive and 600 thousand were slain (Josephus lists the number of the slain at 1,100,000).  As the Lord declared hundreds of years earlier through Zechariah, the Jews would be destroyed.     

Zechariah 11:7 – 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.

In this particular case, the King James Version of this verse is a bit clearer than the English Standard Version which we normally use:

Zechariah 11:7 - And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staffs; the one I called Grace, and the other I called Unity; and I fed the flock.

As we mentioned last week, the prophet is most likely recounting or describing a vision which the Lord gave him.  In this vision, Zechariah himself represents the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.  This explains why Zechariah says that he performed certain actions (I will feed the flock, I took two staffs, etc) which we know were ultimately performed by the Messiah.  Just to be clear, Zechariah is describing the actions that he saw himself taking in his vision.  He did not literally feed the doomed flock, nor did he actually go find two staffs, name them and later break them.    

So in this verse we find that God sent Jesus as a shepherd (spiritual leader), who fed (taught) the entire flock (the Jews).  As we have already discovered, the majority of that particular generation doomed themselves to destruction by rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. 

However, there was a small remnant of that generation who DID believe in Jesus as the Messiah.  In this verse, they are referred to as the ‘poor of the flock’.  This group included the apostles, some of the priests/religious leaders and a section of the common people. 

They are described as being poor because they were poor in the things of this world (financially poor) or because they were poor in spirit:

Matthew 5:3 – Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Being poor in spirit is actually a good thing.  Those who are poor in spirit recognize that they are sinners; they acknowledge they live in a state of spiritual poverty which they cannot rise above in their own strength.  The realization of their true situation humbles them to the point where they can seek and find true spiritual riches such as grace, mercy and salvation.  All Christians were at one time poor in spirit.

Once a person accepts the forgiveness and salvation available in Jesus, they are now the richest people on the planet because they are coheirs with Christ (Galatians 4:7).    

Yet, the Jewish Christians of that day could still be described as being poor because they were persecuted, reviled, reproached and cursed by their fellow Jews. Thus, they are described as being the poor of the flock.

Zechariah goes on to say that in his vision he obtained two staffs.   

According to Coke’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, in ancient times shepherds commonly carried two staffs. 

One was a long rod which was sometimes used as an aid or support in climbing hills.  This staff was for counting the sheep, marking every 10^th sheep as a tithe and separating any diseased animals from the healthy ones.

The second staff or crook was rounded at the top.  This was used to grab any stray sheep by the leg or horn and hold them while the shepherd corrected them.     

In the physical sense, when a man picked up the staff(s), he was assuming the role of authority as the shepherd of the flock. 

Likewise, when Zechariah picks up the staffs in his vision, it is symbolic of assuming an office of spiritual authority.  Because Zechariah is symbolic of Christ, this signifies Jesus taking on the role of head spiritual shepherd for all of mankind. 

The two staffs mentioned in this verse are given names.  One was called Grace (or Beauty) and the other Unity (or Bands).  

Dozens and dozens (and dozens) of possible meanings have been ascribed to these two staffs.  Here are just a few:

• Beauty represents the Jews as being God’s chosen people.  Unity represents the brotherhood between Israel and Judah.  Or, the two staffs represent Judah and Israel. 
• The two staffs represent leaders of the Jews, specifically Zerubbabel and Nehemiah.
• Beauty represents good things of God, which Israel enjoyed when she was faithful to him.  These benefits include righteous kings and judges, a land flowing with milk and honey, and revelations of himself which other nations did not have, etc.  Unity or Bands (also rendered destroyers) represents the judgments that fell upon all the people when they broke covenant with God.  This may include the destruction caused by the Babylonians or the Romans. 
• Beauty refers to salvation through the gospel, which is the best thing that ever happened to mankind while Unity refers to the specific ordinances of the gospel which keep unity within the body of Christ.
• The two staffs represent leniency and severity; Christ uses both in governing his people.
• Beauty represents the staff of protection and provision which Christ provides his sheep, while Unity/Bands represents the violence and judgment he uses against the enemies of his people.
• Beauty represents the temple or spiritual life of mankind, while Unity represents the civil government or society of the nations.
• The two represent the double care that Jesus has for his flock – care for their souls and care for their bodies.     

Perhaps bible commentator Matthew Poole said it best: “…thus Christ enters on the actual exercise of his office, and takes two staves to himself, at the meaning whereof, we can but guess.”

(After reading through lengthy lists of possible meanings for Beauty and Unity, I tend to agree with Poole!)

Although the definite meaning/significance of these staffs remains a mystery, there are some things we know for certain:

1. At some point the Father, Son and Spirit were in agreement that Jesus would be the Redeemer of mankind.  In accordance with that decision, Jesus humbled himself and took on a body of flesh.  Through his death and resurrection, he became the spiritual Shepherd of all who would come to him:

John 10:11 – I [Jesus] and the good shepherd:  the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

2. ‘All’ includes both Jews and Gentiles:

John 10:16 – And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

3. Jesus possesses everything that is needed for the office he has undertaken.  We might say he has ‘the right tools for the job’.  In Psalms 23:4, David speaks of God’s ‘rod and his staff’ which represent both correction and support. 

The bottom line is that Jesus is all we need!   

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  As David tells us in Psalm 23, the Lord leads us into green pastures and beside still waters.  In other words, as long as we follow after him, he leads, provides and protects us.   

However, this does not mean that we will never face trials or storms in life.  What it does mean is that whatever situation we are facing, the Good Shepherd has seen it and allowed it to touch our lives.

Since that is the case, we know the trial we face will be for our good.  It will draw us closer to the Shepherd, it will teach us his ways, it will prune us so we produce more fruit and it will increase our faith. 

That trial will also result in God’s glory.  As sinners witness the peace you have during your ordeal, they will want to know how they can have it too.  They will want to know where you are getting the strength to stand in the storm. 

This will be your opportunity to glorify your Shepherd by bringing him a lost sheep.  That alone makes your trial worthwhile!  But wait… there’s more!

Let me offer you some strength:

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you have no doubt realized that the end result of every test is a testimony. 

Every storm and every trial ultimately gives us another opportunity to speak about the goodness, favor, protection and grace of our God.  It also gives us another reason/opportunity to worship our God and give him praise.      

Are you facing a storm right now?  If so, do not despair or lose hope!  Stand strong in your faith, and you will soon have yet another testimony to share with the world.  

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Zechariah 11:2 – 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!

Welcome back, readers.  In our last post we took a closer look at the cedars of Lebanon which are mentioned prominently in the scriptures.  We discovered that the cedars could represent literal trees, national leaders (political and/or religious) or entire nations.

The imagery of the trees found in verse one continues with the mention of cypress and oaks. 

Notice that the prophet instructs the oak and cypress trees to wail.  Because emotions/feelings and actions are ascribed to these trees, we know they are symbolic of humans.  What group of people do they represent?

Because cypress and oak trees are considered inferior to the cedars of Lebanon, we would expect the people represented by them to be ‘inferior’ to the leaders in some manner. 

The most likely interpretation is that these people are subordinate in power, rank and authority to the national leaders.  In other words, the cypress and oaks represent the ordinary citizens of the country.  These are the people who are told to weep and wail.

We know that the cause of their despair is the destruction of the forest of cedars (leaders).  However, we again find that this event may be interpreted in more than one way.

Some scholars believe this prophesy should be seen as a warning to the common people regarding personal holiness.  If God will not overlook the sins of the leaders, neither will he overlook the sins of the individuals within the nation.  When the common folks see their leaders being judged, it is a warning for them to repent lest they suffer the same fate.   

This is a sober warning, which is applicable in our generation too.  It seems like many religious and civil leaders have been in the news recently because of moral failures.  This is a reminder to ordinary citizens such as ourselves that nothing is hidden from God.  Should we be engaging in any kind of moral sin, we must repent immediately.  If we fail to do so, public exposure may come to us as well.

Another interpretation says that in the natural realm, the forest of cedars was a barrier of safety for the nation.  When God withdrew his hand of protection and allowed the physical forest to fall, it was a sign that Israel’s defenses were gone. 

At that point, no wall, gate, citadel or other physical defense could repel Israel’s enemies or keep them from breaching the strongholds of the nation.  No place or thing would be spared; God was giving Israel’s enemies access to everything. 

Therefore, the citizens of Israel should mourn because the destruction or downfall of their nation was only a matter of time.  That downfall would include the loss of all their personal possessions, their families, their beloved temple, and their land. 

Moreover, as we would expect, destruction of the temple signaled a break in the relationship between God and his people.

Thus, we find that the interpretation of this scripture could be either spiritual or literal.  In fact, it could be both – once the leaders of Israel allowed sin to drive a wedge between them and the Lord, it was only a matter of time before that broken relationship manifested as destruction in the natural realm.

Zechariah 11:3 – 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!

The final verse in this short prophesy contains two separate statements, which basically reflect the same thing.

The first thing we notice about this verse is that the focus shifts from the wailing of the common people to the wailing of the shepherds. As you are probably aware, in both the Old and New Testaments, the civil and religious leaders of God’s people as referred to as shepherds: 

Zechariah 10:3 – “My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.”

I Peter 5:1-3 – So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ…shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

The national leaders are not upset over a minor complaint or inconvenience.  They are crying out in deep distress and bitter anguish because they have been judged; they either lost everything, or they are about to.  This includes their authority/positions, honors, homes, riches and security.  In the day of judgment, everything would be stripped from them. 

Let’s stop and ask this question:  Why are they being judged? 

As shepherds, these leaders were charged with the duty of taking care of the ‘flock’ or common people.  The civil leaders were to rule in such a way that God’s laws were followed and his name honored.  They were to deal fairly with all people.  They were especially charged with making sure that people did not oppress or take advantage of widows and orphans. 

Deuteronomy 27:19 – Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.  And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

While they were to be compensated for their work, the leaders were not to enrich themselves at the expense or undue burden of the people they served.  They were to shepherd God’s people with the understanding that they served the Lord, who is the ultimate shepherd of his people (John 10:11&14, Psalms 23:1, Psalms 28:9, Ezekiel 34:15, etc).

Similarly, the religious leaders of the nation were charged with keeping the law themselves (being a public example), teaching God’s ways to the rest of the nation, and righteously running the temple.

However, it is clear from this passage that the leaders became corrupt, forsaking their duties in order to enrich themselves and satisfy their own lusts.

So far in this portion of scripture the leaders are described as cedars of Lebanon – they are majestic, useful and important (or they had the opportunity to be).  Next, they are identified as shepherds – those given the responsibility of guiding God’s people.  Finally, the Lord calls them roaring lions.

Interestingly, shepherds are supposed to protect the flock from the lions who seek to destroy or ‘eat up’ the sheep.  This was a task that David performed many times before becoming king:

I Samuel 17:34-35 – But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father.  And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth.  And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.”

Instead of being good shepherds, the leaders of Israel would become lions who preyed upon the people they were supposed to protect and serve.  They would use their positions of authority to take advantage of the people for quite some time.  But eventually, God would ‘ruin the thicket of Jordan’ which would cause these corrupt leaders to roar with anguish.  What does that mean?

Along the banks of the Jordan River, there are areas of dense shrubs, trees and thickets which are the habitations and resting places of lions.  There the animals live in peace and security, proudly and boldly patrolling their territory, stalking unsuspecting prey at will. 

Just as these lions would roar in fury and dismay if their habitat (and lifestyle) is destroyed, so the religious and civil leaders of Jerusalem will be struck with desperation and rage when God removes his hand of protection from them, and they lose everything. 

By way of conclusion, we can say that in all three examples (trees, shepherds, lions) the implication is that at some point between the days of Zechariah and the return of the Lord, the leaders of Israel would profane/abandon the duties they had been given and become corrupt.  The end result of their sin would be the oppression of God’s people.

But God would eventually intervene, pronouncing judgment against the corrupt and disobedient rulers.  This judgment would also result in the fall of the nation.  Once these rulers have been deposed, God would raise up a new, righteous shepherd to lead his flock:

Jeremiah 49:19 – Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I [the Lord] will suddenly make him run away from her.  And I will appoint over her whomever I choose.  For who is like me?  Who will summon me?  What shepherd can stand before me?

With this in mind, can we find a time in the history of the Jews when events similar to those described here have come to pass?

We can certainly point out multiple possible fulfillments in the history of Israel.  However, the most obvious example occurred during the incarnation of Christ.

In the New Testament, Jesus goes into great detail describing the corruption of the Jewish leaders (both civil and religious) in Matthew chapter 23.

In this passage, he tells his followers not to follow the example of their leaders, because they say one thing, but do another.  In fact, Jesus says that they tie up heavy burdens and place them upon the shoulders/backs of those under their leadership, while they themselves will not live by the same rules. 

These leaders are also described as proud and boastful, seeking honor and praise from men instead of seeking to please God.  Jesus ends by pronouncing several ‘woes’ upon them, calling them blind guides.  (If you have a few minutes, read the entire chapter of Matthew 23.  You will find that Jesus’ description of the religious leaders of his day are a perfect example of the prophesy of Zechariah 11:1-3). 

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus describes these same leaders as ‘ravenous wolves’, which would be very similar to a lion:

Matthew 7:15 – Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

And of course, as you well know, not long after the death and resurrection of Christ the Christian Jews were warned to flee from Jerusalem.  After they left, the Romans turned on the remaining Jews (those who had rejected Christ), slaughtering most of them while burning and desecrating the temple. 

Thus, just as Zechariah foretold, the disobedient Jewish leaders eventually lost everything - their authority/positions, their honor, their families, their luxuries, their money, and even their lives.

Summary:  Verse 1-3 are a complete word from the Lord which is separate from the rest of this chapter.  The overall concept is that the leaders of Israel fall into apostasy, failing in their duty to lead, guide and protect God’s people.  They are rebellious/disobedient to the commands of God.  As a result, the entire nation falls into sin.  Eventually, God withdraws his hand of protection, bringing judgment upon the leaders and the nation.

This word of the Lord is not specific to a particular event or time.  Rather, it reveals a concept or a principle which we see at work in many instances throughout the history of Israel, including during the incarnation of Christ. 

However, it is a clear preface to the word of the Lord which follows in verse four:

Zechariah 11:4 – Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter.” 

Verse four begins a new word from the Lord, which may be coming in the form of a vision (more on this later).  In this vision, God is instructing Zechariah to become a shepherd – one who is to lead and teach the Jews in the ways of the Lord.

But at first glance, that doesn’t make much sense, because Zechariah already is a shepherd of Israel.  He was not only from a priestly family, he was one of the chief priests (Nehemiah 2:16), who were charged with the guidance and instruction of the common people:

Malachi 2:7 – For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

Therefore, it is doubtful that God is speaking to Zechariah in a literal sense.  So let’s dig deeper – another possibility is that in this vision, Zechariah is symbolically representing someone else.  If he were representing someone else, who would it be?

We are given two clues or specific pieces of information about this mystery person or persons. First, they would be a shepherd or teacher of Israel.  Second, they would teach a specific flock or group of Jews – a generation doomed to slaughter.

This brings up an important question:  How does a generation become doomed to slaughter?

Answer:  They reject, rebel against, or become disobedient to the word of the Lord. 

For example, there was a generation of Jews who were liberated from Egypt by the mighty power of God.  After their rescue, God took them to the gates of the Promised Land and instructed them to go forth and take the Land.  But they rebelled against the word of the Lord and refused to fight.  As a result, that generation was doomed to wander in the desert until they died (Numbers 32:13). 

Later, at the end of the era of the kings, we find that the Jews again rejected the word of the Lord by worshiping and serving false gods.  As a result of their disobedience, that generation was also doomed to either death or exile:

Ezekiel 5:11-12 - Therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD; Surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore will I also diminish you… a third part of you shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about you; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

So, in this vision Zechariah becomes symbolic of a future shepherd who will instruct/teach a particular generation of Jews that will utterly reject his teaching.  In so doing, they reject not only the shepherd who teaches them, they also reject God who appointed the shepherd.  Because of this rejection, they doom themselves to destruction.

In the period of time between the life of Zechariah and today, we can find a number of fulfillments (or partial fulfillments) of this prophesy.  However, we are going to focus our study on one particular case – the generation of Jews who rejected Jesus during the incarnation.

As we will see through the remainder of our study, Jesus gave the Jews numerous warnings of coming destruction if they rejected him as the Messiah.  One such warning came in the form of a parable.

In Matthew 21:33-46 we have the Parable of the Tenants, which reflects the same truth Zechariah shared with the people of his day (See also Mark 12:1-12 and Luke 20:9-19).

If you have a chance, please read this passage.  In case you can’t take the time to do so, I will recap it for you.  The master of a house plants a vineyard, surrounds it with a fence, digs a winepress and erects a watchtower on the property. 

He leases the property out to some tenants and goes to a foreign country.  At the time of harvest, he sends numerous servants to collect his fruit.  But every representative the owner sends is either beaten or killed by the tenants.  Finally, the master sends his own son to the tenants, with the belief that the tenants will respect his son above all others.

But they don’t – instead they say, ‘This is the heir.  Let’s kill him and the vineyard will be ours’.  Then Jesus asks the Jews what will happen to the tenants.  They reply that the master will put the tenants to death and give control of the vineyard to others. 

Little did they realize they were speaking of themselves!  Because they rejected Jesus and were disobedient to his commands, they became sheep set apart for slaughter (Psalms 44:22).

Let’s delve a bit deeper into the parable of the tenants. 

We know that the master in this parable is God the Father, his servants are the prophets/apostles, and the Son is Jesus.  The tenants who abuse the messengers of God are the Jewish leaders of the day (Pharisees, priests, Sadducees, teachers of the law). 

The Jews were supposed to be followers of God.  In addition, it was their responsibility to tend to God’s vineyard – their fellow Jews – by teaching them the laws and principles of God while leading them by example. 

But, like the tenants in the parable, the Jewish leaders were disobedient to their call.   They rejected Christ as their shepherd, which eventually led to their own destruction.

We often marvel at the stubbornness and obstinacy of the Jews.  We often point the finger of judgment and condemn them for their disobedience. 

But we should keep in mind that whenever we point a finger of judgment at someone, we are pointing three fingers back at ourselves!  Perhaps it would be best if we removed the speck from our own eye before trying to take the beam out of theirs!

We too consider ourselves followers of God; yet we often live in disobedience to his commands!

For example, we often neglect to follow God’s commands in the area of personal holiness.  Scripture tells us that we are to live holy lives, set apart as vessels to be used of God:

I Peter 1:15 - …but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…

Furthermore, there are many places in scripture where we are told to remove specific sins from our lives.  One such example is found in Colossians chapter 3:

Colossians 3:5,8 – Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk from your mouth.

But how many of us are still living in disobedience to these commands? 

• How many of us are engaging in sexual activity that is outside God’s framework of marriage between a man and woman? 
• How many of us operate in anger? 
• How many times do obscene words or cursing come from our lips? 
• How often do we gossip? 
• Are we jealous or do we covet the blessings of our neighbors?

I think you get the picture.  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were happily going about their lives, seemingly ignorant of the fact that their disobedience was an insult to God.

So too, many modern-day Christians seem ignorant of the fact that God has called us to be holy in all we do.  The benchmark of our holiness is not the society around us, or even the accepted practices of the church; the standard of our holiness is the perfect holiness of God himself.  Are we striving for that?

How many of us read the scriptures daily, but are not the least bit convicted or challenged by them?  Truthfully, many Christians are just as blind to the sins in their own lives as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day.

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In today’s post we noted that the leaders of Israel were walking in disobedience to the commands of the Lord.  Normally, we think of disobedience as doing the opposite of what we are commanded to do.  For example, we are commanded to speak the truth, so when we lie, we are disobedient.

But sometimes we forget that failing to the right thing is also walking in disobedience!

For example, in Matthew 23:23, Jesus says the scribes and Pharisees were guilty of neglecting the laws of justice, mercy and faithfulness.  In other words, they didn’t necessarily do the wrong thing; they simply failed or refused to do the right thing!

My point is some of us might be tempted to say that we are not walking in disobedience to God’s commands.  While it may be true that we are not breaking his commands, we may still be guilty of failing to perform the good works he has called us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

I encourage you to take an honest look at your life.  Can you hear the voice of Holy Spirit?  When he stops you during your busy day and commands you to speak to a hurting person, or give an unusual offering, or perform some other good work, are you obedient to his command?

 Let me offer you some relief:

Perhaps at this very moment, you are acutely aware that you have been walking in disobedience to a particular command of the Lord.  Perhaps you are feeling uneasy or guilty because of it.

If so, I want to make sure you understand the difference between conviction and condemnation.

Condemnation is from the devil.  Through it, he seeks to convince you that you were a failure in the past, you are a failure now and that you will always be a failure in the future. 

He will do his best to convince you that your sin is so bad, God will never forgive you.  Essentially, he wants you to think that you have no hope, so you should just give up trying to serve the Lord, or even give up on life.

But remember, Satan is not just a liar, he is the Father of Lies! 

Scripture tells us that there is no sin or blasphemy that can’t be forgiven, except the outright rejection of Christ, which is what the devil is trying to accomplish with condemnation (Matthew 12:31).  Don’t fall for his tricks!

Conviction, on the other hand, comes through Holy Spirit.  If you are sinning, he will convict you of your actions, which may make you feel guilty.  But the purpose and result of his work is not hopelessness – it is to draw you into repentance so your relationship to God can be restored.  Thus, the end result of conviction is freedom in Christ.   

II Corinthians 7:10 – For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

If you are being convicted by the Spirit of a sin, please embrace his call!  He desires to help you be free from that bondage so you can walk in obedience to Christ.

Let me offer you some strength:

Are you looking for a good example of obedience?  How about our Savior, Messiah and King, Jesus Christ?  Scripture tells us that he was obedient to the Father, even to the point of death on the cross:

Philippians 2:8 – And being found in fashion as a man, he [Jesus] humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus was willing to be obedient to the cross so that we could be forgiven.  In light of that sacrifice, how can we refuse to be obedient to his life-giving commands?   

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Zechariah 11:1 – Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars! 

Now we come to chapter 11 of the book of Zechariah.  As we discussed in our introduction, the last four chapters of this book have a decidedly different tone and message.  Promises of blessing and mercy are replaced by warnings of judgment. 

Some bible commentators believe this is proof that the last four chapters of Zechariah were written by a different author.  However, we must keep in mind that the God we serve is not only a God of love, but a God of justice.  He will equally (and perfectly) administer mercy and judgment in accordance with his perfect and unchangeable character. For this reason, we should not be surprised to see warnings of judgment.

It might be best to think of it this way:  Not all people are motivated in the same way.  Some sinners are called into the kingdom by messages of love.  Others require a message of ‘hell, fire and brimstone’ before they will submit to Jesus.  God provides both types of messages in the book of Zechariah, so that he touches the heart of every person.

Here is something else to consider: As we have pointed out several times, the final or climactic fulfillment of many of the promises of God through Zechariah will come in the final days of this world, close to (or during) the reign of antichrist. 

Obviously, between the days of Zechariah and the days of antichrist Israel was not always going to be faithful to the Lord.  Therefore, she would not always be blessed and prosperous.  She was in for her share of calamity and destruction, including the destruction of the temple and the capital city of Jerusalem. 

Giving the Jews prior warning of these judgments is in keeping with God’s righteous ways.  And because he told them up front what would happen, it gives them greater faith in him, instead of eroding trust.

Now let’s take a closer look at our text.  We’ll begin by reviewing what we know about cedars.

Cedars grow abundantly in Palestine, particularly in Lebanon.  The trees that grow in this region are world renown; they are of the highest quality and are considered to be ‘the best of the best’.  These cedars are often referred to as the glory of Lebanon. 

The trees themselves are tall and stately, having a very desirable fragrance.  In addition to being strong and durable, the wood is naturally resistant to insects making it highly prized in building expensive homes.  During ancient biblical times, cedar was the top choice for beams, boards, pillars and ceilings.  It was also well suited and much desired for carved work like trim boards or even idols.  It was also used to build ships and masts. 

As you probably know, King David used cedar in the building of his royal palace (II Samuel 5:11).  Additionally, he provided ‘cedar trees without number’ which were used in building the temple of Solomon (I Chronicles 22:4).  Cedar was also used when the temple was rebuilt during the days of Zechariah (Ezra 3:7).  Although scripture does not definitely say so, we can safely assume that cedar was used when Herod remodeled the temple just before the incarnation of Christ.

So, we find that the cedars of Lebanon are literal trees that have many practical uses.  These trees are highly valued and sought after; they are considered the best in the world.

However, when reading the scriptures, we also find that the ‘cedars of Lebanon’ is a symbolic phrase used to represent leaders (political or religious) or entire nations. 

For example, in Isaiah 2:6-22, the prophet pronounces judgment upon the leaders of Israel (both political and religious) for pride, greed and idolatry.  In the prophesy, the leaders of the nation are described as ‘cedars of Lebanon’ (and oaks of Bashan).  This implies that they were powerful, that they lived in luxury, that they had great influence over others (because people wanted to be like them) and that they refused to bow/submit to the Lord.      

Another example of cedars referring to leaders of a nation can be found in II Kings 14:9-10.  In this passage, Johash king of Israel refers to himself as a cedar of Lebanon.  The inference is that he considers himself to be a strong and mighty ruler (far superior to the King of Judah), rich in goods and wisdom, who could withstand any enemy attack. 

In other passages, the term ‘cedars of Lebanon’ is used to describe entire nations, as in Ezekiel 31 where ‘cedar of Lebanon’ refers to the powerful nation of Assyria (see verses 1-11). 

Interestingly, in II Kings 19:20-28, the king of Assyria contemptuously describes the nations he has conquered as cedars growing on the sides of Lebanon:

2 Kings 19:23 – By your messengers you [the king of Assyria] have mocked the Lord, and you have said, ‘With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon; I felled its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses…

The inference is that the nations Assyria had conquered were all powerful, mighty and wealthy – the ‘best of the best’ - but Assyria was even greater since it had defeated them all.  The speech of the Assyrian leaders was as boastful and full of pride as you could get!

Now that we know ‘cedars of Lebanon’ can refer to literal trees or it can be a symbolic term for individual national leaders as well as entire nations, let’s circle back to our text.

Zechariah 11:1 says ‘Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars’.  How should we interpret this verse?  Is it literal or symbolic?  Does it refer to a place, a leader or a nation?

Not surprisingly, different scholars have offered different interpretations.

On interpretation says God is symbolically referring to the nation of Judah (also referred to as the house of David).  This theory says that the leaders of Judah (and by extension the nation) were great, glorious and untouchable because they followed the Lord who defended them.  However, when they went astray God withdrew his hand of protection and the leaders (and by extension the nation) became easy prey for their enemies. 

Jeremiah 22:6-7 – For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah: “You are like Gilead to me, like the summit of Lebanon, yet surely, I will make you a desert, an uninhabited city.  I will prepare destroyers against you, each with his weapons, and they shall cut down your choicest cedars and cast them into the fire.”

In this passage, God clearly uses the term ‘Lebanon’ to describe Judah, and he declares he will cut down or remove her choicest leaders. 

This is certainly a valid interpretation for the verse, but at the same time we must admit that it is very vague.  Many scholars find fault with this interpretation because pinning it to a particular fulfillment in history is very difficult.    

There is also a literal interpretation for this verse.  This theory maintains that the prophesy refers to the temple.  One reason for this interpretation is the use of the phrase ‘open your doors’, which indicates a building of some kind.

In addition, we know for certain that literal cedar wood from Lebanon was used in the construction of the temple, and since the temple is really the only building/house we would expect God to be concerned with, the actual temple is being spoken of in this passage.

Although the Jews of Zechariah’s day did not know it, the doors of the temple they were in the process of building would be opened to invaders in 167 BC.  At that time, Antiochus Epiphanes (king of Syria) would order the altar to be desecrated, and he would dedicate the temple of God to Zeus.

As history tells us, the temple was eventually reclaimed and cleansed by the Maccabees in 165 BC and it remained under Jewish control until after the death of Christ. 

Then, in 71 AD, the doors of the temple were once again opened or breached by the Romans who again desecrated the altar and set the entire structure on fire. 

Those who support this interpretation of the verse believe that the prophetic word was fulfilled both in 167BC and 71AD.  Furthermore, they believe that when the third temple is finally built, it too will have its doors opened/breached by the antichrist.

It is also worth noting that when the temple was destroyed in 71AD, so were the political and religious leaders and the city itself; thus, judgment was against the cedars both literal and symbolic.  

A third theory, also literal, believes that the area referred to is the forest of Lebanon, which was a boundary between Judah and its neighboring countries. This theory says that the ‘doors’ of Lebanon are the literal mountain passes in the region. 

The ‘opening of the doors’ is symbolic for the ease with which any army invading from the north could traverse the land and find itself on the doorstep of Jerusalem.  In this theory, the fire refers to the rage of Israel’s enemies.  Those who support this interpretation find a particular fulfillment during the Roman occupation.

Before we continue, I’d like to pause for a moment and consider this topic from another angle.  Regardless of whether this prophesy refers to the temple, the nation of Israel or its leaders, it clearly refers to a time of destruction, which is the result of sin. 

Sin always results in destruction.  This principle was true during the times of ancient Israel, it was true during the times of Zechariah, and it is still true today. 

The apostle James tells us that our own lust/desire ‘opens the door’ for sin to enter our lives.  If we don’t root that sin out immediately, it will grow and eventually result in death and destruction:

James 1:11-16 – But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Keep in mind that the book of James was written to Christians, not to sinners.  Over and over in the scriptures we are instructed by multiple men of God to guard ourselves against sin and exercise the self-discipline of personal holiness.  On one occasion, the apostle Paul puts it this way:

Romans 6:13 – Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Honestly, I don’t think most Christians are hoping to squeeze as much sin into their lives as possible.  I believe we are all seeking to please the Lord by the way we live our lives.

However, this doesn’t happen naturally or by accident.  Even though we are saved by grace, we still have a fallen nature.  Our natural ‘default setting’ is to sin.  (If the tendency toward sin was fully removed when we received salvation, we would have sin-free lives and a perfect church!)

Because this is the case, we must put forth effort to remove/prune sin away from our hearts.  In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul instructs us to:

Ephesians 4:22-24 - …put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

In light of these verses, let’s ask ourselves some questions:  Are we acutely aware of sin in our lives?  Are we working on our own personal holiness?  What practical steps are we undertaking to separate ourselves from sin?  Do we have a plan, or are we just hoping for the best?

If we are not currently in pursuit of holiness, it’s time to begin.  As a first step, I recommend spending time in prayer.  Read over the many, many portions of scripture which speak about personal holiness.  You must meditate on these until Holy Spirit impresses their importance upon your heart. 

This is an important first step because if you are not fully convicted of sin and fully convinced you need to change, you will eventually give up the pursuit of holiness when it becomes difficult or uncomfortable.

Secondly, you must focus on a specific area of sin.  Don’t just randomly pick one.  As you pray into this topic and listen to the voice of Holy Spirit, he will reveal a particular area of your life that needs to be changed at this time.  

Once he reveals the area of change, begin to search the word of God for scriptures relating to that topic.  You must meditate on these portions of scripture until your mind is renewed and you begin to think like Christ in that area. 

Now you are ready to do the actual ‘pruning’ of your life.  Eventually that sin will try to trap you again.  But this time you will be ready for it!  Quote the word of God to it; resist the devil and he will flee from you.  By the power of the Spirit, you will be victorious over that sin!

James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Today’s post focuses on the cedars of Lebanon.  In the symbolic sense, they represent people in places of leadership.  So let me encourage you to be a spiritual cedar!

Regardless of your situation in life, you can be an effective witness for Christ through leading by example.  In other words, commit yourself to personal holiness; live a life that is different from the world. 

As you stand for righteousness in the things you say and do, it will not only be a witness to the people around you, it will encourage less mature Christians to live the same kind of holy life. 

Let me offer you some relief:

All Christians are called to crucify our fleshly passions and be as holy as possible.  If you are like me, you have tried to do this using your own strength.  Perhaps you have repented of a sin, then promised the Lord that you would NEVER do that again, only to find yourself doing it later that day!

If that’s you, let me offer you some relief – it IS possible to overcome that sin.

I Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it.

The problem with most of us is that we try to gain victory over sin either in our own strength or using our own tactics.  Neither one of these will bring us victory.  We must conquer sin using the principles outlined in God’s word.

As we mentioned in today’s post, the first step is allowing Holy Spirit to fully convict you of a specific sin.  Once that happens, you must put forth the effort to renew your mind; you must put on the mind of Christ and think as he thinks about that sin. 

When you can successfully do that, you will gain the victory!

Let me offer you some strength:

Personal holiness is not a one-time event – it’s a process that takes place over time.  Can you rid yourself of a besetting sin?  Yes – but it will take time, effort, and the help of Holy Spirit. 

There will be times when you fail, but don’t give up.  God’s mercies are new every morning; great is his faithfulness! 

When you stumble, cast that sin under the blood of Jesus, forget what lies behind and press on into victory in Christ (Philippians 3:13-14)!    

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Zechariah 10:9 – “Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.”

As we pointed out in our last post, the remainder of this chapter focuses on promises that God made to his people, especially to the children of Israel.  These promises include both spiritual and temporal/physical blessings and they include an element of battle (also spiritual and physical). 

Most bible scholars believe the final fulfillment of these promises is still in the future.  This is consistent with what Paul tells us in Romans chapter 11, where we read that God has caused a temporary blindness to come upon the Jews until the Gentiles have been brought into his kingdom.  God promises that at the proper time, he will then remove the blindness of his people and draw them back to himself.

Here in Zechariah 10:9 we are told that God scattered Israel among the nations.  Of course, we know this to be true; the Jews have been scattered throughout the known world on several occasions.  Some of these include:

• The Jews of Israel were scattered when Assyria conquered them in 721 BC.
• The Jews of Judah were scattered when Babylon conquered them in 597 BC.
• Just after the foundation of the church, severe persecution scattered the Jews to almost all of the surrounding countries.
• Large numbers of Jews were scattered from Jerusalem after the Romans destroyed the city in 71 AD.
• The Jews were scattered among the nations during WWII, when they fled from the Nazis.

In order to grasp the true meaning of this verse, we need to take a closer look at the word ‘scattered’.  To scatter means to disperse or to spread in different directions.  In many ways, this does accurately describe what happened to the Jews.  But the word ‘scatter’ has a negative connotation; it carries the idea of mindless or random dissipation and/or breaking something down in order to destroy or remove it. 

Most versions of the bible translate the Hebrew word as ‘sowed’ instead of ‘scattered’, which is a better word choice, because it more accurately describes what God was doing.

We know that God never intended to hurt or destroy Israel.  When he ‘sowed’ them among the nations, the idea is that he purposely planted them throughout the world as a farmer would sow seed. 

Hosea 2:23 - …and I will sow her [Israel] for myself in the land.  And I will have mercy on No Mercy and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’ and he shall say, ‘You are my God’.

A farmer intentionally sows seed in the best possible places because his goal is to reap the largest harvest possible.  In the same way, God did not just randomly scatter the Jews around the world, he purposely planted them in specific places where he could nurture and multiply them with the full intention of bringing them back to himself:

Hosea 2:19-20 – And I will betroth you [Israel] to me forever.  I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.  I will betroth you to me in faithfulness.  And you shall know the Lord.

God reveals to the Jews that their displacement to Babylon (and other countries) was not the last time they would be ‘scattered’.  But this should not be a reason to worry or fear.  God was in full control as he intentionally ‘sowed’ them throughout the world. 

Furthermore, God assures his people that at the appointed time, he will once again gather them to himself.  This ingathering will involve multiple generations of the Jews (them and their children), indicating that none will be lost. 

At some point the Jews will ‘remember the Lord’, which speaks of spiritual understanding; they will finally accept Jesus as the Messiah and receive salvation.  They will be part of the church and will enjoy the same spiritual and physical benefits that are available to all believers.

Zechariah 10:10 – “I will bring them home from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria, and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, till there is no room for them.”

There are differences of opinion on how to best interpret this verse. 

The nation of Israel was located between Egypt (to the west) and Assyria (to the east).  For this reason, some theorize that Egypt and Assyria represent not only themselves, but all of the great empires of the world which would later exist in those lands and cause Israel to suffer. 

However, regardless of which nations God’s people wound up in, he would bless them and call them back to himself.  This return would involve a literal return to Gilead and Lebanon, which represent the boundaries of the Promised Land.  God would so multiply his people that upon their return, there would barely be enough room for all of them to live.

A second interpretation says that the scripture should be translated “As I brought them out of the land of Egypt, so will I gather them from Assyria”.  In this theory, a parallel is suggested between the way Israel was delivered from Egypt and the way it will be delivered from future oppression.  This may entail a physical bondage and release, and/or a spiritual one. 

In a physical sense, it means that at some point, Israel will find herself totally bound by another nation or group and unable to defend/free herself.  At that time, she will cry out to God and he will once again use his miraculous power to deliver her (just as he delivered her from Egypt). 

This would not only free the Jews, it would also provide a terrifying and irrefutable testimony to the nation who tried to oppress God’s people.  This testimony would glorify God and give the heathen nations the opportunity to accept salvation.

In the spiritual sense, we know that the bondage of Israel in Egypt was a picture of the bondage of sin.  It reflected the oppression that mankind was subjected to under the authority of Satan.  Just as God brought his people out of Egypt with great miracles and his own mighty strength, he will also bring them out of spiritual darkness and into the freedom of Christ Jesus, which is possible only through his miraculous power and might. 

Thus, the Jews will find themselves members of the kingdom of heaven - a spiritual Gilead (which means ‘heap or mass of testimony’) and Lebanon (which means ‘white’, as in washed in the blood of the Lamb).    

In this theory, the phrase ‘till there is no room for them’ refers to the number of people who are admitted into the kingdom, which is a number beyond measure.

A third theory says that Egypt and Assyria are both mentioned to assure the Jews that the redemption being promised was open to them all.  This theory takes into account a cultural difference among the Jews.

Once the Lord had freed the Jews from Egyptian bondage, they were never to return and live there (Deuteronomy 17:16).  However, during the times of dispersion, there were some Jews who fled to Egypt.  These people were regarded with distain by other Jews.  The reputation of any Jew who returned to Egypt was sullied or tarnished in the eyes of his fellow Jews. 

It is possible that the majority of Jews would have felt the promises of God did not apply to these Egyptian Jews.  Thus, when God promises to bring his people back from both Assyria and Egypt, he is making it perfectly clear that he means ALL of his people, no matter where they were in the world, or what they had done.

Zechariah 10:11 – “He shall pass through the sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.  The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart…”

Here we have a reference to both a sea and a river (Nile).  These are allusions to former miracles that God had performed on behalf of the Jews.

In the first instance, God miraculously brought ten plagues upon the nation of Egypt, who finally agreed to let Israel go.  But shortly afterward, Pharaoh changed his mind.  He gathered his troops and marched out against Israel as they camped before the Red Sea. 

At that time, God again displayed his miraculous power by standing between Israel and her enemies in the form of a pillar of fire and cloud.  He kept the Egyptians at bay all night while a severe east wind blew and God parted the Red sea. 

As you recall, all of the Jews passed over the sea on dry ground.  Once they had passed, the pillar moved and the Egyptians rushed after the Jews.  As they were in the midst of the dry seabed, God caused the water to return to its original boundaries and all of the Egyptians drowned (Exodus 14:22-30). 

We find a similar occurrence when the Israelites were finally ready to conquer the Promised Land.  In order to reach Jericho, they had to cross the Jordan which was at the spring flood stage.  Once again, God parted the waters and his people crossed on dry land (Joshua 3:14-17). 

The point is that the literal waters of the sea and river were obstacles which stood in the way of Israel’s blessing and restoration.  Israel herself was incapable of removing these obstacles, but God was not; he struck the waters and provided his people with safe passage through them.

Likewise, God will make a way through every future obstacle or ‘sea of trouble’ which opposes Israel’s blessing and restoration. 

These obstacles may refer to affliction, oppression or problems of any kind – political, financial, etc.  However, it should be noted that in scripture ‘sea’ is often symbolic of the nations of the world.  Thus, the ‘sea of trouble’ may also refer to nations or kingdoms who oppose Israel and her restoration.  Regardless of the nature or identity of the obstacle, God will simply strike it down, so his people can pass through. 

This is a powerful reminder to the Jews that God’s power has not diminished; no force on earth, under the earth, or in the heavens can stop him from coming to the assistance of his people and providing them with victory.  His past deliverances are proof/assurance that he will also deliver them in the future.  

As God delivers his people, their enemies (as represented by Assyria and Egypt) will fall out of power and be destroyed.  Again, this is believed to be something that will occur in the future; possibly as the final end-time kingdom of Satan tries one last time to destroy the Jews. 

Spiritually speaking, the message is that God will bring the Jews into the kingdom of heaven, regardless of any/all opposition.  This fulfillment began immediately following the resurrection of Christ, and it will reach its ultimate climax when God removes the temporary blindness of the Jews and they recognize Jesus as their Messiah.

Zechariah 10:12 – “…I will make them strong in the Lord, and they shall walk in his name,” declares the Lord.

The bottom line is that as long as they depend upon the Lord, the Jews would be sufficiently strong to be victorious over their enemies:  

II Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Even if the whole world were to rise up against them, the Jews will have nothing to fear because they walk under the power, direction and authority of Jehovah himself.  He will not allow his people to sink under the afflictions of their enemies.  The more the Jews are opposed, persecuted and afflicted, the more they will be upheld by the mighty hand of the Lord.  

In fact, the weaker the Jews are, the more glory God will ultimately receive because his grace and power will be acknowledged in Israel’s victory.  

In a spiritual sense, this means that when the Jews accept salvation, they will be able to do all things through Christ, who strengthens them (Philippians 4:13).  They will have the strength to forgive, perform Christian duties, withstand temptation, sharpen personal holiness, endure afflictions, gain victory over all spiritual enemies, and subdue the world around them, just as the Gentile Christians do.

By faith, all believers (Jew and Gentile) can ‘walk in his name’ which means we can live our daily lives in the will of God, standing on his promises, walking according to his commands and worshipping him in spirit and in truth. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The promise of God’s mighty strength and power applies to the church as well as to the nation of Israel.  Let’s face it – the church is weak in many areas and sometimes it looks as though we will be crushed by Satan’s schemes. 

But we do not need to fear.  God has built the church upon the solid rock Christ Jesus and he promises that the gates of hell will not prevail against us (Matthew 16:18).  As long as we are faithful to God, he will come to our aid and fight on our behalf.  Now that’s an encouraging word!

Let me offer you some relief:

There can be no doubt that Israel made many mistakes and fell into many sins.  There can also be no doubt that God chastised her for her rebellion.  But the bottom line is that God never cast Israel away from himself.  

Instead, he called to her out of love and waited patiently for her to return.  Just as the prodigal son eventually realized the error of his ways and returned to his father, so Israel will eventually realize the error of her ways and accept Jesus Christ as her Messiah.

The same principle applies to America.  We have fallen into the exact same sins as ancient Israel – rebellion, sexual immorality, covenant breaking and even idol worship (idolatry is putting anything before God, such as money, self gratification, entertainment, etc).

The good news is that God has not given up on us.  As we humble ourselves, and pray and turn from sin, God has promised to hear our prayers and heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14).  This means that there is still hope for America! 

If you are praying for our nation, don’t give up – the battle for America is still being waged.  If you are not currently praying for our nation, please begin to do so now.  Be a part of what God is doing in this generation!    

Let me offer you some strength:

Today’s post speaks of sowing, which is different from scattering.  God ‘sowed’ or intentionally planted his people into every nation of the known world.   He desired for them to worship and serve him wherever they found themselves.

I believe the same thing is true for Christians.  Regardless of where you live, what vocation you have chosen, or your season of life, God desires for you to serve and fellowship with him. 

So don’t put off your service to the King.  Don’t wait until you retire or until you move or until you find that perfect job.  Enjoy fellowship with Jesus today and if he wants you to move locations or jobs, he will open a new door for you.  For now, just enjoy his company!

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Zechariah 10:6 – “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph.  I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.

Welcome back to our study of Zechariah chapter 10.  In our last post, we looked at the meaning of the former and latter rains which God desires to pour out upon all of his people for both their spiritual and temporal good.

We also noted that God vowed to make his people mighty in battle.  God compared his people to war horses, who run to battle with great courage and fierceness because they expect to trample their enemies and experience victory.  Again, we should expect to see these victories manifested in both the spiritual and temporal realms.

The remainder of this chapter focuses on promises of restoration, particularly for Israel.  These promises are clearly directed to both the ‘house of Judah’ and the ‘house of Joseph’, which means the promises include all twelve tribes.

So here is what we know about the promises of restoration that are being made:

• They include the ‘former and later rains’ which are God’s blessings on his people, both temporal and spiritual.
• They will involve elements of battle, both temporal and spiritual.
• The restoration is promised to all 12 tribes/the entire nation of Israel.

The question is, which age or generation of Jews do these promises refer to?  Let’s see what we can discover.

As you recall, the nation of Israel was split into two separate kingdoms under the reign of Rehoboam, son of Solomon (II Chronicles 10).  Due to her grievous sin, the kingdom of Israel (10 tribes) was eventually conquered by Assyria and ceased to exist around 721 BC.

Unfortunately, the kingdom of Judah (two tribes) did not learn from Israel’s mistakes.  She too fell further and further into idolatry until God sent the nation of Babylon to take her into captivity (597 BC).  Obviously, at the time this prophesy was given through Zechariah, the 70-year captivity was over.  God had already brought a large number of Jews back to Jerusalem.  They were working on rebuilding the walls of the city and the temple. 

Clearly, this could be referred to as both a physical and spiritual restoration, because God brought the Jews back to the land and restored temple worship.  However, no battle had taken place; the Jews were in the land because God moved upon the heart of Cyrus and he willingly allowed them to return to Jerusalem. 

Also, this phase of restoration consisted almost exclusively of Jews from the kingdom of Judah.  For these reasons, this cannot be the final fulfillment of God’s promises.

Another significant restoration occurred in the second century BC.  At that time the Maccabees (a priestly family of Jews) organized a successful rebellion against the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV, who had ransacked Jerusalem and sacrificed a pig on the altar at Jerusalem (167 BC). 

Despite suffering very heavy casualties, the Maccabees were able to cleanse the temple and establish an independent Jewish kingdom (the Hasmonean kingdom).  Therefore, this too would qualify as a physical and spiritual restoration. 

However, most scholars also reject this event as the final fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophesy.  They have two main reasons for this.  One, the Hasmonean kingdom eventually failed, ending after Herod the Great came to power. 

Second, there can be no doubt that true/lasting spiritual restoration could only take place after the coming of the Messiah.  In other words, to have full spiritual reconciliation with God and to be forgiven in such a way that God had never rejected them, the sins of the Jews must be completely paid in full by the blood of Christ; no mere animal sacrifice could satisfy this debt. 

But once Israel turns to Christ and acknowledges him as the Messiah, the Lord will pour out his mercy upon them, and they will receive the gifts of pardon, salvation, eternal life and all the other amazing blessings that God gives to the church.

For these reasons, most biblical scholars believe the final or ultimate fulfillment of this prophesy is yet to come.  This view is supported by Paul in the book of Romans.

In Romans chapter 11, Paul tells us that the Jews are like a branch that has been temporarily broken off or removed from the ‘tree’ of God, so that the Gentiles could be grafted in.  In other words, Paul is saying that for a time, Israel will be spiritually blind and during that season, God will invite/graft the Gentiles into his kingdom/tree:

Romans 11:25 –Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers:  a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 

But at the appointed time (as prophesied here in Zechariah), God will ‘bring them back’ or open their spiritual eyes.  They will recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and he will forgive their sins, making it ‘as though I had not rejected them’ (Romans 11:25-36.  See also Hosea 1:9-10). 

You and I can also rejoice in this promise.  Our sins are just as abhorrent/putrid in the sight of our perfectly holy God as those of the Jews.  Our sin caused us to be separated or cast off from the Lord, just as theirs did.  But thankfully, God has made it possible for Gentiles to enter his kingdom!  When we approach him in true penitence, he willingly forgives us and restores us as if we had never sinned (Hebrews 8:12).

Zechariah 10:7 – Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.  Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.

‘Ephraim’ and the ‘house of Joseph’ both refer to the 10 tribes of Israel.  In this verse, God gives an additional word of comfort and encouragement to this group of Jews, perhaps because the exiles who returned to Jerusalem were mostly from the tribe of Judah. 

God assures them that they have not been forgotten.  Like Judah, they too will become mighty warriors, strong in body and bold in spirit.  They will fearlessly enter battle against their physical and spiritual enemies, and they will be victorious!

This brings up a very important point: God did not command Ephraim to simply stand still and watch him achieve victory on their behalf.  Rather, God empowered them to fight against their foes.  This is one of the over-arching truths in this chapter, and it applies to us as well.

We might put it this way: God did his part by sending Jesus to atone for our sin, and by giving us the gift of Holy Spirit to empower us.  These are things that only He could do. 

Now it’s time for us to do our part.  By faith and through the power of the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6), we must subdue this world for Christ. 

We are the ones who must form churches, build buildings and preach the gospel through every available means.  We must financially support the work.  We must baptize and disciple believers into the faith.

We must also take up the mantle of public office, occupy positions of authority in the courts and become business owners, using these platforms for Christ!  God wants us to invade every single aspect of this life and use our place in that realm to exemplify and proclaim the name of the Lord, making sure that we subdue our sphere of influence for his glory.  God needs Christian politicians just as much as he needs preachers!

We must resist the devil if we want to see him flee (James 4:7).  We must bind and loose things on earth, just as they are in heaven (Matthew 16:19).  God is not going to do everything for us.  He expects us to use the power and authority that Christ gave to us to establish his kingdom in this world. 

Here is something to consider:  When Jesus prayed the high priestly prayer for us (John 17), he did NOT pray for us to be taken from the world; he prayed for us to be victorious over the evil one:

John 17:15 – I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

God has promised victory to us as individuals and as the church.  But these victories come through a partnership between us and Holy Spirit.  We must do our part.

Let’s get back to our text.  Verse seven also tells us that when Ephraim takes a stand, victory in battle will not be the only blessing. 

Ephraim can also expect to be ‘glad as with wine’.  This means that God promises to fill his people with an inward joy.  Because God has placed this joy within our hearts, the world cannot take it away; no matter what circumstances we face, the love and favor of the Lord will rest upon us, constantly giving us reasons to praise and glorify his name!

Furthermore, God promises that Ephraim’s children will see this and be glad.  In other words, our children will witness the strength, victory and salvation which we experience, and it will cause them to rejoice in the Lord. 

The implication is that they will join us in the service of the King and experience the same salvation and joy that we have.  What blessing could be greater than seeing your children/family serving the Lord?

Keep this in mind: Whether you know it or not, you are a witness or a testimony to your children and grandchildren.  What kind of testimony are you?

Zechariah 10:8 – “I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them and they shall be as many as they were before.”

We are told that God will ‘whistle’ (your translation may say ‘hiss’) for Israel and the Jews will then be gathered in. 

The word for ‘whistle’ signifies the motion of lips combined with the voice and it always signifies a calling, much like you would call or whistle for your dog. 

This means that at some point in history, God will call the Jews out of the world and to himself with the gospel message (Isaiah 43:1).  Again, this is consistent with what we found in Romans chapter 11 – at the appointed time, God will ‘call’ the Jews by removing the spiritual blinders from their eyes.  They will recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and God will gather them into his kingdom.

It is right that he should do so, because Jesus has already paid the price to redeem every man, woman and child in the world, Jews as well as Gentiles.  Furthermore, it is God’s great desire to bestow love, grace, peace, mercy, abundant life and salvation to all of mankind.

Once the Jews have accepted the gospel and found Jesus as Lord and Savior, they will continue to hear his voice just as all of children/sheep hear the voice of the good shepherd:

John 10:3-4 – To him [the shepherd] the gatekeeper opens.  The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

The final portion of this verse declares that ‘they shall be as many as they were before’.  This part of the promise speaks of increased numbers.  It refers to the time of bondage in Egypt.  Before Israel ever went down to Egypt, God promised to increase their numbers while they were there (See Genesis 46:3).  And sure enough, he did exactly as he promised:

Exodus 1:7 – But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.

In the same way, God will exponentially increase the number of Jews who become a part of his kingdom under the New Testament covenant of salvation.  The sense of the passage is that as God calls his people, they shall bring others along with them, making the increase astonishing in both size and rapidity. 

We can grasp this concept by thinking of a snowball – if we take even a small snowball and roll it through the snow, it will very quickly increase to a size that we are unable to lift.  The increase happens because each flake of snow latches onto another flake and brings it along.

Thus, the church of Jesus Christ is a constantly growing body/kingdom which will eventually spread to the uttermost parts of the world.

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief: 

Satan wants us to think that God is perpetually angry or that he is sitting up on his throne hoping that we fail so he can judge and punish us.  This is a lie!  God loves us and wants us to prosper.  Scripture tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

We saw evidence of God’s great mercy and compassion in today’s post - God promises that he will bring the Jews back to himself, because he has compassion or mercy on them.  He does this in spite of all the mistakes and wrong choices that his people made in their lives.

The bible also tells us that no matter how many times we fail or give up or make a wrong choice, God does not give up on us. 

Lamentations 3:21-23 – But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

God never gave up on his people Israel and he won’t give up on your or your loved ones either!  So, if you are enduring a trial right now, or you have recently failed in your Christian walk, don’t despair. 

Instead of dwelling on your mistake, dwell on the fact that God’s mercy and compassion are new every day; Jesus has already paid the price for your failure.  If you keep this in the forefront of your mind and thoughts, hope will once again well up in your heart and mind, giving you strength and peace.

Let me offer you some strength:  

In the tenth chapter of Zechariah, God makes some amazing promises.  For instance:

• He promises the former and latter rains. 
• He promises to show compassion to the Jews and draw them back to himself. 
• He promises to make his people mighty in battle. 
• He promises that our children will witness our relationship with God and desire to have the same thing.

At the time of this prophesy, these promises seemed so unlikely and so far out of reach, the Jews couldn’t fathom them coming to pass.  They seemed impossible! But thankfully, we serve a God who is always faithful to his promises.  There is nothing too hard for him!

Jeremiah 32:17 – Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too hard for you. 

Are you holding onto a promise that seems like it will never come to pass? If so, let me offer you some strength:  God is ALWAYS faithful to his promises. 

If he has spoken to you through Holy Spirit, through a dream/vision or through his word, don’t doubt what he has spoken!  Stand on that promise in faith and you will not be disappointed.

Like the Jews of Zechariah’s day, you may think it’s an impossible situation, but God watches over his word making sure that none of his promises go unfulfilled – including the one he made to you (Jeremiah 1:12).

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Zechariah 10:1 – Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.

Welcome back, dear readers!  At the close of chapter 9 we found that God made promises of both spiritual and earthly blessings to his people.  He spoke of plentiful harvests of both corn and wine, which the Jews had not experienced for some time.  He also spoke of the joy that his people would experience when they received these blessings. 

The harvests mentioned here are dependent upon the former and latter rains.  Since most of us are not full-time farmers, let’s take a few moments to review this topic.

The ‘former’ rain refers to the showers/storms that come at the time the crop/seed is planted.  A substantial amount of water is needed at that time in order for the seeds to sprout, grow and put down roots.

If the seed receives too much water, it will rot.  If too little water is received, the seed will never sprout.  In either case, there will not be a harvest.     

The ‘latter’ rain refers to the showers that come in the weeks just before the harvest.  This moisture is critical for the full development of the grain.  For example, this rain supports the growth of the individual kernels of corn within the ear, making them full and plump.  

Too little rain at this time will result in ears of corn which are small, stunted or thin.  Too much rain (as in the case of a severe storm) will uproot the plants or destroy the ears, also resulting in failure of the crop.  

Obviously, the correct amount of water at the right time is instrumental in receiving the most bountiful harvest possible.  (Deuteronomy 11:14, Jeremiah 5:24).  

If Israel’s crops failed or the yields were small/stunted it would be devastating for the people and their livestock.  In some cases, it could result in a life or death situation.  But Israel does not need to worry, as long as she is faithful to God.

Zechariah reminds the Jews that it is God who provides the rain which produces the plentiful harvests.  He is the one who makes the storm clouds, which contain lightening, thunder and rain. 

The prophet also reveals that God is ready, willing and able to give his people these needed showers at the right time and in the right amount.  All they need to do is seek/ask the Lord for this blessing.  Because God is always faithful to his promises, he will answer their prayers and bring the rain they need.  

The former and latter rains are one example of the earthly/temporal blessings of God.  But these rains also have a spiritual parallel as well. 

Hosea 6:3 – Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Some commentators view the law/Old Testament covenant as the former rain, because this covenant represented a new season – it was the official or legal beginning of reconciliation between God and man.  Throughout the season of the Law, God’s people grew and developed.  They rooted themselves in the ways of God.

And when the time was right, God also brought mankind the latter rain – the gospel message/New Testament covenant.  Through this blessing of God, man could experience a richer, fuller relationship with his creator and redeemer.  For example:

• Fellowship with God was no longer limited to the Jews; it was opened up to Gentiles as well. 
• Holy Spirit could now live within the heart of all believers. 
• Through Holy Spirit, God blesses his followers with spiritual gifts which were formerly only available to a limited few.
• All children of God now have direct access to his presence and throne room.  

What a blessing the latter rains have been for all mankind!    

Other bible scholars offer a similar but slightly different interpretation.  Their theory says that both rains refer to a level or measure of the love, favor and spiritual blessings of God.  The former rains of God’s spiritual blessings were fewer; they were limited in scope and design, being generally available only to the Jews and then only to certain classes of the Jews such as prophets, priests and kings.

However, under the church age/age of grace, Jews and Gentiles alike may be drenched in the latter rain of God’s spiritual blessings.  All believers in Christ are now prophets and royal priests before him (I Peter 2:9). 

As such, men and women alike can experience the spiritual gifts of Holy Spirit.  All believers can receive dreams and visions, all can enter into the throne room of God with praise and thanksgiving, all can receive gifts of tongues, words of wisdom, gifts of healing, etc. 

In addition, we know that Holy Spirit will be working in all of our lives to promote the growth of the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, patience, kindness, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23).

Zechariah’s message is clear – in both the temporal and spiritual realms, it is God that gives us the former and latter rains of blessing.  These gifts are bestowed upon those who seek them from God.     

Zechariah 10:2 – For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation.  Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.

It was not the fault of the Lord that the Jews were experiencing hardship and lack.  He was ready, willing and able to supply the Jews with whatever they needed and much of what they wanted (both spiritual and temporal), but they responded to him in unbelief, and thus closed the door of his favor. 

For example, the Jews who returned to Jerusalem after the captivity had given up on rebuilding the temple because they did not believe that God was going to give them success in this venture.  Then they grumbled and complained that they were not prospering, either spiritually or materially (Haggai 1:6-11).

They were in danger of following the exact same path their forefathers had taken when they rejected the promises of God – the vain path of false idols and heathen gods.

The Jews of past generations (just before the captivity) prayed and sacrificed to teraphim, which were small household idols made by the Jews themselves.  They also consulted false prophets and soothsayers who served (and supposedly spoke for) these idols, but every single prophesy they spoke was either utter nonsense or an outright lie.    

Even the dreams and visions which they claimed to have seen were nothing more than tissues of lies and deceit.  Thus, any comfort the Jews derived from these false idols or their prophets was vain, empty and worthless. That false comfort soon gave way to hardship and fear because, as we would expect, these heathen gods were utterly incapable of providing the showers of blessing that the Jews needed:

Jeremiah 14:22 – Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain?  Or can the heavens give showers?  Are you not he, O Lord our God?  We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.

But that was not the worst of it – not only had Israel gained absolutely nothing by seeking false idols, they lost the favor of the one true God and they were sent into captivity. 

At that point, they truly did not have a spiritual shepherd or government ruler to lead and protect the nation.  Only then did they seem to discover (much too late) that all of the promises made by the false gods of the Gentiles were vain lies, empty consolations and utter nonsense!

The current generation of Jews (those of Zechariah’s day) was not yet trusting in the same false gods, but they were actively marrying foreign women who still served these same idols and still sought out satanic soothsayers and diviners.  If they continued down that path, it was only a matter of time before the Jews were ensnared once again.

So in his great mercy, God reaches out to the current generation of Israel through Zechariah and reminds them what happened to their forefathers; he shows them the folly of praying to vain idols that cannot hear, or speak or act. 

It is chilling to think that this warning against unbelief is spoken to the Jews as they stare at the ruins of the former temple.  It was a stark reminder that only Jehovah, the true God, can give the former and latter rains of blessing which the Jews needed to remain a nation.

So it is in the spiritual realm as well.  The Jews have, even to this day, rejected the truth of God and hardened their hearts against King Jesus, the true Messiah and Shepherd of Israel. 

As a result of their spiritual blindness, they remain as sheep without a shepherd.  Jesus longs to gather the Jews to himself.  He longs to bless and prosper them with all the spiritual blessings available in the former and latter rains, but sadly they remain in a state of wandering where they are miserably oppressed and afflicted by their enemies.

Zechariah 10:3 – My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.

There can be no doubt that as a whole, the children of Israel were all guilty of forsaking the Lord.  However, here we see that God holds the leaders (anyone who had a position of authority over the common people) to a higher standard. 

His anger is directed against the shepherds of Israel.  This group included the civil leaders (kings, governors, judges, etc) as well as spiritual leaders (priests, scribes and teachers).  Many of them were guilty of openly mocking the laws of God.

For example, let’s consider the priesthood.  When a priest (or prophet or king) accepted his position, he was anointed or set apart for use by the Lord.  Scripture tells us that the priests were anointed on the ear, the thumb and the big toe:

Exodus 29:20 - Then shall you kill the ram, and take of its blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Though scripture is not definitive about why the anointing was done in this manner, it has often been surmised that the priests were anointed:

• On the ear - that they might clearly hear the words of the Lord when he spoke. 
• On the thumb - that their hands might always be ready to perform the work of the Lord. 
• On the big toe - that they might always be ready to walk in the ways of the Lord. 

As we look through the Old Testament just prior to the captivity, it isn’t difficult to see that many of the leaders who should have been committed to serving the Lord and leading the people in his ways, were corrupt. 

Instead of faithfully discharging their offices and thus keeping the common people (and the nation) on the path of God’s blessing, they rejected the Lord.  They encouraged the people to worship idols, seek council from lying spirits and false prophets and participate in witchcraft. 

Sadly, Judah did not learn her lesson even after she was conquered by Babylon.  At that time, false prophets arose who instructed the Jews remaining in the land to rebel against the king of Babylon.  But God spoke through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel warning them to stay and serve the king of Babylon; he had NOT spoken through these lying prophets:

Jeremiah 27:9-10 - Therefore hearken not you to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon:  For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.

We also know that some of the Jews taken into captivity were secretly praying to false idols and seeking wisdom through sorcery, as detailed in the eighth chapter of Ezekiel. 

The bottom line is that corrupt leadership played a pivotal role in the downfall of the nation and somehow, during the captivity, God judged the leaders for their folly.  

But, hallelujah, captivity was not the end of the story!   The God who corrects his children is also the God who blesses them. 

At the time this prophesy was given to Zechariah, the punishment of the captivity was over.  Jehovah was ready to once again lift his people up and bless them.  He made this very plain when he said, ‘The Lord of hosts cares for his flock’. 

God also promised that he ‘will make them (Judah) like his majestic steed in battle’.  What does that mean?  

The overall sense is that just as a war horse shows strength and courage in battle, so would the house of Israel show strength and courage in battle against their enemies, both physical and spiritual. 

In the book of Job, the Lord provides us with a graphic description of a war horse (you can read the entire description in Job 39:19-25).  Here are some of the characteristics which God has given to this remarkable animal:

• He is strong and mighty. 
• He can run swiftly and jump without difficulty. 
• The sound of his snorting terrifies his enemies. 
• He welcomes the opportunity to go to war; he does not turn back when he sees weapons of the enemy.
• He laughs at fear and is not dismayed. 
• He is confident in his rider, who is equipped with a quiver of arrows, a flashing spear and a javelin. 
• He smells the battle from afar and with fierceness he runs to meet it. 

Overall, it is clear that the war horse is at home in battle.  He does not fear or turn away; he desires to go to war, because that is what he was created to do.

In the same way, God has created his people to be his majestic war horse in the battle for planet earth.  Through the power of Holy Spirit, God has made us strong and mighty: 

• Satan and all his minions must bow when we speak the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10). 
• With God’s help, we can run through a troop and leap over walls (II Samuel 22:30).  
• When the enemy comes to engage us, we have nothing to fear; we are confident in Jesus Christ our King (Hebrews 13:6). 
• Knowing that we have are destined to overcome through Christ (John 16:33), we should relish the opportunity to wrestle against principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

This was a powerful and encouraging word that God was giving to the men of Zechariah’s day, and it is still encouraging to us as well!

Zechariah 10:4 – From him shall come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler – all of them together.

God goes on to reveal that ‘from him’ or from the midst of the Jewish nation (specifically the tribe of Judah), would come a cornerstone, a tent peg, and a battle bow.

 Cornerstone:  A cornerstone is a stone that forms the base of the corner of a building, joining together two walls.  This particular stone is laid first; it is the rock upon which the weight of the entire structure rests.  If it is not perfectly square and stable, the whole building will be precarious/unsafe and in danger of failing.

A cornerstone can also be defined as an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based.  

As I am sure you are aware, scripture tells us that Jesus is the chief cornerstone of our faith.  He is the sure foundation upon which the church rests and because he is divine/perfect, the church is eternally stable and victorious.

Ephesians 2:19-21 - … you are ...members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being jointed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.   

(See also I Peter 2:4-10, I Corinthians 3:9-11, Psalms 118:22-23, etc). 

Tent Peg:  Chances are that most of us are unfamiliar with the reference to the tent peg.  But that was not the case for the children of Israel – they understood exactly what God was saying to them.  What did they know that we don’t?      

To begin with, your translation may say ‘nail’ or ‘pin’ instead of tent peg.  This term refers to a nail, spike or pin which holds parts of a building together.  This reference is also used in regards to organizations.  When speaking in terms of an organization, the ‘nails’ or ‘pins’ refer to powerful, important or distinguished persons within the group, who keep the organization together. 

The Lord uses this same word to describe Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.  This man was the steward or administrator of the palace when Hezekiah was king of Judah. 

As you know, Judah faced a grievous trial when the Assyrian army came to invade Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah.  At that time, Shebna (steward of the palace) became haughty and abused his power to benefit himself.  The Lord was very angry with Shebna and through the prophet Isaiah, judgment was pronounced against him (Isaiah 22:15-19).

By contrast, Eliakim demonstrated loyalty, valor and good leadership during the Assyrian crisis.  By the word of the Lord, Eliakim replaced Shebna as steward of the palace.

God describes Eliakim as ‘my servant’ and a ‘father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah’ (Isaiah 22:20-21). 

The Lord goes on to say that Eliakim would not only receive all of the authority that Shebna possessed, he would be trusted with the ‘key of the house of David’.  This was a figurative way of saying that he would sustain the government on his shoulders; he would be a key person in the rule of the King.   

Furthermore, (according to the word of the Lord) what Eliakim declared open, no one would shut and what he decreed as shut, no one would open (Isaiah 22:22).  In other words, all access to the king and royal house would be through him; there would be no other way to approach the king.   

God declared that he would fasten Eliakim like a peg in a secure place, and he would become a throne of honor to his father’s house (Isaiah 22:23).  In other words, he was the nail or pin that held the kingdom together.  The nation trusted and depended upon him.

Clearly, Eliakim was a type or picture of the Messiah:

• Jesus our Messiah came to earth as a servant to all the inhabitants of the world (Matthew 20:26-28). 
• He carries the authority of the Father and only through him can we have access to God (John 14:6). 
• Jesus possesses the key to the house of David, because he is a descendant of David.  He also possesses the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19) as well as the keys of death and hell (Revelation 1:18). 
• Jesus will sustain the government of the kingdom upon his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6).

Battle Bow:  This refers arms and/or military skills.  The implication is that through the bow, people would be protected from any and all assailants.

There can be no question that Jesus is the ultimate warrior.  By the power of his word, his enemies are slain.

Revelation 19:15-16 – From his [Jesus’] mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron.  He will treat the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords.

We too have the word of God which we can use as a sword in spiritual battle to defeat the kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 6:17).  When we pair this sword with our shield of faith and helmet of salvation, we are well equipped to defeat any and all enemies.  

From him every ruler (your translation may say ‘oppressor’) - all of them together:  One interpretation of this phrase says that the oppressor is the officer who exacts tribute from the subjects under his authority.  There was a time when other nations oppressed Israel and made her pay tribute, but a day was coming when the tables would be turned – God would empower Israel in such a way that she would be victorious over her enemies and subject them to tribute.    

A second interpretation says that God will cause rulers and leaders to arise from among his people who will enable the flock to successfully resist/overcome their enemies. Many commentators believe these rulers refer to the apostles of Christ, who preached and expounded the word of God and assisted in forming the church.

While we may not completely understand every aspect of this amazing prophesy, one thing is crystal clear:  Jesus the Messiah, born of the tribe of Judah, is the cornerstone, the tent peg and the battle bow of the church!

Zechariah 10:5 – They shall be like mighty men in battle, trampling the foe in the mud of the streets; they shall fight because the Lord is with them, and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.

God declares that ‘they’ (the people of God), would be mighty in battle. 

For the people of Zechariah’s day, this meant that eventually Israel would defeat her enemies.  It would be as if they had been trampled on; they would become like mire in the streets – something worthless, foul and despicable. 

For the church, this means that eventually we will be victorious over Satan and his minions.  The forces of darkness will not only be defeated, they will be recognized as worthless, foul and despicable.

It is obvious that we could never win such a victory by fighting in our own power.  We must rely on God.    

We are weak, but Jesus infuses us with his divine strength and power; his strength is clearly displayed and made perfect in our weakness (II Corinthians 12:9).  We are safe because he protects us.  We are victorious because the one who leads us in battle has already defeated Satan.  His victory is our victory!

On the other hand, the armies of darkness (riders on horses) will be confounded and defeated.  Regardless of their natural strength, cunning or skill, the Lord will bring down them down in the midst of their arrogance and pride.  They will pass away just as mist burns up at the rising of the sun.    

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

In today’s post, we noted that God provides both former and latter rains to his people.  These ‘rains’ include both physical and spiritual blessings, which are necessary for us to be fruitful in the kingdom of heaven.

What do you need to further your ministry in the kingdom? 

It might be something in the physical realm such as new partners in your work, additional resources, a permit of some kind, or even a building.

Or it might be something in the spiritual realm such as wisdom, knowledge or discernment.  You may be in need of a break through over a demonic stronghold.

Perhaps, at some point in the past, you have been overwhelmed by these needs.  You may have struggled or worn yourself out trying to acquire what you need in your own strength.  If so, I have some good news for you - God is standing by, ready, willing and able to pour out his rain upon you!  

You can confidently approach the Father with all of your requests/needs knowing that he is always faithful to his promises.  He will give you exactly what you need at exactly the right time because he desires for you to be fruitful in his kingdom.  So whatever you need, ask!      

Let me offer you some strength:

God has promised to make his people his majestic battle steed.  In other words, he has created us to be successful partners with him in the war against darkness.  If you think about it, you will see what a blessing this truly is. 

After all, God doesn’t need our help to defeat Satan; he could do that as easily as an elephant can squish a spider.  But for his own divine reasons, God had chosen to partner with us.  He has given us an opportunity to exercise faith in him, to stand on his promises and to experience victory over evil.  Frankly, that is much more satisfying and exciting than simply sitting on the sidelines doing nothing!       

The bottom line is that when we partner with God, victory is assured.  That thought greatly encouraged the Jews of Zechariah’s day to continue fighting their enemies, and it should encourage the church to continue spreading the gospel message to a lost and dying world.   

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Zechariah 9:14 –Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightening; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

We are continuing our study of Zechariah chapter 9.  In our previous post, we saw that the Lord gave his people words of hope regarding the coming of the Messiah, who would bring both Jews and Gentiles into the family of God. 

He also gave promises of strength, hope and safety to the nation of Israel, who would steward the promise of the Messiah for many years to come.

In verse 13, God said that he would bend Judah as a bow and fill it with Ephraim.  This war-like analogy has a double meaning. 

On the one hand, it refers to the victory of the church as she spreads the gospel message to the outermost parts of the earth, overcoming all satanic opposition.

On the other hand, it refers to the physical victory of Israel over her enemies.  This has been seen countless times over the course of history, and we can expect to see it in the future as well, because God will always defend the Jews and bring them victory.   

This analogy of victory in war (both spiritual and temporal) continues through the remainder of chapter nine.  While history reveals partial fulfillments of this prophetic word, most scholars believe that its ultimate fulfillment will take place during the great tribulation.     

God has already bent Judah as a bow and placed Ephraim as an arrow (verse 13).  Now Zechariah prophesies that the Lord ‘will appear over’ his people.  What does that mean?

Let’s begin our explanation with a general observation about war.  When two unequal armies engage in warfare, we expect the army which is bigger, more highly trained and better equipped to win the battle. Because this is what we expect to take place, no one takes any undue notice when it happens.

Occasionally, a less well equipped or less skilled army may defeat an opponent, if that opponent becomes careless or makes mistakes.  If this happens, we normally attribute victory to the inefficiency of the larger army, rather than the strength of the smaller army.

But when a smaller, less equipped, less skilled army defeats an opponent at the height of their power and might, people take notice.  They will call it a miracle.  They will say it is an example of the power of God. 

This is what the prophet means when he says the Lord ‘will appear over’ his people.  Either the Jews will conquer enemies that are much greater than themselves or they will win victory over their enemies in an unusual way. 

For example, in II Kings 3, we have the account of Jehoshaphat (king of Judah), Jehoram (king of Israel) and the king of Edom banding together to war against Moab.  After a seven day march, the entire army was completely out of water.  Death was on the near horizon for the entire alliance.

But King Jehoshaphat sought the Lord through the prophet Elisha.  God answered by telling the men to dig numerous ditches throughout the valley.  God promised that in the morning, he would fill them with water:

2 Kings 3:17-18 -For thus says the LORD, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your animals.And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

Of course, victory occurred exactly as the Lord said it would.  This is an example of how God gave his people victory in an unusual way. 

Another example was when God parted the Red Sea so Moses and the Israelites could walk across on dry land, while the Egyptian army drowned as the waters began to flow once again.

The point is that regardless of how the victory occurs, the world will ‘see’ or acknowledge that God was involved in it. We might put it this way: the Lord shall be seen conspicuously manifesting his power over the enemies of Israel.  When this happens, he will receive the glory for the victory.

During these battles, the Lord’s arrows will go forth as lightning.  Scripture often refers to lightning as the arrows of God (Psalms 18:14, 77:17).   These arrows are the judgments God inflicts upon his enemies (such as the ten plagues).

Just as lightening scatters and discomfits all in its vicinity, so God will scatter and discomfit the enemies of his people striking fear into the hearts.  Just as lightening causes instantaneous destruction to whatever it touches, so the arrows of God will hit their mark and destroy those who oppose Israel.

Zechariah also tells us that the Lord God will sound the trumpet.  In ancient Israel, trumpets were used to call the men to war (Jeremiah 4:5, 6:1). 

In addition, Israel was to sound the trumpet at the beginning of the battle.  God promised that when this was done, he would take immediate notice and give them victory (Numbers 10:9).  Of course, we know that God was/is always aware of the armies of Israel.  By having them blow the trumpet, it reassured the men that God was right there with them; it increased their faith and bravery in battle. 

In this case, God will sound the call for his people to flock to his banner and begin to wage war.  God will also lead the war and direct the charge while infusing fresh courage into his people.

God also declares that he will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.  A whirlwind is a very ferocious storm characterized by a spiral motion of air (tornado).  In the middle east, these storms often arise from the Arabian desert.  

Whirlwinds are violent and immensely powerful; nothing can stand in their path. In the same way, God will violently and powerfully cut a swath of destruction through the enemies of his people.  No one will stand against him or against Israel.  The nation who foolishly places themselves in the path of God’s vengeance will reap destruction.

Again, this has already been seen in the history of Israel and most bible commentators believe this describes some very real battles which will take place in the future –during the tribulation period, most likely at or around the 3 ½ year mark, when the antichrist breaks his treaty with Israel (Daniel chapter 7).

Of course, we see the spiritual parallel of this prophesy fulfilled in God’s partnership with the church.

Scripture tells us that God exalted Jesus, giving him power and authority over all things including the church:

Ephesians 1:22 – And has put all things under his [Jesus] feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

Jesus is the head of the church; we are his hands and feet in the world.  We partner with him to spread the gospel message and enforce his will on the earth.  As the head, Jesus leads, guides, protects and makes provision for his body, the church.

The Lord appeared to the apostles during the time of his incarnation, and after his death and resurrection.  We can still ‘see’ him appearing over the church today, through our spiritual eyes of faith.

Ever since the resurrection, Christianity has won victory after victory over all the forces that opposed it because Jesus fights on behalf of the church through both natural and supernatural means.

His arrows of conviction fly forth, discomfiting sinners and drawing them to himself in the midst of their fear and shame.  Just as lightening causes instant destruction of anything it touches, the powerful blood of Christ demolishes every sin when a person becomes a believer.

God also sounds his trumpet over his followers, particularly the trumpet of jubilee.  The year of jubilee was signaled by a blast of trumpets throughout the land of Israel (Leviticus 25:39-54).  During that year, the land was to rest (be fallow), all property/land that exchanged hands was returned, all enslaved Israelites were set free, and all debts were remitted.

The spiritual sounding of the trumpet in this prophesy speaks to a time when God calls forth a great time of revival where sinners are set free through the blood of Christ.  Just as there was immense joy and celebration during the year of jubilee, there will be great joy and celebration when revival comes to the world.  Those who are set free from the slavery of sin won’t be able to stop rejoicing and praising God!

At that time the gospel will go forth with the power and energy of a whirlwind, because it will be energized by Holy Spirit.  It will cut a swath of destruction across the kingdom of darkness, blowing away the mists of ignorance/lies that Satan has used to bind sinners.  Instead, they will experience the fresh wind of Holy Spirit, and return to Christ.

Zechariah 9:15 – The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.

The Lord of Hosts is the God of all power; nothing is impossible for him.  No person, or nation or spirit can challenge him.  When the Lord of Hosts promises to protect his people, you can count on the fact that it is going to happen!

This promise was part of the original blessing that God gave to Abraham when he first made the covenant with him:

Genesis 15:1 - After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.

Almighty God not only promises to protect Israel, but he also promises that Israel would devour, tread down the sling-stones, and drink/roar as if drunk with wine.  What does that mean?

Devour – The prophet does not tell us exactly what Israel is going to devour.  This indicates a broader meaning of the word; it refers to destruction or absorption. 

For instance, in Deuteronomy 7:16, Israel is going to “consume all the people whom the Lord your God shall deliver to you”.  In Numbers 14:9, Joshua and Caleb describe the Canaanites by saying, “They are our bread”.

The overall meaning is that although Israel was in a humble state during the time of Zechariah, the day will come when Messiah shall rule and at that time any nation that opposes God’s people will either be absorbed into God’s kingdom or destroyed. 

Tread down the sling-stones – In ancient times, sling shots were formidable weapons.  During the era of the judges, the tribe of Benjamin had a very skilled contingent of men who used the sling shot in battle:

Judges 20:16 - Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men, left handed; every one could sling stones at a hair's breadth, and not miss.

In this prophesy, ‘treading down the sling stones’ means that the children of Israel will calmly and safely walk over all the stones their enemies have slung at them in battle, because all of those projectiles missed their mark.  In other words, their enemies aimed and fired at them multiple times, but never hit them.  The stones are no longer things to be feared;now they lie harmless on the ground.  Almighty God, the shield of his people, will make sure this happens.

This may also be a reference to David, who slew Goliath of Gath, a giant.  Goliath was big, well-armed and experienced in battle.  Davidwas small, completely vulnerable and had no formal military experience.  Yet, because God was on his side, he was victorious over his enemy.

Those who hold this view believe it speaks to the power of God in the defeat of Israel’s enemies.  Israel is weak, but no matter how impossible the odds are, she can defeat her enemies because God is fighting on her behalf. 

Drink and roar as if drunk with wine –This is a very interesting phrase.Some scholars believe it describes a time of joyous celebration which God’s people will experience after their enemies are subdued. 

As with any celebration, there will be fellowship, feasting and joy.  God’s people will beenjoying the spoils they acquired in war.  They will be feasting on their portion of the fellowship offerings and offerings made for thanksgiving to the Lord.

Other scholars picture Israel as a lion, roaring and drinking the blood of her prey just as a lion would do in the wild. 

Both interpretations are apicture of Israel defeating her enemies and giving glory to the Lord for the victory (Numbers 23:24, Micah 5:8). 

God’s people are also described as being ‘full like a bowl and drenched like the corners of the altar’.  Although this seems strange to us, it is a reference that would immediately be understood by the Jews because it refers to the workings of the temple.

When a sacrifice was made in the temple, the priests would collect the blood of the sacrificial animal in a bowl.  They would then sprinkle that blood on the horns which adorned the four corners of the brazen altar.  The rest of the blood would be poured out at the base of the altar (Exodus 29:12, Leviticus 4:18). 

This phrase may refer to the vast amount of blood that will be found in the temple because the number of offerings was so great that the bowls were full and the altar was drenched. 

The phrase may also mean that the armies of Israel would be the consecrated instruments of God; they would prevail for his purposes and causes.  As such, they would be holy like the bowls of the temple. 

Again, this kind of warfare has been seen in limited circumstances in the history of Israel.  It was evident when God rescued Israel from Egypt, it was evident when God gave them possession of the Promised Land and it was evident when Israel was victorious over her enemies at the time of the Maccabees. 

However, bible scholars predict a full/complete fulfillment when Israel is at war with the armies of the antichrist during Armageddon.

Spiritually speaking, the Lord is a shield which fully surrounds and protects the church.  He protects us against Satan, against the power of temptation, against the opposition of this world, against all demonic spirits of sickness/disease/lack, and the rage of sinful men. 

This was very apparent when God’s hand of protection was seen over his 12 apostles who were delivered time and time again so they could fulfill their ministry of spreading the gospel message and establishing the church.

We can point to examples of this protection in every generation (including our own lives) as God works through the church to add new members to the kingdom of heaven.

Israel ‘devoured’ or consumed/conquered all the people God delivered into their hands.  So the church will devour spiritual food – the word of God which is the bread of life (Luke 4:4).  Filled with the nourishment of the word and led by Holy Spirit, the church will ‘devour’ the kingdom of darkness by ministering the gospel to a lost and dying world.

Ephesians 5:18-20 -And be not drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God, even the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Although it seems foolish and inadequate by the world’s standards, the preaching of the gospel will devour/destroy the kingdom of darkness just as Goliath was destroyed by the sling-stone of David.

As the church experiences great victory, she will celebrate by offering God sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving right now and in the years to come.  

In the next age, there will be great celebration, which includes rejoicing, fellowship and feasting.  The cause of this celebration will be the church’s victory over the devil.  At that time, we will be totally free from the effects of sin.  We will live forevermore in the company of our great Savior and King, Jesus Christ.

Zechariah 9:16 – On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

God continues to reinforce the idea that his people would be victorious through him.  He is not only a shield to defend, but a sword to gain victory; he is the Lord of Hosts who is the source of all power and authority.

God now exchanges the image of war and bloodshed for that of a shepherd and his sheep because God not only assures victory, he gives lasting peace.

Because of the covenant promises, Israel was God’s flock.  Just like sheep, they have no real strength, wisdom or power of their own.In the day of trouble, it will be God who saves them, for he is the great shepherd.  God will lead, protect and provide for his flock, leading them beside the still waters where they will have peace and security (John 10, Psalms 23).

God also exchanges the imagery of violent sling stones for that of precious jewels.  The imagery suggests various possible meanings:

One, it might indicate that God adorns his royal diadem with them:

Isaiah 62:3 -You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

(See also Malachi 3:17). 

This explanation certainly makes sense, as the glory of God is demonstrated in his redemption of love of mankind.

Two, it may refer to the jewels which adorn the official garments of the high priest (Exodus 28:15-21).

This also makes sense.  The 12 jewels on the high priest’s official clothing represented the 12 tribes of Israel.  This meant that God was continually looking upon his people as precious stones.  In other words, the people of God were/are of great value to him. 

Three, it may refer to a pile/heap of stones or a memorial stone.  These were often erected in Israel to commemorate great moments in the relationship between God and his people. 

One such instance can be found in Genesis 28, when Jacob erected a pillar or memorial stone to the Lord at the place where he had his vision of the ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. 

Another example would be the stone memorial that Israel built when God parted the waters of the Jordan so the Israelites could pass over the flooded river on dry ground (see Joshua chapter 4).  There are many other instances of memorial stones in scripture.  Which ones do you remember?

One thing we know for sure is that God’s followers are highly valued by him (after all, he died to buy us).

As God’s precious jewels, we will ‘shine on the land’.  The beauty of the jewels in a monarch’s crown always catches the attention of people.  Likewise, when we reflect the glory and goodness of God, it catches people’s attention and draws sinners to Christ.  They will want to experience the same goodness and grace that God has given to us. 

Our testimony will not just be limited to this world.  The witness of what God has done on planet earth will forever rise as a memorial to all other races or created beings.   Just think of it - our redemption will forever bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ!

When can we expect all of this to take place?  The prophet tells us ‘In that day’.  Spiritually speaking, ‘that day’ began when Jesus arose, and the church was born. It will continue throughout the age of grace. 

During this period of time, we will follow our commander-in-chief King Jesus into battle against spiritual forces.  By the power of his Holy Spirit, we will come against the kingdom of darkness like a whirlwind, destroying Satan’s lies and setting his captives free so they can enter the kingdom of heaven.  Once there, they too will become precious jewels in the sight of our Father.

Joshua 10:8 – And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands.  Not a man of them shall stand before you.”

Though the people of God fight very real battles both spiritually and literally, victory and deliverance are won by the mighty power of God.  No wonder God constantly admonishes us not to fear or be dismayed (Jeremiah 42:11, Psalms 118:6, Deuteronomy 20:1-4, Joshua 10:25, etc)!

Zechariah 9:17 – For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

The goodness and beauty described here belong to God.

The goodness of God could never be adequately described by human words.  Goodness is an attribute of God; it is a part of who he is.  He does not exhibit goodness; he is the source of it - all good springs from him.  He possesses goodness absolutely, without beginning or end, without measure and without limit.

This great goodness is demonstrated in the person of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.  He left the throne room of heaven to reside in a body of flesh; he endured the suffering of the cross that he might become the Mediator between God and man.  He bestows on us all the goodness, grace, forgiveness and spiritual/temporal blessings of the Father.

Romans 8:32 – He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Because of the sacrifice of Christ, we are surrounded and immersed in God’s goodness as if we were lost in a fathomless, bottomless ocean.  God’s goodness is available to all his children, and it is limited only by our capacity to receive it. [Hint:  Our capacity to receive is limited by our faith.] 

As one commentator put it, ‘From God all things sweet derive their sweetness; all things fair, their beauty; all things bright, their splendor; all things that live, their life; all things sentient, their sense; all that move, their vigor; all intelligences, their knowledge; all things perfect, their perfection; all things in any wise good, their goodness.’

Again, we find that there are no words that can express the goodness of our God! 

The prophet also speaks of God’s beauty.  Beauty refers to the brightness or splendor of God, which appears in all his favors and gifts toward mankind.  With this in mind, what could be more beautiful than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  We could praise him forever and never fully give him the glory he is due for all the blessings he has given to us!

This prophesy comes to a close with the promise of the goodness/prosperity of Israel/the land.  Specifically, the grain will make the young men flourish and new wine will make the young women flourish. 

Both of these blessings indicate plentiful harvests.  As we know, there won’t be a harvest without some work first.  The young men and women have put forth a lot of time, effort and sweat in sowing, fertilizing, pruning and finally harvesting the grain and grapes. 

It is only fitting that the harvest makes them glad, because they are reaping the results of all their hard work.

This is a very encouraging word as it pertains to the harvests of the Jews in the natural realm.  They will have an abundance of food and provisions, which will enable them to have peaceful lives and have even more children. 

It is also a very encouraging word in the spiritual realm. This promise assures believers that as we put in the work to sow and weed and water the seeds of the gospel message in the lives of others, we will reap an abundant harvest.  Once that harvest is collected, we will have great joy knowing that God has worked through us to bring souls into his eternal kingdom of goodness and beauty.

It is astonishing to consider that God has chosen us to assist him in this work!  He is truly worthy of all our praise, worship and adoration!

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Over and over in this prophesy God continues to remind his people in different ways that they would be victorious if they trusted in him.  Why do you think God said this repeatedly?

I think he did it because of a lack of faith on the part of the Jews.  It’s almost as if they got up in the morning believing the promises of God, but once they went out into society, they took their eyes off the Lord and began to focus on the strength and power of their enemies. 

If we are honest, we will admit to being guilty of doing the exact same thing sometimes!

How often have we built up our faith by being in church only to go off to work or school the next day and find that our mind is completely focused on the things of the world? 

The good news is that we can overcome this lack of faith by repeatedly reminding ourselves of the promises of God.  We need to train our minds and hearts to feed off of the truth of the word of God, not the threats, bad news or complaints of the world around us:

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.    

I encourage you to pay close attention to the thoughts that randomly flow through your mind this week.  If you find they are evil, negative or faithless, give your spirit some relief by casting those lies away and feeding your mind on the goodness of God!

Let me offer you some strength:

Words can never adequately express the gratitude we feel towards God for his blessings, which flow to us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Thankfully, there are other ways to express our love and devotion. 

Perhaps the best way to demonstrate our gratitude is to live a holy life that is pleasing to the Lord.  When we seek to circumcise sin from our hearts and do what is righteous in the Lord’s sight, it is an expression of our love, devotion and thankfulness to him.

We can also please God by living in faith (Hebrews 11:6).  When he promises to deliver us, to bless us or to give us victory, let’s place our faith in his goodness and power.  If we do, he will never let us down!