ZECHARIAH: GOD’S PRESENT DIRECTIVES AND FUTURE HOPE

XVIII: The Rejection Of Messiah And His Withdrawal Of The Kingdom

(Zechariah 11:1-14)

I. Introduction

A. Zechariah along with Haggai called the returning Hebrews back to rebuilding the temple, and he gave God’s directives and future hope. (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, “Introduction to the Book of Zechariah,” p. 1310)

B. Zechariah chapters 9-14 present two “burdens” or oracles, with Zechariah 9-11 predicting Messiah’s first advent and rejection by Israel and Zechariah 12-14 foretelling His second advent and acceptance by Israel.

C. Zechariah 11:1-14 predicts the arrival of the Messiah and Israel’s rejection of Him, resulting in His withdrawal of the Messianic Kingdom, what we study for our insight, application and edification (as follows):

II. The Rejection Of Messiah And His Withdrawal Of The Kingdom, Zechariah 11:1-14.

A. Zechariah 11:1-3 shares a lamentation about “the impending devastation that will result from the people” of Israel “rejecting the Messiah,” Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 1564. This devastation would occur at the hands of the Romans who invaded Israel in 70 A. D., and likely also includes other nations in the future Tribulation.

B. The reason for this invasion is explained in Zechariah 11:4-14 as Israel’s rejection of her Messiah and His withdrawal of His Messianic Kingdom (as follows):

1. Zechariah was called by God to enact a parable about Messiah’s arrival, and God called him to “shepherd” (ra’ah) the flock “of slaughter,” that is, the “sheep for slaughtering,” Zechariah 11:4; Ibid., p. 191-192.

2. The Zechariah 11:5 “possessors” of the flock would be its “shepherds,” and since they will say, “Blessed be Yahweh,” they will be Israel’s “own unprincipled teachers and rulers” who, as typified in the Pharisees in Christ’s day, would take advantage of the people and thank God for their ill-gotten gain, Ibid., p. 192.

3. Not only would the people be mistreated by their leaders, but God Himself would no longer pity them, but deliver them into the hands of one another and their king to be mistreated without God’s help due to their rejection of the Messiah that was about to be described in Zechariah 11:7-14. (Zech. 11:6; Ibid., p. 193)

4. Zechariah, acting in Messiah’s predicted role, then chose to shepherd the afflicted of the flock, what included those who believed in Him, Zech. 11:7a. He thus took two staves, a rod to beat off wild animals and another a crooked stave for “retrieving the sheep from difficult places,” Zechariah 11:7b; Ibid., p. 194.

5. One stave he called “Pleasantness,” typifying Messiah’s “gracious . . . care” (Zech. 11:7c; Ibid., p. 195) and the other “Bands,” stressing the “unifying and edifying ministry of the good Shepherd,” Zech. 11:7d,e.

6. The Zechariah 11:8a “three shepherds” are “rulers in the Jewish state – the priests, the teachers of the law, and the civil magistrates” whom Messiah Jesus would “cut off” KJV (‘akhhidh), the Hebrew word here meaning “disavow” (Ibid., p. 195), in “one month.” This would be the “period of culminating unbelief just before the national leaders crucified our Lord and thus sealed the fate of the Jewish state.” Ibid.; v. 8b.

7. The Messiah then will claim that He would no longer shepherd Israel but let her be destroyed when the Romans invaded the nation and the people suffered great harm, Zechariah 11:9; Ibid., p. 196.

8. Messiah would then cut His staff “Pleasantness” to pieces, breaking the covenant of God’s restraint that kept the Gentiles from harming Israel, what would then allow the Romans and later Gentile invaders afflict Israel, a fact that Christ predicted while He was on His way to the cross in Luke 23:27-31; Zech. 11:10.

9. In Zechariah 11:11, Messiah is predicted as breaking His covenant with Israel “in that day,” a day known by the “poor of the flock,” His disciples! This “day” is likely His Triumphal Entry, cf. Luke 19:41-44.

10. Zechariah 11:12-13 predicts the 30 pieces of silver for which Judas betrayed Jesus, here called His wages as a Shepherd, and that His pay would be thrown to the potter, fulfilled when the money purchased the potter’s field for the burying of the poor, Ibid., p. 198-198. The added detail of the money being thrown down in the temple of the Lord was precisely fulfilled by Judas’ action as recorded in Matthew 27:3-10.

11. Messiah would then destroy His other staff “Bands,” breaking the unity between Judah and Israel, v. 14. History has shown that internal discord in Israel helped lead to the “destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70 and a new wave of worldwide dispersion.” (Ibid., p. 201-202; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1566)

Lesson: When Messiah would arrive in Israel, the nation would reject Him, so He would withdraw His Kingdom offer from her. However, to those of the doomed flock of Israel who accepted Him did God richly personally bless.

Application: (1) May we submit to God’s Word that we might be blessed and not see God withhold His blessing from us. (2) If we have heeded God’s Word and enjoy His personal blessing, may we praise Him for His grace.