Journal Through the Bible: Week 100 Monday

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Zechariah 11:1-12:14

Does God issue any commands?

• God said to feed the flock for the slaughter because He would no more pity the inhabitants of the land.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised to cut off 3 false shepherds who had no pity for God's sheep.
• God promised to make Jerusalem a cup of trembling. (This had to be especially terrifying to a people who had only returned there in recent years!)
• God promised that Jerusalem would be a burdensome stone for all people and that He would judge the nations because of it.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• The shepherd who possesses the staves called Beauty and Bands is Jesus Christ.
• Jesus was the one whose wages of sin were 30 pieces of silver, the price Judas received for betraying Him, the price of which was used to purchase the field of the potter. (11:12-13)
• Jesus is the glory of the house of David.
• Jesus is "whom they have pierced, . . . and be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." This is a prophesy about the second coming when Israel will see the One they crucified.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• Because they rejected the Good Shepherd, God will send an idol shepherd (a false messiah) to the people. He is yet to be revealed.
• God promised to "make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." One day all the world will be united against Israel but God will prevail against all the world. There will be confusion and great burning fire! Yet following all of that, Jerusalem shall be inhabited. (Read Revelation for parallel passages.)
• The glory of the house of David will be restored.
• The One whom they pierced will one day be looked upon (physically) again by the inhabitants of this world.
• There will be great mourning in Jerusalem when they finally acknowledge their Messiah just as there was once great mourning in Megiddo (probably a reference to the death of Josiah). There will be greater mourning after the battle of Armageddon takes place in the same location. Even individual families shall mourn.