Zechariah 11 Shepherds

Zechariah 11.

Intro: Where are we in the story.

Preforming arts /method acting, prophetic sigh act, shepherds breaking staffs. Zecharia playing different roles as the good shepherd and the evil – foolish. (Playing Jesus and Judas, and antichrist).

Verse 1 and 2. Picks up where chapter 10 ended, with God judging, north Lebanon having the pride of the big trees burned, and their glory ruined, also the oaks of Bashan, see map the fertile land cut down the forest. (God removing what was blessed from the lands judgment). Can be seen as a symbol of the whole land of the Jews.

Verse 3. Waling form shepherds that have lost their glory, they lost what they had. But also the lions roar, because the habitation is ruined in Jordan. (Bad shepherds/leadership?) And the habitat of the lion is taken away. Or the lion on the attack, judgment.

Verse 4. God said to Zechariah become a shepherd of the doomed flock, - that is going to be slaughtered.

Verse 5. Those who buy them slaughter them = unpunished,

They say God has blessed me and made me rich, and their own have no pity on them. Are we talking sheep or people or both? Yes, instead of pity riches is the goal? And they say God did it, but their job was it not to take care of the sheep?

God breaks in verse 6 and produced judgement, removal of pity, of the inhabitants of this land, - they will fall by the hands of their neighbors and their king and the land will be crushed - God will deliver none…

Verse 7 Zechariah becomes a shepherd of the doomed flock to slaughter by sheep traders. Then he takes to staffs, and names them. Favor and Union, and then goes and tend the sheep. (Abraham, Isach, Jacob, Moses, David).

Verse 8 He said that he destroyed 3 shepherds, was it because he was impatient? They detested him. Not a very good working relationship.

Verse 9 He said I will not be your shepherd, - what comes will come, 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. Judgment and chaos. As the shepherd is rejected… picture of Jesus? A failed one, - Jesus is the one slaughtered, the one judged, the one that died, was destroyed.

Verse 10. Zac breaks the Favor staff, annulling the covenant that he had made with the peoples.

In 11 and the oppressors /sheep traders that saw it knew it was the word of the lord. That the covant was broken.

In 12 if you want give my wages if not keep it, they give him 30 pieces of silver… - (Exodus price of a death slave) Matthew 26 14-16, PPT

13 then the Lord ask him to throw it to the potter… the lordly price (prophetic irony a very low price of a death slave) that they set on him, so Zec thew it into the house of the lord to the potter, poor. Matthew: 27:9-10. Writes that this was for filled by Judas. (Zec plays a lot of roles).

14 then breaking the staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel - back in history because Solomon is unfaithful to God, the kingdom splits in two, Israel 10 tribes in the north, and Juda in the south 2. And wars between them often happen.

15 God said dress again as a foolish shepherd, - bad wicket leader, that is a from Juda, many has come, some will say this is a reference to the antichrist figure.

16 I will raise up a shepherd that does not care the ones being destroyed,or does not seek to care for the young or the sick or give nourishment, but instead abuses and kills the flock, even inflicting great harm.

17 Woe a call of judgement, on the worthless shepherd, that deserts the flock, a call to go parcly blind and lame.

Preforming arts /method acting, prophetic sigh act, shepherds breaking staffs. Zecharia playing different roles as the good shepherd and the evil – foolish. (Playing Jesus and Judas, and antichrist). Good and bad shepherds.

Zechariah playing both Jesus and Judas roles? Acting out what comes later? God showing what bad leaders lead to? In history, jewish leadersip that was self serving. And so on.

And what does the new testament writers say? Matthew… Judas… PPT x was for filing this prophecy.

The people’s historical rejection of God, the leaders not leading and guiding the people towards God, but using power and position for selfish gain, riches, influence, food. Living and wanting other things, that God… Gods things, creations.

(Jacob), David, and Jesus, talks about, the hired hand run away when the wolf, bear, lion comes after the flock. The Good shepherd, takes up the fight and, kills the animal that is attacking the flock. PPT X2.

Defending the flock, and even giving up his life for the flock, that is a very different approach, that we see in

The difference in the shepherds, Jesus also calling out all the people that said they were the Messiah or leaders before him, all thieves and robbers. (The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, Jesus: they are like sheep without a shepherd). We can see the care of Jesus, the sacrifice, the love, I wounder if you see the same, in your life? That Jesus cares, that Jesus is alive and well, still the good shepherd, leading and guiding, caring, praying for his people, the one that made a way for us to come to God, to become his children, not by our merit by Jesus, offering. You might have herd this many times, but where and how does it hit you today, as we read about the bad leaders, the ones in it for gain, money, fame, etc. What grace and love God has shown us in Jesus!

How will we respond? We can look at our life how do we live our lives?

How do we lead and why? Who do we follow? And why? Are we I am I bad leaders/shepherds – running away from danger and letting the flock suffer?

The importants of Jesus. Jews, OT NT, people keep rejecting God, doing their own will, not trusting God. In the NT opposing Jesus and what he said would and should happen.

God is so faithful, so very paitent, He does judge, He also shoes mercy many times, but as Paul writes in Romans sometimes Gods wrath is to let people get what they want, and that will bring them harm and hurt, because they did not want God but only what God created, Romans 1:22- 24. Where are we? Trusting in Jesus? Others our self? - Good news is Jesus…