Zechariah 11:1-17

March 24, 2024

FBC Baxley

Pm service

Zechariah 11:1-17

1 Open your doors, O Lebanon,

that the fire may devour your cedars!

2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,

for the glorious trees are ruined!

Wail, oaks of Bashan,

for the thick forest has been felled!

3 The sound of the wail of the shepherds,

for their glory is ruined!

The sound of the roar of the lions,

for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

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

5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them.

6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”

7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep.

8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.”

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

11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.

12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.

13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.

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

15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd.

16 For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd,

who deserts the flock!

May the sword strike his arm

and his right eye!

Let his arm be wholly withered,

his right eye utterly blinded!”

-PRAY

The Shepherd and the Flock

Opening Illustration:

Imagine, if you will, a vast and flourishing field, lush with greenery and life.

In this field, there stood a mighty oak tree, its branches reaching toward the heavens, providing shade and shelter to all beneath it.

As the seasons passed, the oak tree witnessed the ebb and flow of life around it.

But one day, a storm of unprecedented ferocity swept through the land, its winds howling and rains pounding relentlessly.

Despite its strength, the oak tree could not withstand the onslaught, and one by one, its branches began to break and fall, until it stood bare and broken.

In the aftermath, the once-thriving field lay desolate, and the oak tree, a mere shadow of its former glory.

Congregation, just as the oak tree in our story faced the tempest, so too do we encounter storms in our lives—trials, tribulations, and challenges that threaten to break us.

But fear not, for in our Scripture today, we find comfort and guidance in the words of the prophet Zechariah.

Sermon:

Let us turn our hearts and minds to the book of Zechariah, chapter 11, verses 1-17.

I. Allegory of False Shepherds: The passage illustrates the consequences of neglectful and selfish leadership, symbolized by shepherds who exploit and oppress their flock for personal gain. This allegory reflects God's relationship with His people, emphasizing the detrimental effects of leadership driven by greed and deceit.

The prophet Zechariah speaks of shepherds who neglect their duties, who forsake the well-being of their flock for their own selfish gain.

These false shepherds, driven by greed and deceit, lead the flock astray, causing division and destruction in their wake.

They do not cherish the sheep entrusted to their care but instead exploit and oppress them.

II. Divine Intervention and Judgment: Despite the havoc caused by false shepherds, God intervenes to bring judgment upon them. He puts an end to their tyranny, demonstrating His sovereignty and justice.

This divine intervention serves as a reminder of God's ultimate authority and His commitment to protect and care for His people.

He declares His judgment upon them, bringing an end to their reign of tyranny.

III. Promise of a True Shepherd: Amidst the chaos, God promises to raise up a new shepherd characterized by righteousness and compassion.

This promise offers hope and reassurance to the flock, assuring them of God's faithfulness and His provision of true guidance and leadership.

Ultimately, this points to Jesus Christ as the ultimate Good Shepherd who sacrifices Himself for His flock, providing security and peace even in turbulent times.

Friends, let us heed the lessons found within these verses with caution.

For just as the flock in Zechariah's time faced the consequences of following false shepherds, so too do we encounter similar challenges in our lives today.

The world presents us with countless voices vying for our attention, promising fulfillment and happiness, yet leading us astray from the path of righteousness.

But fear not, for our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, stands ready to guide us through the storms of life.

He is the shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, who leads us beside still waters and restores our souls.

In Him, we find true peace and security, even in the midst of turmoil.

Life Applications:

1. Stay Grounded in God's Word:

In a world filled with competing voices and ideologies, it is essential that we ground ourselves in the truth of God's Word. Just as a tree draws nourishment from its roots, so too must we draw strength from Scripture to weather the storms of life.

2. Cultivate Discernment:

The prophet Zechariah warns against following false shepherds who lead us astray. In our modern context, this serves as a reminder to cultivate discernment, to test every message against the standards of God's Word. Let us not be swayed by empty promises or deceptive teachings but remain steadfast in our faith.

3. Embrace the Leadership of Christ:

Ultimately, our hope and salvation lie in the leadership of Christ, our Good Shepherd. As Adrian Rogers often emphasized, Jesus is the answer to every question, the solution to every problem. Let us surrender our lives to His care, trusting in His guidance and provision, knowing that He leads us to green pastures and still waters, both in this life and the life to come.

May the words of Zechariah echo in our hearts today, reminding us of God's faithfulness and provision, even in the midst of life's storms.

-PRAY

-INVITATION