Zechariah 13
Notes
Transcript
Last week we concluded with verse one of Chapter 13. It was the ending with hope for the redemption of sins we needed. Last time we talked about the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem would mourn over Him whom they pierced. Verse 1 of 13 promised redemption to them. We pick up in verse 2 but we’re continuing the same thought here and I didn’t want to lose that.
“And on that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the Lord.’ And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies.
On that day is when again? - the end times - the return of Christ - so it’s on that day that the names of idols are cutoff and that prophecy is ended. False prophets were not a problem that ended with the old testament. We still have them today and will have them until the very end.
And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
There will even be false Christs that come Like Matthew 24:4–5 “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.” but their appearance isn’t an on that day event - meaning that’s going to happen likely many times before Christ’s return.
So what does it mean to cut off the names? To cut off a name is a complete destruction that is no longer remembered. If you wanted my name to be cut off you would have to not only kill me but all my family and much of my extended family so that my name wouldn’t continue on and no one would remember me. To cut off the names of Idols it is the people who worship them who will be destroyed. Idols are not gods, they have no power of themselves. Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”
Tied in with idols are the false prophets these false prophets unlike the dead hunk of matter called and idol speaks, spreads untruth and draws in others to follow these lies. They are both point back to a root unclean spirit. Unique to Zechariah for putting the two things together it is picked up in the new testament and used a lot like in Mark 1:23 “And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,”
Verse 3 only emphasizes this point. That even a prophets own parents would turn them in and be the executioner to uphold righteousness. By again using the word pierce here we are reminded of the situation last chapter. When they pierced God, who is righteous, unjustly they will mourn for what they have done. Here in verse 3 instead of killing the innocent they execute the unrighteous who deserved death.
“On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.’ And if one asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your back?’ he will say, ‘The wounds I received in the house of my friends.’
On that day… starts a new thought. These unlike vs 3 are false prophets who exist at the coming of “that day” and for them it will be shameful. Zechariah isn’t the only prophet with similar words
the seers shall be disgraced,
and the diviners put to shame;
they shall all cover their lips,
for there is no answer from God.
Back in Zechariah we also see that they will not disguise themselves with a hairy cloak. What is that about?
The first thing I thought of was Esau…
The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau.
in fact this is the only other verse with the exact same phrasing “hairy cloak” but there is more here. I think we get this pun that plays clearly on the deception of Jacob using the hairy cloak to pretend to be Esau and the fact that prophets did wear cloaks that distinguished them from everyone else as a prophet. Elijah, Elisha and John the Baptist had described cloaks. John the Baptist’ was made of camel’s hair. You could just look and see something that sets them apart from the people. The wolf will remove his cloak and put on the sheep’s clothing .
They’ll deny being part of the group of false prophets by making the claim they’re just farmers which reminds you a little of Amos when we read him he stated. Amos 7.14
Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.
They add a little more though, that they were sold in their youth. Possibly a plea for pity that their family must have been so poor the had to sell off children or I even had the thought that maybe they’re hoping to resemble a Joseph figure that would be humble yet has the potential to rise to power - so of course treat them well lest they become a ruler later…
Lastly in verse 6 a strange question. What are the wounds on your back? Why would that be something of note when it comes to false prophets? When Elijah faces the false prophets on Mount Carmel what did these prophets of Baal do?
And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
This was a ritualistic practice of the time that would be a giveaway someone had been a prophet of Baal at least. They have terrible answers to this question though… It happened in the house of my friend? like it was just some friendly wrestling that did this… The lame excuses and most of the attempts to hide don’t seem to work well.
We finish this chapter in 3 more verses we’ll keep them all together.
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who stands next to me,”
declares the Lord of hosts.
“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;
I will turn my hand against the little ones.
In the whole land, declares the Lord,
two thirds shall be cut off and perish,
and one third shall be left alive.
And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
Here we get some imagery that maybe we don’t like, or seems confusing so let’s deal with the first thing. This shepherd, or ruler is God’s shepherd, the one given by God not the ruler over God because there is none. He stands next to Him. Now I think we need to keep the big picture in mind about who we’re talking about. This should be tied back to the one who is pierced/killed in chapter 12. But more importantly it should be tied to Jesus. WHY would we tie this to Him or the pierced one? What evidence is there that this is Jesus? How about Jesus claiming this verse is about himself.
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
So the flock are his followers. But what about the little ones? That’s tough. I think verse 9 might help us out when we get there. but there is a possibility left out here from the translation which is there might be purpose to striking the shepherd attached to the scattering. meaning It could read strike the shepherd so that the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand to the little ones.
Verse eight might not be an entire departure from what we’re talking about. It coul still be talking about the sheep. That 2/3 of the sheep are destroyed. Those who persist in their unbelief will be the greater portion. Massive destruction and persecution will happen at the end. Like we’ve talked about many times there is always a remnant.
Verse nine is where we see what happens to this remnant. I think this remnant is the little ones from the end of 7. They will be put through fire and refined. God will shape those who survive to be trustworthy and righteous.
We see a very Exodus type language here . Exod 6.7
I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
It shows up many places throughout the Bible. We talked about that with the name of one of Hosea’s children who was called “not my people.”
Here we end well saying The Lord is my God.