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A Messianic Prophecy Study Of The Book Of Zechariah Click for Hebrew translation, or Arabic translation of this study
Page Four of Study: Chapters 11 - 14 click for study section below
H. ZECHARIAH, CHAPTER ELEVEN (The Lord Will Judge The Worthless Shepherds) 1. Zech.11:1-3 This entire chapter is a series of parables concerning the shepherds of Israel. Figurative poetry and prose has often been used by the Lord’s prophets. Why? a. references: Pr.1:6, Hos.12:10, Mt.13:10-15, 34, Mk.4:34, J n . 1 0 : 6 , 1.6:25-30 (please note: these references give us a biblical foundation for figurative speech throughout the scriptures . ) b. Zech. 11:1-3 "Open your doors, 0 Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars, Wail 0 pine trees, for the cedars have fallen. The stately trees are ruined. Wail 0 oaks of Bashan the dense forest has been cut down. Listen to the wail of the shepherds their rich pastures, are destroyed. Listen to the roar of the lions, the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined. i. The cedars of Lebanon (a proud, renowned, but rebellious figure of the shepherds of Israel); ref. ; Ez.31:1-9, 10-15, Is.19:33-34 ) ii . pine and oaks are lesser trees than the cedars ‘’A figure of those shepherds or leaders of Israel who are the most numerous, but not having the most authority.) ref.: Ez.27:3-6) iii. lions are figures of Israel’s predator enemies, moving in for the kill, once God’s divine barrier of protection is removed, (ref.: Ps . 10: 9, 17:12, 22:13, 21.) 2. Zech.11:7-17 The parable of the two shepherds a. A parable of two shepherds is presented by the faithful shepherd (representing the Messiah Yeshua!) in first person singular. The unfaithful shepherd then carries first person, starting in verse 7 through 14. b. How do we know that the faithful shepherd is Yeshua? You can spot the verse in the text. c. Zech.11:4-6 "For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land declares the Lord. They (the worthless shepherds) will oppress the land and will riot rescue them from their hands, (references: Jer.25:34; 50:7, Ez.34:2-3, Is.9:19-21, Lam.2:21, 5: M i c . 5 : 8 , 7:2-6) d. Zech.11:7-17 (The worthless shepherd and Judas Iscariot) i. We see here a parable of the worthless shepherd. Judas Iscariot symbolized Israel’s unfaithful shepherds. But he was more! He actually was the man chosen to fulfill the prophesy of the worthless shepherd personally in his betrayal of Yeshua. He became Israel’s representative in it’s annulment of it’s covenant "with God. (ref. Zech.11:10) ii. Zech.11:12-13 "So they paid me thirty shekels. And the Lord said to me, Throw it to the potter - the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty shekels and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter. (ref.: Mt,26:15, Mt.27:1-10) e. Zech.11:14-17 "Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! (ref. Jer .23:1 , Ez.30:21-22, Is.13:1) I. THE MESSIAH RETURNS AND REIGNS (ZECHARIAH, CHAPTERS 12 -14) 1. The Messiah Saves Israel - Zechariah 12:1-9 a. Verses 1 thru 9 are an oracle of destruction for Israel’s enemies upon the great and terrible day of the Lord. b. Zech. 12:1-3 "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup , that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against’ her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations." i . This, is a prophecy of the future, when Messiah Jesus is about to return. The text indicates that all the nations will turn against Israel. Why? I believe the scriptures give us a reasonable answer, (references: Dan.9:27, Mt 24:15-16, 2Thes.2:l-4) ii. From the references we have read, it appears that the future siege of Jerusalem will be primarily due to the rage of the nations for the rebuilding of the temple and the re-institution of sacrifice. Prophecy also indicates this action will be led by a Satanic world leader known as the "anti-christ", who will claim to be God incarnate (as Yeshua rightfully did) and defile the temple with an unclean sacrifice. Israel will forcefully reject him- and the siege will begin.. (Note: This future event of "the abomination of desolations" is a repetition of historical events, repeating the desolation of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanies in 160 A.D.)(Refer to 1 Macabees) iii. We find reference to all the nations of the earth gathering against Jerusalem in: Zech.14:2, Is.66:18 c. Zech. 12:4-5 "0n that day I will strike every horse with panic and it’s riders with madness declares the Lord.... Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts; the people of Jerusalem are strong because the Lord Almighty is their God." (reference: Zech.10:5, Ps.2:1-9) d. Zech 12:6 "They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place, (ref.: Is. 10:17-23, Zech. 14:10, Is.17:1-7, Ob.1:15-18) e. Zech.12:7-9 "On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem, (ref. : Jer.30:16-20, Joel 3:10-17, Micah 7:8-11) 2. All Of Israel Mourns For The One They Have Pierced (Zech.12:10-14) a. Zech.12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and grieve for him as one who grieves for a first born, (ref. : Is.53:11, 54:5-8, Jer.50:4-5, Mt.24:30, Rev. 1 : 7) (definitions: grace = unmerited mercy, supplication = humble request) 3 . Zechariah, Chapter 13 (Israel’s Cleansing From Sin) a. We find two central themes in Zech.13 , Israel’s cleansing from sin upon the Messiah’s return (Zech.13:1-6) and the scattering of the sheep by the striking of the shepherd, with an end time prophecy of judgment and refinement, relating to the striking of the shepherd. b. Zech.13 : 1 "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity. (Ref. Ez . 36:25, Zech.14:8, Bz.47:l-12, Joel 3:18, Rev.22: 1-6 ) c. Zech. 1.3:2-3 "On that day I will banish the names of the idols from the land and they will be remembered no more", declares the Lord Almighty. "I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land," (Ref. ; e£.36:25-27, Ho sea 2:16-17, Micah 5:7-15, Jer.23:33-40, Deut.13:6-11) d. Zech.13:4-6 "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his prophetic vision. He will not put on a prophet’s garments of hair in order to deceive. (Ref. ; Mt.3:4-6, 2K1.1:7-8, Amos 7:14-15, 2Peter 2:1-3, 2 Tim.4:3-5) e . Zech.13:7 "Awake 0 sword against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the Lord Almighty, "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. And 1 will turn my hand against the little ones. (This prophecy is specifically related to Yeshua’s betrayal and atoning sacrifice. We see the reference "strike the shepherd" in Zech. 11:4-6, Is.53:4-6 and Mt.26:31-32) f. Zech.13:8-9 "In the whole land declares the Lord, "two thirds will be struck down and perish, yet one third will be left in it. This third 1 will bring into the fire, I will refine them like silver... i. This prophecy is most likely one of Israel’s last judgment upon the Messiah’s return. Two thirds will be cut off & one third will be refined. (Ref. ; Daniel 11:33-35, Zech. 14:2) g. Zech . 13 : 9 "They will call on my name and I will answer them." I will say "They are my people" and they will say "The Lord is our God". (Ref. ; Is.4:2-4, Is.54:7-10) 4. Zechariah, Chapter 14 (The Lord’s Return & The Kingdom Has Come) a. Zech.14:1-5 Jerusalem’s Siege & The Lord’s Defense Of Jerusalem i. Zech.14:1 "A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you." (Joel 1:15, Mal. 4:1) ii. Zech.14:2 "For I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem, to fight against it, the city will be captured, the houses ransacked and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city."(Is.2:3, Zech.12:3, Zech.13:8) iii. Zech.14:3-4 "Then the Lord will fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a valley... (Is.8:9, Zech.12:9, Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:10-11) iv. Zech.14: 5 "You will flee by mountain valley for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquakes in the days of Uzziah King of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with him. (Mt.24:29-31, Rev.20:1-3) b.Zech.14:6-20 The Messiah Subdues The Nations And Reigns As King Over All The Earth. i. Zech.14:6 "On that day there will be no light nor cold or frost, It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime -a day known to the Lord. When evening comes there will be light." (Zech.2:5, Is.60:19, Rev.22:5) ii. Zech.14:8 "On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea, half to the western sea in summer and winter."(Ez.36:25, Zech.13:1, Ez.47:1-2, Joel 3:18, Rev.22:l-6) iii. Zech.14:9 "The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord and his name the only name. (Is.45:24, Rev.11:15, Hab.2:I4, Eph.1:19-22, Ob.1:21, Ps.22:2S) iv. Zech.14:10 (Jerusalem will be raised up!) The whole land from-Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up and remain in it’s place... (physical - Is.2:2, spiritual -Jer.30:18) v. Zech.14:12-21 (All the nations of the earth will be called to worship the Lord in Jerusalem) Zech.14:12-15 (A plague will strike those who attack Jerusalem) (Is.11:4) c. Zech.14:16-19 (The Feast of Tabernacles, "Succoth", will be an international Holy Day for all nations to celebrate in Jerusalem.) d. Zech.14:20-21 (The "common" shall become "holy" and the unrighteous will never again enter Jerusalem.) (Jer.31:40, Ez.44:9) click for study section below
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