Sermon Tone Analysis

One thing we began to notice in chapter 10 was the fact that more and more of the information God is diving us in His word seem to point to a future day of his kingdom and his presence here on earth.

So lets get ready to start......

So lets begin by looking at verses 1-2

Well I want to begin and tell you that chapter is the most difficult and most controversial chapter in the entire book.

At times the metaphors are hard to distinguish and historical references are hard to see plainly.

Well I want to begin and tell you that chapter is the most difficult and most controversial chapter in the entire book.

At times the metaphors are hard to distinguish and historical references are hard to see plainly.

But we will do our best now that we have hard the protests of the biblical scholars.

A old Bible scholar by the name of Unger says this...

Unger firmly contends that 11:1–3 describes judgment in very strong terms, but he also attempts to avoid a figurative interpretation: “Nothing more than a literal interpretation is needed, and there is not the slightest reason to make the trees signify either nations or men despite such references as Isaiah 10:34; Ezekiel 17:8; Jeremiah 22:6; passim, where trees represent nations or men.”

Now some say the cedars speak to the doors of the Temple and other think it refers to the land and people of Judea

In either case, Lebanon lay to and the north of those wonderful cedar woods were there as well, and those cedars that were used to build the doors of the temple.

Forty years before the destruction of the temple, the tract called “Massecheth Joma” states, its doors of their own accord opened, and Rabbi Johanan in alarm said, I know that thy desolation is impending according to Zechariah’s prophecy

Others say this speaks to Judea, as i have already said and they consider this to mean that their northern boundary would be open for the Romans to come and take them into captivity.

and with verse 2, if those tall cedars are not spared, the smaller trees, like the fir trees, the other trees will not stand as well.

Let me share the words of

So the Lord is speaking against them....

now verse 3

The shepherds speak to the Jewish rulers.

their glory could refer to the temple but it refers to their own wealth and magnificence

The young lions speak to the Young princes and the thicker of Jordan is the woody banks of the Jordan river, it was often seen as a lair for the lions.

But it is no more

This seems to repeat the message the Lord has shared though the prophet Jeremiah chapter 25

Judgement is coming…and no one will stop it.

Verse 4

Verse 4 begins with a powerful assertion, the phrase the Lord my God speaks to the personal, intimate relationship Zechariah had with the Lord.

Zechariah is himself to be a shepherd to these people, Why we are not told everything as to the reason she is assigned to slaughter, but we know her habitual sin against the Lord, and the fact she refused to repent has lead to her judgment.

Interesting here is that often the Lord is portrayed as the shepherd, listen to Psalm 95:7

Psalm

But the Lord has separated himself from them, so Zechariah will shepherd them in this interim time.

but he has separated himself from them, so Zechariah will shepherd them in this interim time.

Now verse 5

Despite the fact that the flock of Judah belongs to God, the Lord himself does not sell the flock.

One who owns a flock possesses the freedom to sell his flock at will without accountability to anyone.

Nonetheless, the shepherds should show compassion to the flock and remorse for their actions against the sheep, a flock that does not even belong to them since they are merely hirelings.

This emphasizes the point that the flock did not belong to the shepherds and therefore it was not theirs to sell.

Nonetheless, the shepherds “do not spare them” (lōʾ yaḥmôl).

The shepherds’ brutal treatment of a flock that was not even theirs plainly showed what worthless shepherds they were.

Despite the fact that the flock of Judah belongs to God, the Lord himself does not sell the flock.

One who owns a flock possesses the freedom to sell his flock at will without accountability to anyone.

Nonetheless, the shepherds should show compassion to the flock and remorse for their actions against the sheep, a flock that does not even belong to them since they are merely hirelings.

This emphasizes the point that the flock did not belong to the shepherds and therefore it was not theirs to sell.

Nonetheless, the shepherds “do not spare them” (lōʾ yaḥmôl).

The shepherds’ brutal treatment of a flock that was not even theirs plainly showed what worthless shepherds they were.

the buyers of the flock represent the litany of kings past, present and future who seek to subjugate and plunder God’s people.

Verse 6

No pity, they deserve judgement, their actions have indicated.

They will be held captive by their neighbors, speak to the coming of other kingdoms who will over power them and conqueror them.

The phrase “ I will cause each of them”… tells us it will happen soon, and they will all suffer.

God has promised punishment, and his words are certain.

Verse 7

First, the flock was doomed by their own fault of rejecting God and his grace.

So they were doomed to slaughter.

The Lord says that He took to staves, staffs or rods.

Remember

He is assuming the role of the pastor’s office, leading and caring for the people.

The KJV calls the staffs beauty and bands,

favor or beauty because they were above the other nations, God’s special manifestation to them, they were to be a glorious land.

The second one called Union or bands, which referred to the brotherhood of Judah and Israel.

Eastern shepherds often carried two staffs, one more rod like to defend against the wild animals and the staff to guide and assist the sheep.

The second one called Union or bands, which

The staff symbolizes Jesus the Messiah who would come and by grace and love would lead his people unto life.

Verse 8

the three shepherd are difficult to identify, some say it refers to the priests, elders and scribes.

They think this because the coming Messiah will be prophet, priest and king, after Melchizedek.

In a brief and fixed space a time, probably refers to the last siege of Jerusalem when conquered.

Maybe not a literally 30 day period.=,

but a time of swift judgemnt

Verse 9

Zechariah will not be their shepherd, those who refused to believe were given over to their own desires and left exposed to deadly enemies of the Roman seige in AD 70.

We are told that during this time, some who were starving resorted to cannibalism.

Verse 10

Very harsh statement here… the covenant is over, but please remember that there is a new covenant that Jesus will enter into with his people, in fact the whole world as stated in .

But the covenant here is the true promise of restraining the nations from coming against his people.

Deut 28

Verse 11

The believing remenint of Christ’s day knew the word of the Lord was being fulfilled.

They knew judgement was coming but avoided the long term consequences by trusting Christ by faith.

Verse 12

What do you notice here?

The price for which Christ was betrayed, 30 pieces of silver, prophetically spoken here.

The 30 pieces of silver was the price paid for a slave if a ox gored him or her.

Jesus is sold for the price of a slave.

Verse 13

Zechariah continues to play out the drama of the Lord’s rejection by throwing the silver into the house of the Lord.

Judas after betraying the Lord brought the money back the priests, and threw the blood money on the temple floor.

The priests tool the money and bought a field from a potter.

Verse 14

Verse 14

So the Lord breaks his second staff, the one called union or bands.

It beaks the nations unity followed by his rejection.

During the Roman invasion, Josephus says actions set Jews against Jews,

Verse 15-16

Verse 15

With the removal of the true shepherd, the drama called for the prophet to play a foolish shepherd, who depicted the Antichrist in Daniels 70th week.

Zechariah prophecy jumps for the 1st century AD to the last prophecy of Revelation.

God permitted the wicked shepherd to arise, destroy the sheep because they did not choose the Good shepherd.

Israel will receive a foolish one who will do the opposite of what the Lord originally wanted for his people.

And tghen verse 17

Zechariah condemned the worthless shepherd, nothing his strength (arm) and intelligence (eye) would be taken from him.