Zec 11:4 | KingComments | STEP | After the judgment in the reason for this judgment comes in the following verses. That reason is that they have rejected their Messiah. Zechariah speaks of “the LORD my God” ( ), which is especially fitting for the Messiah. This makes Zechariah the type of the Messiah. The prophet receives a command from God as a type of the Messiah. The Lord Jesus receives the command of His Father to pasture the sheep ( ). The sheep are called “flock [doomed] to slaughter” because they were destined for this purpose by the Romans (cf. ). This also applies to us ( ). In the people are still seen as a whole, the people the Lord Jesus comes to and sees as sheep who have no shepherd ( ). There are three groups in the people: “buyers”, “sellers” and “shepherds”. 1. The buyers are the new owners of Israel, the Romans, who slaughtered the sheep without any feeling of guilt. This was mainly done by the Roman general Titus during and after the destruction of Jerusalem. Flavius Josephus speaks of 1.5 million victims who died in the battle with the Romans. 2. The sellers delivered the people to the Romans. That is especially Herod. False leaders make merchandise from God’s people, from the souls of men. Also the Pharisees and scribes are among the sellers, they did not spare the people either. They ate the houses of widows and enriched themselves with the gifts of God’s people. 3. The shepherds are the leaders of the people. They exploited God’s people. The people are in bad shape. It has bad civil governments and bad religious leaders ( ).

‏ Zechariah 11:4

The Flock Doomed to Slaughter

After the judgment in Zec 11:1-3 the reason for this judgment comes in the following verses. That reason is that they have rejected their Messiah. Zechariah speaks of “the LORD my God” (Zec 11:4), which is especially fitting for the Messiah. This makes Zechariah the type of the Messiah. The prophet receives a command from God as a type of the Messiah. The Lord Jesus receives the command of His Father to pasture the sheep (Jn 10:1-4 ; 7 ; 9 ; 11 ; 14-18).

The sheep are called “flock [doomed] to slaughter” because they were destined for this purpose by the Romans (cf. Psa 44:22). This also applies to us (Rom 8:36).

In Zec 11:5 the people are still seen as a whole, the people the Lord Jesus comes to and sees as sheep who have no shepherd (Mt 9:36). There are three groups in the people: “buyers”, “sellers” and “shepherds”.

1. The buyers are the new owners of Israel, the Romans, who slaughtered the sheep without any feeling of guilt. This was mainly done by the Roman general Titus during and after the destruction of Jerusalem. Flavius Josephus speaks of 1.5 million victims who died in the battle with the Romans.

2. The sellers delivered the people to the Romans. That is especially Herod. False leaders make merchandise from God’s people, from the souls of men. Also the Pharisees and scribes are among the sellers, they did not spare the people either. They ate the houses of widows and enriched themselves with the gifts of God’s people.

3. The shepherds are the leaders of the people. They exploited God’s people.

The people are in bad shape. It has bad civil governments and bad religious leaders (Jer 50:6a).