Zec 11 | MHM | STEP | Destruction of the Jewish State This section uses strong and symbolic language to predict the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. The prophecy looks far ahead, describing events that Jesus later spoke about clearly. The images of forests, trees, and fire show how complete and unstoppable this destruction will be. The fall of the leaders and the land is a warning to everyone, especially those who think they are safe. v. 1 : The prophecy begins with a command: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! . Lebanon is told to open its doors, not to welcome a king, but to let in destruction. This could mean the temple, which was built with Lebanon’s cedar trees and was later burned by the Romans. Some stories say that forty years before the temple was destroyed, its gates opened by themselves, which people saw as a sign that Zechariah’s prophecy was coming true: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! that the fire may devour thy cedars . Others think Lebanon here means Jerusalem or even the whole land of Canaan, which would be open to invaders. The “cedars” represent the powerful and important people who will be destroyed.

‏ Zechariah 11

Destruction of the Jewish State

This section uses strong and symbolic language to predict the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. The prophecy looks far ahead, describing events that Jesus later spoke about clearly. The images of forests, trees, and fire show how complete and unstoppable this destruction will be. The fall of the leaders and the land is a warning to everyone, especially those who think they are safe.

v. 1: The prophecy begins with a command: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! . Lebanon is told to open its doors, not to welcome a king, but to let in destruction. This could mean the temple, which was built with Lebanon’s cedar trees and was later burned by the Romans. Some stories say that forty years before the temple was destroyed, its gates opened by themselves, which people saw as a sign that Zechariah’s prophecy was coming true: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! that the fire may devour thy cedars . Others think Lebanon here means Jerusalem or even the whole land of Canaan, which would be open to invaders. The “cedars” represent the powerful and important people who will be destroyed.

v. 2: The next verse warns the “fir-tree” to howl because if the strong cedars have fallen, the weaker fir-trees will not stand a chance. The “oaks of Bashan” are also told to howl because the “forest of the vintage” or the protected forests have been brought down. This means that when great people fall into trouble, it is a warning to everyone else not to feel too safe .

v. 3: There is the sound of howling from the shepherds and the young lions. The leaders, who should have protected the people, are now in distress because their “glory is spoiled.” The shepherds howl because their pastures and flocks are destroyed. The young lions howl because the “pride of Jordan”—the thick forests where they lived—has been ruined. This shows that when those in power use their strength to hurt others instead of helping them, God will humble them and take away their power (Zechariah 11:3; Jeremiah 49:19 ^a).

The Two Shepherds and the Judgment on Israel

This section contains a prophetic parable in which Zechariah is told to be a shepherd to a flock doomed to slaughter. The flock represents the people of Israel, who have rejected their true shepherds and instead follow false leaders. God’s anger is against the careless leaders and the people who refuse to listen. Zechariah acts out the roles of two shepherds to show the difference between God’s care and the foolishness of false leaders. The message is a warning of judgment, but there is also a hint of hope for those who listen to God and follow Him.

v. 4: Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; God commands Zechariah to act as a shepherd for a flock that is about to be destroyed. This flock stands for the people of Israel, who are in danger because of their sins and the failures of their leaders .

v. 5: Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. The people’s leaders, both their rulers and religious teachers, are like owners who kill and sell their sheep without caring. They profit from the people and feel no guilt. Even the shepherds—those who should protect—have no compassion. This shows the deep corruption among Israel’s leaders .

v. 6: For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. God says He will not have pity anymore because the people and their leaders have gone too far. He will let them fall into the hands of enemies and even be attacked by each other. This is a warning that judgment is coming, and God will not protect them from the consequences .

v. 7: And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. Zechariah obeys and shepherds the doomed flock, especially caring for the “poor of the flock”—the humble people who still trust in God. He uses two staffs named Beauty (or Favor) and Bands (or Union), showing God’s care and desire to unite and bless His people. But the people reject God’s care .

v. 8: Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Zechariah removes three bad shepherds in a short time, probably symbolizing the removal of corrupt leaders. But the people do not want God’s shepherd, and God is angry with them for rejecting Him .

v. 9: Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. Because the people refuse to listen, Zechariah says he will stop being their shepherd. Those who are doomed will die, and the rest will destroy each other. This is a picture of the terrible results of rejecting God’s care .

v. 10: And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. Zechariah breaks the staff called Beauty (Favor), which represents God ending the special protection and blessings He had given His people .

v. 11: And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord. When the staff is broken, the humble people who still trust God realize that this is God’s true message. They see that judgment is coming, just as God warned .

v. 12: And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. Zechariah asks the people to pay him if they value his work as shepherd. They pay him thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave—showing they think very little of God’s care. This is a prophecy that points ahead to the betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15 ^b).

v. 13: And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. God tells Zechariah to throw the money to the potter in God’s house. This act shows how little the people value God’s shepherd, and again foreshadows what would happen to Jesus and the money paid to betray Him (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:9-10 ^c).

v. 14: Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Zechariah breaks the second staff, Bands (Union), to show that the unity between Judah and Israel is gone. God’s people will be divided because they rejected Him .

Judgments Predicted and Typified

This section shows how, after being abandoned by the good Shepherd, the people suffer even more when a foolish shepherd leads them. God uses the prophet to act out the role of this unfit leader, warning that the people will be ruled by those who do not care for them. This is a picture of the bad leaders—both religious and political—that will come after the people reject the true Shepherd. These new leaders will not protect or help, but will instead hurt and mislead the people.

v. 15: God tells the prophet to take up the tools of a foolish shepherd . These are not the right tools for a real shepherd, but they fit someone who does not care for the flock. God now tells Zechariah to take the role of a foolish shepherd, representing the false and careless leaders the people will have because they rejected God. The prophet acts out what will happen to Israel when they are led by bad leaders.

v. 16: The foolish shepherd does not do his job. He does not help the sheep that are lost or in danger. He does not look after the young ones or heal those who are hurt. He leaves the weak and those who cannot keep up. Instead of taking care of the flock, he only thinks about himself. He eats the best food and is cruel to the sheep, even hurting them. God says He will allow a foolish shepherd to rule over them—someone who does not care for the weak or lost, but only takes for himself . This is like the leaders and teachers that Jesus described, who put heavy burdens on the people and did not help them (Matthew 23:2 ^d). They were also like false prophets and false messiahs who led the people away from the truth (Matthew 24:5 ^e). When people rejected the true Messiah, they were misled by those who only brought harm.

v. 17: The foolish shepherd brings a curse on himself. God says, Woe to the idol-shepherd (Zechariah 11:17 ^f). He is like an idol: he looks important but does nothing to help. He leaves the flock when they need him most. Because he did not use his power to help, God’s judgment will fall on him. His arm will dry up, and his right eye will go blind. He will lose his strength and the ability to see danger. God pronounces a curse on the foolish, worthless shepherd who abandons the flock. False leaders will be judged for failing to care for God’s people. This is like when Jesus said, I have come that those who see may be made blind (John 9:39 ^g). If leaders do not use their gifts to help others, they will lose those gifts. Those who should have watched over the people, but did nothing, will be punished by God.