Main Highlights
The rejection of the Good Shepherd and the judgment on the land.
Key Verses
Open your gates, O Lebanon, That a fire may devour your cedars. Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the glorious trees are ruined; Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the impenetrable forest has come down.— Zechariah 11:1-2
A voice of the wailing of the shepherds, Because their glory is ruined; A voice of the roaring of young lions, Because the pride of the Jordan is ruined.— Zechariah 11:3
Thus says Yahweh my God, “Pasture the flock intended for slaughter,— Zechariah 11:4
So I pastured the flock intended for slaughter, for the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor and the other I called Union; and so I pastured the flock.— Zechariah 11:7
Related Scripture
"Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out to him thirty pieces of silver."— Matthew 26:14-15
Scholar Insight
"“Zechariah 11 presents a dramatic allegory of the rejection of God’s shepherd and the consequences that follow, including the breaking of covenant unity and the rise of an incompetent and destructive leader.” - Peter R. Jones, The Message of Zechariah (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1984), p. 118."
Theological Analysis
What we learn about God
God is a rejected Shepherd, whose worth is undervalued by His people. He is also a just God who will judge those who reject Him and harm His flock. "Woe to My worthless shepherd, Who abandons the flock! May a sword be on his arm And on his right eye! His arm will be completely withered, And his right eye will be totally blinded." (Zechariah 11:17)
Christological Connection
The rejection of the shepherd for thirty pieces of silver is a direct prophecy of Judas' betrayal of Jesus.
Systematic Theology
The passage demonstrates the concept of Christ's sacrifice for His sheep, the consequence of his rejection and the price that was paid by mankind.
Law & Grace
The rejection of the good shepherd represents a rejection of God's covenant, while the consequences highlight the judgment for disobedience to the Law.
Personal Application
We should value and honor Jesus, recognizing the cost of His sacrifice. We should also be aware of the consequences of rejecting God's leadership.