So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, especially the afflicted of the flock. Then I took for myself two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock. So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter,Zechariah enacted the role of the true shepherd over Israel, a people endangered by corrupt leaders, covenant rebellion, and approaching judgment. Yet God did not abandon them without warning, care, and a faithful shepherding witness. Psa 44:22 Yet for Your sake we face death all day long;… especially the afflicted of the flock. God’s care rests particularly on those oppressed and exploited within the nation. The afflicted remnant received the prophet’s attention while the powerful shepherds of Israel served themselves rather than the people. Jesus later revealed the same shepherd’s heart toward the poor, needy, and spiritually burdened. Ezk 34:16 I will seek the lost, bring back the strays… Then I took for myself two staffs, The staffs portray the authority, guidance, protection, and discipline belonging to a shepherd. Zechariah’s actions visibly declared God’s covenant dealings with His people. Ezk 37:16-17 “And you, son of man, take a single stick and write on it:”… calling one Favor and the other Union, Favor represented the Lord’s gracious protection and covenant blessing. Union represented the brotherhood that should have joined Judah and Israel as one people under God. Their later breaking would signify the removal of protection and the collapse of national unity brought about by persistent rejection of the Lord’s shepherd. Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and a shield;… and I pastured the flock. The Lord continued to provide a faithful shepherd despite Israel’s unfaithfulness. Zechariah’s ministry anticipates the coming of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, who was rejected by many of His own people yet gave His life for His sheep. Jhn 10:11-16 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd… Persons / Places / Events 1. ZechariahA prophet in the post-exilic period who conveyed God's messages to the Israelites. His prophecies often contained visions and symbolic actions. 2. The Flock Represents the people of Israel, particularly those who are oppressed and in need of guidance and protection. 3. Two Staffs - Favor and Union Symbolic tools used by Zechariah in his role as a shepherd. "Favor" represents God's grace and blessing, while "Union" symbolizes the unity among the people of Israel. 4. The Shepherd Zechariah himself, acting out a symbolic role to convey God's message to the people. 5. The Oppressed of the Flock A specific group within the flock that is particularly vulnerable and in need of care, representing those who are faithful and attentive to God's word. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty and CareThe staffs "Favor" and "Union" symbolize God's active role in guiding and uniting His people. Believers can trust in God's sovereign care and seek His favor in their lives. The Role of Leadership Zechariah's role as a shepherd highlights the responsibility of leaders to care for and protect those under their charge. Christian leaders today are called to shepherd their communities with integrity and compassion. Unity Among Believers The staff "Union" emphasizes the importance of unity within the body of Christ. Believers are encouraged to work towards reconciliation and harmony within their communities. Listening to God's Word The "oppressed of the flock" who recognize God's message serve as a reminder of the importance of being attentive to God's word and responding in faith. The Consequences of Rejection The breaking of the staffs later in the chapter serves as a warning of the consequences of rejecting God's guidance and favor. Believers are urged to remain faithful and obedient to God's leading. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of the shepherd and the staffs in Zechariah 11:7 enhance our understanding of God's relationship with His people?2. In what ways can Christian leaders today emulate the role of a shepherd as depicted in Zechariah 11:7? 3. How can we, as members of the body of Christ, work towards maintaining unity within our communities? 4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure we are attentive to God's word, like the "oppressed of the flock"? 5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's "Favor" in your life. How did it impact your faith journey, and how can you share that experience with others? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 23The imagery of the shepherd and the staff connects to the well-known Psalm where God is depicted as the shepherd who guides and protects His people. John 10 Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, drawing a parallel to the shepherd imagery in Zechariah, emphasizing care and sacrifice for the flock. Ezekiel 34 This chapter discusses the failure of Israel's leaders as shepherds and God's promise to be the true shepherd for His people, similar to the themes in Zechariah 11.
People ZechariahPlaces Bashan, Jordan River, LebanonTopics Afflicted, Bands, Beautiful, Beauty, Binders, Care, Death, Doomed, Especially, Favor, Fed, Feed, Flock, Grace, Graciousness, Hence, Marked, Myself, Named, Naming, O, Oppressed, Particularly, Pastured, Pleasantness, Poor, Profit, Rods, Sheep, Shepherd, Slain, Slaughter, Staffs, Staves, Tended, Trafficked, Truly, Union, VerilyDictionary of Bible Themes Zechariah 11:7Library Inspiration of Scripture. --Gospel Difficulties. --The Word of God Infallible. --Other Sciences Subordinate to Theological Science. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. BUT that is not exactly what St. Paul says. The Greek for that, would be He graphe--not pasa graphe--theopneustos. St. Paul does not say that the whole of Scripture, collectively, is inspired. More than that: what he says is, that every writing,--every several book of those hiera grammata, or Holy Scriptures, in which Timothy had been instructed from his childhood,--is inspired by God [330] . It comes to very nearly the same thing but it is not quite … John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation And Again David Says:... In the House of his Heavenly, and in the Home of his Earthly Father - the Temple of Jerusalem - the Retirement at Nazareth. The Good Shepherd' and his one Flock' - Last Discourse at the Feast of Tabernacles. Discourse on the Good Shepherd. The First Trumpet. Remorse and Suicide of Judas. Questions. The Shepherd of Our Souls. The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of Its Author A Discourse of the House and Forest of Lebanon Of the Incapacity of an Unregenerate Person for Relishing the Enjoyments of the Heavenly World. Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober Reason, The Covenant of Works Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers. Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy. Zechariah Links Zechariah 11:7 NIVZechariah 11:7 NLT Zechariah 11:7 ESV Zechariah 11:7 NASB Zechariah 11:7 KJV Zechariah 11:7 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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