Zechariah Prophecy Study - Chapters 11-14 - Messianic Literary Corner

1.   Zech.11:1-3 This entire chapter is a series of parables concerning the   shepherds of Israel. Figurative poetry and prose has often been used  by  the Lord's prophets. Why?

a.   references: Pr.1:6, Hos.12:10, Mt.13:10-15, 34, Mk.4:34, Jn. 10:6 ,    (please note: these references give us a biblical foundation for   figurative speech throughout the scriptures . )

b.   Zech. 11:1-3 "Open your doors, 0 Lebanon, so that fire may devour your   cedars, Wail 0 pine trees, for the cedars have fallen. The stately  trees  are ruined. Wail 0 oaks of Bashan the dense forest has been cut  down.  Listen to the wail of the shepherds their rich pastures, are  destroyed.  Listen to the roar of the lions, the lush thicket of the  Jordan is  ruined.

  i.  The  cedars of Lebanon (a proud, renowned, but rebellious figure of the   shepherds of Israel); ref. ; Ez. 31:1-9, 10-15, Is.19:33-34 )

  ii.   pine and oaks are lesser trees than the cedars (A figure of those   shepherds or leaders of Israel who are the most numerous, but not  having  the most authority.) ref.: Ez. 27:3-6)

  iii.   lions are figures of Israel's predator enemies, moving in for the  kill,  once God's divine barrier of protection is removed, (ref.: Ps.10:  9,  17:12, 22:13, 21.)

2. Zech. 11:7-17 The parable of the two shepherds

a.   A parable of two shepherds is presented by the faithful shepherd   (representing the Messiah Yeshua!) in first person singular. The   unfaithful shepherd then carries first person, starting in verse 7   through 14.

 b. How do we know that the faithful shepherd is Yeshua? You can spot the verse in the text.

c.   Zech.11:4-6 "For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land   declares the Lord. They (the worthless shepherds) will oppress the land   and will riot rescue them from their hands, (references: Jer. 25:34;   50:7, Ez. 34:2-3, Is. 9:19-21, Lam. 2:21, 5: Mic. 5 : 8, 7:2-6)

d. Zech. 11:7-17 (The worthless shepherd and Judas Iscariot)

   i.   We see here a parable of the worthless shepherd. Judas Iscariot   symbolized Israel's unfaithful shepherds. But he was more! He actually   was the man chosen to fulfill the prophesy of the worthless shepherd   personally in his betrayal of Yeshua. He became Israel's representative   in it's annulment of it's covenant "with God. (ref. Zech.11:10)

  ii.   Zech.11:12-13 "So they paid me thirty shekels. And the Lord said to  me,  Throw it to the potter - the handsome price at which they priced  me! So  I took the thirty shekels and threw them into the house of the  Lord to  the potter. (ref.: Mt. 26:15, Mt. 27:1-10)

e. Zech. 11:14-17 "Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! (ref. Jer. 23:1 , Ez. 30:21-22, Is. 13:1)

a. Verses 1 thru 9 are an oracle of destruction for Israel's enemies upon the great and terrible day of the Lord.

b.   Zech. 12:1-3 "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup , that sends all the   surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as   Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered   against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations."

  i .   This, is a prophecy of the future, when Messiah Jesus is about to   return. The text indicates that all the nations will turn against   Israel. Why? I believe the scriptures give us a reasonable answer,   (references: Dan.9:27, Mt 24:15-16, 2Thes.2:l-4)

 ii.   From the references we have read, it appears that the future siege of   Jerusalem will be primarily due to the rage of the nations for Israel   retaining Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel and not partitioning it   with its Palestinian neighbor.  Also for the rebuilding of the temple   and the re-institution of sacrifice. Prophecy also indicates this  action  will be led by a Satanic world leader known as the  "anti-Christ", who  will claim to be God incarnate (as Yeshua rightfully  did) and defile the  temple with an unclean sacrifice. Israel will  forcefully reject him-  and the siege will begin.. (Note: This future  event of "the abomination  of desolations" is a repetition of historical  events, repeating the  desolation of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanies  in 160 A.D.)(Refer to 1  Maccabees)

iii. We find reference to all the nations of the earth gathering against Jerusalem in: Zech. 14:2, Is. 66:18

c.   Zech. 12:4-5 "0n that day I will strike every horse with panic and  it's  riders with madness declares the Lord.... Then the leaders of  Judah  will say in their hearts; the people of Jerusalem are strong  because the  Lord Almighty is their God." (reference: Zech. 10:5, Ps.  2:1-9)

d.  Zech 12:6  "They will consume right and left all the surrounding  peoples, but  Jerusalem will remain intact in her place, (ref.:  Is.10:17-23, Zech.  14:10, Is.17:1-7, Ob.1:15-18)

e.   Zech.12:7-9 "On that day the Lord will shield those who live in   Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David and the   house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before  them.  On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack   Jerusalem, (ref. : Jer.30:16-20, Joel 3:10-17, Micah 7:8-11)

a.   Zech.12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the   inhabitants of Jerusalem, a spirit of grace and supplication. They will   look on me, the one the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for   him as one mourns for an only child and grieve for him as one who   grieves for a first born, (ref. : Is. 53:11, 54:5-8, Jer. 50:4-5, Mt.   24:30, Rev. 1 : 7) (definitions: grace = unmerited mercy, supplication =   humble request)

a.   We find two central themes in Zech.13 , Israel's cleansing from sin   upon the Messiah's return (Zech.13:1-6) and the scattering of the sheep   by the striking of the shepherd, with an end time prophecy of judgment   and refinement, relating to the striking of the shepherd.

b.   Zech.13 : 1 "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house David   and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.   (Ref. Ez . 36:25, Zech.14:8, Joel 3:18, Rev.22: 1-6 )

c.Zech.   1.3:2-3 "On that day I will banish the names of the idols from the  land  and they will be remembered no more", declares the Lord Almighty.  "I  will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the  land,"  (Ref.: Ez. .36:25-27, Hosea 2:16-17, Micah 5:7-15, Jer.23:33-40,   Deut.13:6-11)

d.   Zech.13:4-6 "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his prophetic   vision. He will not put on a prophet's garments of hair in order to   deceive. (Ref. ; Mt.3:4-6, 2K1.1:7-8, Amos 7:14-15, 2Peter 2:1-3,  2   Tim.4:3-5)

e.  Zech.13:7  "Awake 0 sword against my shepherd, against the man who is  close to  me!" declares the Lord Almighty, "Strike the shepherd and the  sheep  will be scattered. And I will turn my hand against the little  ones.  (This prophecy is specifically related to Yeshua's betrayal and  atoning  sacrifice. We see the reference "strike the shepherd" in Zech.  11:4-6,  Is.53:4-6 and Mt.26:31-32)

f.    Zech.13:8-9 "In the whole land declares the Lord, "two thirds will be   struck down and perish, yet one third will be left in it. This third 1   will bring into the fire, I will refine them like silver...

  i.   This prophecy is most likely one of Israel's last judgment upon the   Messiah's return. Two thirds will be cut off & one third will be   refined. (Ref. ; Daniel 11:33-35, Zech. 14:2)

g.   Zech. 13:9 "They will call on my name and I will answer them." I will   say "They are my people" and they will say "The Lord is our God". (Ref.   :  Is. 4:2-4, Is. 54:7-10)

a. Zech.14:1-5 Jerusalem's Siege & The Lord's Defense Of Jerusalem

   i. Zech.14:1 "A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you." (Joel 1:15, Mal. 4:1)

  ii.   Zech.14:2 "For I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem, to fight   against it, the city will be captured, the houses ransacked and the   women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the   people will not be taken from the city."(Is. 2:3, Zech. 12:3, Zech.   13:8)

  iii.  Zech.14:3-4  "Then the Lord will fight against those nations as when he  fights on a  day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount  of Olives  east of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives shall be split in  two from  east to west by a valley... (Is. 8:9, Zech. 12:9, Luke  24:50-51,  Acts  1:10-11)

  iv.  Zech.14: 5  "You will flee by mountain valley for it will extend to  Azel. You will  flee as you fled from the earthquakes in the days of  Uzziah King of  Judah. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy  ones with him.  (Mt.24:29-31, Rev.20:1-3)

b. Zech.14:6-20 The Messiah Subdues The Nations And Reigns As King Over All The Earth.

  i.   Zech.14:6 "On that day there will be no light nor cold or frost, It   will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime -a day known to the   Lord. When evening comes there will be light." (Zech.2:5, Is.60:19,   Rev.22:5)

  ii.  Zech.14:8  "On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half  to the  eastern sea, half to the western sea in summer and  winter."(Ez.36:25,  Zech.13:1, Ez.47:1-2, Joel 3:18, Rev.22:l-6)

  iii.   Zech.14:9 "The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day   there will be one Lord and his name the only name. (Is.45:24,  Rev.11:15,  Hab.2:I4, Eph.1:19-22, Ob.1:21, Ps.22:2S)

  iv.   Zech.14:10 (Jerusalem will be raised up!) The whole land from-Geba to   Rimmon south of Jerusalem will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem   will be raised up and remain in its place... (physical - Is.2:2,   spiritual -Jer.30:18)

  v.   Zech.14:12-21 (All the nations of the earth will be called to worship   the Lord in Jerusalem) Zech.14:12-15 (A plague will strike those who   attack Jerusalem) (Is.11:4)

c.   Zech.14:16-19 (The Feast of Tabernacles, "Succoth", will be an   international Holy Day for all nations to celebrate in Jerusalem.)

d. Zech.14:20-21 (The "common" shall become "holy" and the unrighteous will never again enter Jerusalem.) (Jer.31:40, Ez.44:9)

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