February 11, 2024 | Dr. Gary Hylander
Passage: Zechariah 13:7-9
When Zechariah quotes the LORD who declares Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the one who stands next to me (13:7), he is drawing from the rich heritage of shepherds in Jewish history. The term shepherd was first used to describe Abel in Genesis 4:2. Subsequently, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s sons are referred to in Scripture as shepherds (Genesis 13:7; 26:20; 30:36; 37:2 ff). Great leaders, such as Moses and David, were shepherds (Exodus 3:1, 1 Samuel 16:11 ff).
As Zechariah prepared his readers for anticipating both first and second comings of the Messiah, he could draw upon Ezekiel 34:23-31, which speaks of the Messiah as the good shepherd. Zechariah writes prophetically of the Messianic shepherd being rejected in Zechariah 11:4-14. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is described as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:2, 11, 14, 16). As we examine today’s passage, let’s link the verses to the second coming of Jesus Christ, He alone is the great shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews 13:20).
As We Consider Christ’s Return, Note The Imagery Of…
- The Shepherd And The Sword. (7)
- The Sheep And The Scattering. (8-9)
Series Information
Zechariah, whose name means Yahweh remembers, served as both prophet and priest during the post-exilic times. His ministry began around 520 B.C., coinciding with the work of Haggai. The book of Zechariah can be easily divided into two parts. Chapters 1-8 were most likely written at the start of Zechariah’s ministry, at about the age of 30. Chapters 9-14 were composed during the latter years of Zechariah’s life.
Chapters 9-14 are organized around the phrase the oracle of the word of the Lord, found in both 9:1 and 12:1. The word oracle needs to be understood as a burden that was placed upon Zechariah’s heart by God and now is being communicated to God’s people. Over the coming weeks, we will focus our attention upon the second burden, which pertains to the return of our Lord during Israel’s final conflict. Look for phrases and terms such as On that day and Jerusalem as we explore chapters 12 through 14 together.
