Zechariah 10

As before, the prophet reveals to us the truth of God on multiple levels. This is how God operates, an image of what He is like when people embrace His truth. On the immediate level, Judah has yet to fully embrace and claim the Covenant of Moses still in force. At the same time, no one denies the Messianic intent of this chapter. Christ conquered from the Cross and from the grave, so reading this literally would be sheer stupidity.
Under the Covenant, the people should not take God’s blessings for granted. Therefore, they are instructed to ask for the blessings. This puts them in a frame of mind to hear His prophetic word to meet contingencies in a changing world. But He would surely bring the necessary rains in season for the growth of crops, both literal and spiritual. You might hear claims on behalf of false gods about the plainly literal blessings, but they cannot offer a window onto eternity. When the leaders of Judah in times past allowed the people to wander from the Covenant, they were like worthless shepherds. We also see the image of goats as protectors of the flock, a symbol of political leaders who don’t understand spiritual matters. They have only a limited use. If they fail that purpose, they are worse than useless; they are threats.
God wants to turn His sheep into a conquering army. We have rather obvious images of the Messiah who is the Cornerstone on which the whole building of community life rests. He is the peg on the wall, and every good and useful thing depends on Him. He is the battle bow, ready to strike His enemies from afar. He will command the commanders, and they will oppress the enemy. Evil and injustice will be stomped like the muck under their feet as they march past.
In both the literal and in the Messianic sense, the Lord is eager to rebuild His kingdom on this earth. Think of all the people who can be called home, if only those already there would ensure it is the home of truth and justice, the place to which the wander souls return for rest, peace and security. What a homecoming celebration it could be! They will come with tales of how God opened the way for them, drying up the Nile, destroying the power of the Assyrian army, breaking the whip of the slavers. Think of a kingdom of people who walk about in honest representation of what God says He is.