Zechariah 11

This chapter is very difficult to follow in most English translations. It was probably rather challenging to those who read it in Hebrew during Zechariah’s day. There are powerful dramatic images; it would seem Zechariah acted out some of these to symbolize a claim against the Nation of Israel as a whole. The underlying theme is destruction which came in the past, but also would come again in the future, against certain characteristic sins.
The first few verses are dramatic poetry, warning of God’s wrath. The picture is a raging fire burning all the vegetation, starting in the north, working around the east side, then sweeping south and west. Then we see the Lord calling for evil shepherds, offering the unspoken hint that His people have refused to obey the good shepherds He once set over them as rulers. Since they refuse to obey, He would appoint evil shepherds. Evil they want; evil they shall have in abundance. These shepherds would be totally mercenary in their approach, selling their own citizens to foreigners. That is, the kings would lead them in the ways of heathen nations with their pagan deities.
There are two shepherd staves, one represents the blessings of the Covenant, the other a national unity of stability and strength. The business of hiring and firing three shepherds in a single month found literal fulfillment in the past, but represents how God would create instability by rapid changes in government. None of their governments would care a whit for what God had revealed of His ways. They defied the Covenant to the point it no longer had any meaning. God would take the blessings away.
These things were fulfilled particularly in the coming of Christ. His teaching and death on the Cross broke the Covenant once and for all. His people had so long rejected what that Law meant, had so utterly perverted it, the time came to end doing business that way on the earth. From that time on, all God’s dealings with mankind would be only through His Son. Those who were paying attention realized what it meant, a small group who were afflicted in soul at the awful things Israel and Judah had done against God’s Laws.
What was it worth to the people of God that He had done so much for them? How would they receive His own Son? They offered the price of a slave gored by an ox. While this was fulfilled somewhat literally in Judas’ price for betraying Jesus, it simply points out how easily the people rejected God’s revelation. The treasure of all Creation is something they hardly bothered examining, thinking they could buy it off cheaply and make it go away. God sarcastically refers to “this princely sum.” Shortly after the Ascension of Christ, what was left of Judah dissolved in bitter divisions and warfare which took away their national identity. Thus, the staff of Union was lost.
They would be turned over to even worse shepherds who were eager to exploit them. These shepherds would be worse than predators. Then, they would also be judged in their turn.