Bible Materials

THEY WILL LOOK ON THE ONE THEY HAVE PIERCED

by   03/05/2010   Zechariah 11:1~12:14

Message


“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 they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Today’s passage covers the last chapter of oracle 1 (ch. 9-11) in Zechariah part II and the first chapter of oracle 2 (ch. 12-14). It is about the prophecy of Israelites’ rejection of the Messiah (one of the darkest prophecies in the entire body of Israel’s prophetic literature), of God’s victorious plan for them and their returning to God in repentance. Their repentance is a sincere one based on the realization of their sins and God’s salvation. May we newly realize God’s sacrificial love and saving grace for sinners. First, rejection of the Good Shepherd (11:1-17). Look at verses 1-3. “Open your doors, O Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! Wail, O pine tree, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, 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!” This is a poetic description of a coming judgment on and desolation of Israel. The judgment is terrible though it is called “the most poetic section of the whole book of Zechariah.” God’s judgments are upon Lebanon in the north, continuing to Bashan, and the Jordan. In the Old Testament the royal palace in Jerusalem is expressed as Lebanon (the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon) because it contained so much cedar from Lebanon (Jer 22:23; cf. 1 Kings 7:2). The cedar also became a symbol of the royal house of Judah (Eze 17:3-4). As Lebanon was famous for cedars, Bashan was famous for its oak forests (cf. Isa 2:13; Eze 27:6). In chapter 10:10 Zechariah combined Lebanon and Bashan (Gilead) to indicate the whole land. Cedar, pine (cypress), and oak, all these trees represent all the people of the land as well as the land itself. They all should wail, for this judgment would affect the whole land of Palestine and its people. The shepherds and lions, meaning the rulers and leaders of Israel, would wail because the coming destruction would leave no pasture for their flock and no den or food for the wild animals (Jer 25:34-38). This prediction had an initial fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem and the surrounding towns and the scattering of the Jews by Roman armies (Vespasian and his successor Titus) in the war of A.D. 66-70. Its complete fulfillment, however, lies in the future, specifically the destruction that will overtake the land and its people in the Tribulation. The reason for the devastation of the people and the land is understood in the following description. It is the people’s rejection of the Good Shepherd, the Messiah. Look at verses 4-5. “This is what the LORD my God says: ‘Pasture the flock marked for slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, “Praise the LORD. I am rich!” Their own shepherds do not spare them.’” Here the flock marked for slaughter is really pitiful and miserable. They are sold and bought to be slaughtered without mercy. Their own shepherds do not care about them at all. Here, what is God talking about? Just about mere the animals? Certainly not! Look at verse 6. “‘For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will hand everyone over to his neighbour and his king. They will oppress the land and I will not rescue them from their hands.’” God is talking about the people of the land in the allegory of the sheep. They are like sheep abandoned and marked for slaughter. They will no longer be the object of God’s pity and care. God tells Zechariah to pasture them (to act out a parable for his audience; present an allegory). His work of pasturing is to be symbolic of God’s last approach to the people through his own Son, the Messiah, whom they would reject. God wanted Zechariah to know God’s pained heart for the people of the land through this. Look at verses 7-8a. “So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock. In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.” Here we see that Zechariah played the role of the good shepherd. He pastured them even voluntarily taking two staffs, Favor and Union. Favour symbolizes the favoured status of Israel as the chosen people of God. Union symbolizes the internal harmony of the people. He hoped that they might be a blessing for all nations according to God’s covenant and have brotherhood between them, Judah and Israel. Furthermore he got rid of three shepherds in the attempt to serve them better (dramatizing the account of God’s past dealings with Israel and Judah). The “one month” probably means just any short period of time. In Israel’s history there were short periods of time when three bad kings ruled in succession and were removed. Likely candidates are Elah, Zimri, Tibni (1 Kgs 16:8-20); Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem (2 Kgs 15:8-16); or Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24:1–25:7). Others refer the three shepherds to the three classes of leaders, probably Israel's elders, chief priests, and scribes (Luke 9:22). Another view is that they represent all of Israel’s unfaithful human leaders. Anyway, what Zechariah did well reveals God’s broken heart and great effort to serve his people Israelites. Then what was the result? Look at verses 8b-9. “The flock detested me, and I got weary of them and said, ‘I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” What a terrible result! They detested such a good shepherd until the shepherd would not be their shepherd anymore, even if it meant they would die and perish, even eating one another’s flesh. This is how the Israelites would reject the Messiah, the Good Shepherd, bringing the horrible consequence. It is said that at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem some even resorted to cannibalism due to starvation. Look at verses 10 and 11. “Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the LORD.” Breaking the “Favour” staff signifies the end of the time of God’s favour. The afflicted are those who are afflicted by the religious leaders but put their faith in the Messiah, knowing that he spoke the word of God. At the time of the encirclement of Jerusalem they took Jesus’ warning to flee to the mountains and escaped the fate of those who remained. Look at verse 12. “I told them, ‘If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.’ So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.” It is likely that finally the flock fired the shepherd, giving him as the severance pay thirty pieces of silver, which was the price of a slave in the ancient Near East (Ex 21:32). To them the shepherd was not that expensive one (Lev 27:4). Sarcastically Zechariah said that it was a handsome price. Probably they thought they could hire such a shepherd with a cheap price at any time. The price was so worthless that God told him to throw it to the potter (like giving it to the poor), and he did it. Surprisingly thirty piece of silver (insulting amount) was the exact money at which the Messiah Jesus was priced when he was sold at Judah’s betrayal. What an accurate prophecy and fulfillment! When Judas later wished to return this blood money and ended up throwing it down before the priest in the temple, he unintentionally fulfilled verse 13 (Mt 27:3-10). The money was used to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. Not only rejection but also its price and how the money would be used were prophesied and would be fulfilled with complete accuracy. It adds to our faith that Jesus is the Messiah, prophesied and promised to come. People’s rejection of the Messiah in their sinfulness cannot invalidate his Messiah-ship. Rather the truthfulness of his being Messiah shines all the more. Look at verse 14. “Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.” According to historians like Josephus, just before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 the Jews broke up into parties that were very hostile to one another. This condition accelerated their destruction by the Romans. Things happened exactly according to what was written. Look at verses 15 and 16. “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hoofs.” Just as Zechariah had been told to present the true Shepherd in verses 7-14, so now is he to represent a false or wicked shepherd. When they rejected the Good Shepherd, they would have a foolish, bad shepherd like Herod the Great, all evil rulers collectively including Roman rulers, or so called antichrists in the years to come. It is probable that it has its full and final realization only in the Antichrist of end-time prophecy. And the bad shepherds are going to be punished. Look at verse 17. “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded.” May we maintain the blessing of having the Good Shepherd prophesied and fulfilled in the person Jesus, listening his voice and accepting his pasturing and shepherding. Second, God’s vicotry for Israel (12:9). Look at verse 1. “An Oracle. This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within, declares:” This identification is meant to recall the original creation and identify the God of the end events with the God of the beginning. Zechariah rightly stresses God’s continuing involvement with his universe. He created it, is with it now, and will be with it at the end. As Creator, the Lord is able to re-create a new society out of the existing chaos. Because God does all this, his promises of judgment and redemption are sure, and can be trusted. Look at verses 2 and 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 the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” The image of a cup that brings dizziness is that of drunkenness. The Lord will force the nations to drink of his judgment and in doing so they will become so intoxicated by his wrath that they will stumble and become irrational. Jerusalem had previously drunk the cup of the Lord’s wrath (Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15-17, 28), but now it was the nations’ turn to drink it through Jerusalem. While all the peoples of the nations reel in dizziness, Jerusalem will be made an immovable rock, which no can move. Even the combined forces of all the nations cannot move it, only injuring themselves. Look at verses 4. “On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.” The phrase “On that day” is associated with “the day of the Lord.” It refers to the future period when the Lord will openly and publicly manifest His power in delivering Israel from her enemies and restoring her glory and prosperity in his messianic kingdom. In the prophets it was used to refer to both Jesus’ first and second coming. When the nations of the earth gather against Jerusalem, the Lord will strike their cavalry troops with blindness and panic (Deut 28:28; Judg 5:22). In this way the Lord will watch out for his people and protect them. Jerusalem’s victory is guaranteed because the LORD fights for her. At this mighty victory the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, “The people of Jerusalem are strong because the LORD Almighty is their God.” The leaders of Judah recognize that the indestructible strength of Jerusalem comes not from themselves but from the Lord Almighty. How blessed the people are if the LORD Almighty is their God. God wants his people to be strong, being assured that the LORD Almighty is their God. Look at verse 6. “On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.” On that day God treats Jerusalem specially. For Jerusalem is the apple of his eye. Look at verse 7. “The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first so that the honour of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.” Salvation will come to the tents of Judah first, even before Jerusalem, meaning that either the soldiers in tents or the poorer people living in tents outside Jerusalem would first experience the Lord’s deliverance, so that the people in Jerusalem would not become proud over their privileged location. Look at verse 8. “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 going before them.” Now not only the people of Jerusalem are strong, but even the feeblest among them will be strong like David the mighty warrior at God’s shielding. Their rulers would also receive supernatural strength and would be like God, as the angel of the Lord who would go before them. Finally in verse 9, “On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.” There is a progress in God’s dealing with the nations: reeling, injuring and the destroying. This prophecy first points to the nation Israel and the Armageddon battle where God is directly involved in the last days (Rev 16:16). Yet, we also know that Jerusalem refers to the people of every generation who belong to God or the place where God’s temple is. In that sense it is very encouraging to know God makes Jerusalem an immovable rock and the people of Jerusalem are strong because the LORD Almighty is their God. He keeps a watchful eye over the people and the feeblest among the inhabitants become like David a mighty warrior. Final victory belongs to his people. Third, repentance of the Israelites (12:10-14). In verses 1-9, we could see what a great work God would do for Jerusalem, the house of David and the house of Judah. The LORD Almighty would fight for them and give them victory, while he would destroy all the nations of the earth. How victorious the people of Jerusalem would be on that day! But what comes next in the prophecy? Look at verse 10. “And I will pour out the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced and they will mourn for him as one mourning for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” What a transition from being victorious and glorious to mourning and grieving! It was because they would look on the one they had pierced through the help of the Spirit. This look is the look of repentance and the look of supplication and faith in God’s grace. In the Old Testament the Jews thought that it would be hard for the Gentiles to become God’s people, but God did it. Likewise, it seems to be unthinkable in the New Testament for the Jews accept Jesus, but God will do it. On that day among the Jews there will be a nation-wide repentance of their sins and acceptance of Jesus Christ whom they crucified. Look at verses 11-14. “On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimon in the plain of Meggido. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves; the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives.” Here Hadad Rimmon could be the name of a town near Megiddo, making this a reference to the deep mourning that followed King Josiah’s death in a battle there (2 Ch 35:24). The mourning will affect the entire community, family by family, men and women alike. Two particular lines are singled out: the royal line of David, by way of his son Nathan (1 Ch 14:4), and the priestly line of Levi (13) by way of his grandson Shimei (1 Ch 6:16–17). This nation-wide sincere repentance and acceptance of Jesus the Messiah makes a sharp contrast to their earlier painful rejection of the Messiah. Here we learn a very important truth, the spiritual principle that salvation comes through repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ who was pierced for man’s sins. Even being the chosen people or their victory over all the nations of the earth in the battle would not bring them salvation. There is no exception for this. This truth is like an immovable rock for all people of all generations. Look at verse 10 again. “…They will look on me, the one they have pierced…” Here “me” is, nonetheless to say, “the LORD Almighty” who is described as one who stretches heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him. It is very good and recommendable to look on the LORD Almighty. It is because true help comes from the LORD Almighty. People must look on him and God will be very pleased. But “me” is identified with “the one they have pierced.” This is heart-breaking. How can it be possible on earth? Anyhow, it was fulfilled when a mischievous Roman soldier pierced Jesus’ side to confirm his death at the time of his crucifixion (Jn 19:34). Before this prophecy of Zechariah the prophet Isaiah wrote the meaning of this piercing in Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” The piercing of Jesus is the core of the Bible and the key point of the history of God and man. Jesus Christ is originally God in nature. But he came to this world and was rejected by his own people to the point of being crucified. The LORD Almighty had to see his Son being killed on the cross. It is like he himself being crucified. Most parents want to see good things happening in their children. It is painful for parents to see their children pained. It is a good decision that mothers here pray for their children so that they may see their children lead good lives. However the Son of God cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” And the Father God had to turn away his ears, as if he had not heard the cry and remained silent. Most probably it was because he had no word to say to the Son. In this way the gospel of salvation is given to mankind. We are reminded of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This gospel is both for the Jews and the Gentiles. This gospel of God through his Son’s crucifixion is the sure foundation of salvation and life. It is because God’s righteousness and his love were met and satisfied on the cross, where God’s Son Christ Jesus was crucified. This is unchanging and immovable foundation stone for the salvation of all people. Without this foundation there is no true victory in life, no true achievement, and no true glory. With this foundation stone, people come to know how to live. St. Peter said in 2 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins his body on the tree so that we may die to sins and live for righteousness.” It is not piling up our own righteousness but to fight against sin that brought God’s punishment upon his Son and grow in the Son Jesus’ holiness and righteousness, in his life of obedience to God with our gratitude to our God’s immeasurable grace of salvation. May we look on him with a spirit of grace and supplication until he comes again, and build up our life and our church and our campus and this nation on this foundation stone. And may we fight a spiritual battle for the fulfillment of God’s world salvation purpose through the one pierced.



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