The mission given to Zechariah

In verses 1-3, the devastation of the land was prophesied. The reason for that devastation is the sin of rejecting the Messiah. Now, in today’s passage, Zechariah receives a mission. “This is what the Lord my God says: ‘Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter’” (v 4). (1) “The flock doomed to slaughter” refers to the people of Israel. Because of their unbelief, they were destined for destruction. (2) “Pasture” means to teach them the word of God and lead them spiritually. Once they know what the will of God is, they will have no excuse. “Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and each of those who sell them says, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I have become rich!’ And their own shepherds have no compassion for them” (v 5). (1) “Those who buy them” refers to the Romans. They destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. (2) “Slaughter them and go unpunished” means that the Roman army would destroy Jerusalem without feeling any sense of guilt. (3) “Those who sell them” refers to the Jewish leaders. They committed acts of betrayal toward Rome and enriched themselves but were indifferent to the suffering of their fellow countrymen.

Declaration of God

“‘For I will no longer have compassion for the inhabitants of the land… I will let the people fall, each into another’s power and into the power of his king; and they will crush the land, and I will not rescue them from their power’” (v. 6). (1) God Himself declares that He will no longer have compassion on the people of Israel. (2) God will hand the people of Israel over to the power of their neighbors and to the power of a king. In John 19:15, the Jewish leaders cried out, “We have no king except Caesar.” Therefore, God would hand them over to Caesar. (3) In 70 AD, 1.1 million people were killed, and 97,000 were taken as slaves. The mission given to Zechariah, “Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter,” is ultimately fulfilled by the Messiah Himself. In that sense, Zechariah is a type of the Messiah. The Messiah spoke kindly to the people of Israel and sought to protect them. However, the people rejected the Messiah. They have no excuse. The same love of God has also been poured out upon us. If we reject that love, we too will have no excuse. Let us right now place our trust in the love and grace of God.