Zechariah’s second mission

The first mission given to Zechariah was to “pasture the flock doomed to slaughter” as a good shepherd. In today’s passage, a second mission is given to him. “Take again for yourself the equipment of a foolish shepherd” (v 15). Zechariah acts out the role of a foolish shepherd. It says, “the equipment of a foolish shepherd,” but these are the same tools used by a good shepherd. Though the tools are the same, the way they are used is completely opposite. The reason Zechariah acts out the role of a foolish shepherd is because God will raise up a false shepherd. It says, “For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land” (v 16a). There is a great difference between the foolish shepherd and the true shepherd. The foolish shepherd “will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or provide for the one who is exhausted, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs” (v 16b). (1) The true shepherd seeks out the sheep that have wandered away and the sheep that have been scattered, but the foolish shepherd does not. (2) The true shepherd heals the wounded sheep and gives them food, but the foolish shepherd does not. (3) The foolish shepherd slaughters the fat sheep, eats them, and tears off their hoofs. In other words, he sacrifices the sheep in order to satisfy his own desires and enrich himself. (4) In verse 17, a declaration of judgment is pronounced against the foolish shepherd: “Woe to the worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! A sword will be on his arm and on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered, and his right eye will be blind” (v. 17, Zechariah).

Appearance of the foolish shepherd

In the history of Israel, Jesus was the first person to declare Himself to be the Messiah. Then, about one hundred years later, a second person appeared who called himself the Messiah. This was a man named Bar Kokhba. Under his leadership, a revolt against Rome broke out (the Bar Kokhba Revolt, 132-135 AD). Because Rabbi Akiva declared Bar Kokhba to be the Messiah, the Messianic Jews withdrew from the revolt. In this revolt, the Roman army brought the Jewish people to a state of devastation and made them incapable of rebelling again. The words of judgment in verse 17 were fulfilled upon Bar Kokhba. Even now, the Jewish people do not acknowledge that Jesus is the true shepherd. The salvation of the Jewish people is deeply connected with the Second Coming of the Messiah. Let us pray that the eyes of their spirit may be opened. As for us, let us walk trusting in Jesus Christ, the good shepherd.