Today I read Zechariah 11 and 12, which talks about the rejection of King Jesus, the coming of a false shepherd, and the burden and grace of Jerusalem. Today I considered that we should remember the foretelling of the coming of Christ, how to tell it’s a false leader, and Jerusalem will go from a burden to grace.
Rejection of Jesus
God foretells of the coming destruction and the rejection of Christ Jesus (Zechariah 11:1-14). There would be destruction in Lebanon. The holder of the flock would kill but not hold himself accountable. The one that broke the grace and unity of brotherhood was paid 30 pieces of silver for his work. These are things that happened to Jesus in the New Testament including Pilate not holding himself accountable for killing Jesus and Judas getting 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. We should remember that God told His people what would happen concerning Jesus before it occurred.
False Shepherd
God describes to us a false leader (Zechariah 11:15-17). “… I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves” (Zechariah 11:16). God shows us that a leader that does not care about his people is not a good leader.
Burden to Grace
God shows us how Israel goes from a hardship and burden to getting grace and compassion (Zechariah 12:1-14). Jerusalem will first be a burden to all the people. When the appointed day comes, God will strengthen Judah to take the land around it. God will defend Jerusalem, destroying those that fought against her, but pouring grace upon Jerusalem. God warns us that supporting Israel can be hard but eventually grace will be given.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
Have you ever found something a burden but was happy about the blessings it brought later?