King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Friday, September 22, 2023
Chapters: ZECHARIAH 10-14
Study: Foolish Shepherds
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
I try so hard to keep these devotions at a reasonable length, but sometimes these smaller books tell you so much that they tend to be longer. On top of that there is so much that needs to be broken down that you find yourself reading the same verses over and over and before you know it two hours have passed. I am glad that God has given me the gift to study and decipher His Word for all whom He has led to read these devotions. I do hope that they reveal more than just words, but Christ through them as I certainly could not even attempt them without the Holy Spirit stopping me and telling me that I need to explain it this or that way. I may not be an undershepherd, but I am a teacher and am very much accountable to God for the words on these pages.
[Revelation 22:17-20 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.]
I do not know about you, but I take every word written in God’s Word seriously, and if God is going to entrust me with such an important job, then I need to stand by every word. The closer we get to Christ’s return the less truth we are going to hear, in fact, the lies will overshadow the truth to the point that it will be hard pressed to find it. When Christ returns, we who are saved will all be united as one, but the foolish prophets, church leaders, which God calls undershepherd’s, will have the shock of their lives when they find themselves in hell for teaching their lies as truth. As we come to the end of the reading of Zechariah, God, foretells of the day that He will restore Israel and place judgment upon these foolish shepherds.
[Zechariah 10:1-4 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. 2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. 3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. 4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.]
[Out of him came forth the corner,] Christ, is the beautiful and precious cornerstone, KING JESUS Himself, ascending from the tribe of Judah, will come to Zion in a spiritual manner. Although they rejected Him as the Messiah, God, will still have mercy upon them as their Redeemer and shall turn them away from their disbelief. Christ, gives glory to the Church, and is in fact, foundation who joins and unites together men and angels, Jews and Gentiles, and Old and New Testament saints, and that is when all of Israel shall be saved.
[Romans 9:6-7 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. Romans 11:25-27 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.]
[out of him the nail,] Christ, is the nail to which its cords are fastened, He is the stability and security of salvation itself as upon His crucifixion all sin hung on Him. He is the sure place upon which every believer and receiver of Him hangs His mercies, grace, promises, blessings, and the salvation of his people, [Isaiah 22:22-23 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.]
When we have no one to turn to to help us, that is when we find Jesus, and truly understand that we are sinners, who need the Saviour from more than just hell. God, goes on to describe the glorious day when He will gather all of Israel together.
[Zechariah 10:6-9,12 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them. 7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.]
[and they shall be as though I had not cast them off:] Until we know Christ as our Saviour we are cast off, distanced from God because we are unable to stand before Him covered in sin. Even one sin will separate us from Him, but ONE SAVIOUR will unite us all, [Colossians 1:19-21 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled]
[and they shall walk up and down in his name,] Here are the precious promises to the people of God, eternal life through the one who came from the corner. Those whom Christ redeemed by His blood will be gathered together by His grace, and only by His name will we be saved, [Acts 4:11-12 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.]
God, often sees people as sheep. Why? Sheep, are lovable, meek, and kind, but are also absent minded creatures. That is why they need a shepherd to guide them or they tend to wander off and become prey to their predators. Our Good Shepherd, will guide us in the way that we should go. Sadly, there are many foolish shepherds out there and that is why so many sheep have gone astray, but God is keeping count of them all. Now, God, foretells of when He will place judgment upon the foolish shepherds.
[Zechariah 11:3-8 There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled. 4 Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; 5 Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. 6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. 7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. 8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.]
[for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.] This is actually referring to the priests, Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and doctors among the Jews who sent not only their souls, but their followers souls straight to hell with them. They ruined so many lives with their poisonous doctrines, commandments of men, and their traditions, by which Jesus Himself calls them out, [Matthew 23:13,16 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!]
[Feed the flock of the slaughter;] This is referring to Jews captivity first, during the four hundred and fifty years that they were enslaved by the Egyptians, then seventy years in Babylon, then the Romans, who had control over Israel during the days of Christ. We are all appointed a sheep to the slaughter, but God, sent Jesus to deliver us by becoming the one and only sacrificial lamb needed to save us once and for all, [Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.]
[Beauty, and the other I called Bands;] Beauty, represents the privileges of the Jewish nation in their national covenant with God, and Bands, represents the harmony that united them as the flock of God until He separated them. They chose to cleave to false teachers, which followed the breaking of the covenant between God and them. In fact, God goes on to reveal a very interesting prophecy. Bands, represents the harmony that united Israel as the flock of God, it too was divided when they broke their covenant with God.
[Zechariah 11:8-10,14-16 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. 10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. 14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.]
[that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off;] It is clear, you can choose to believe in Christ and receive Him as your Saviour, and God will save you, but if you do not, then it will be to your own death to your soul. Jesus, said this when people made excuses for not following Him, [Luke 9:59-60 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.]
[shall not visit those that be cut off,] God, having shown the misery of these people in their being justly abandoned by the Good Shepherd for their disbelief, shows their further misery in being shamefully abused by a foolish shepherd. There are several speculations as to who this foolish shepherd is, but it is likely the false prophet as we will read about him in the next chapters. We can account that anyone who denies Christ will be cut off and handed to the foolish preachers teaching their false doctrines, [Romans 1:28,32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;, 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.]
We who are saved are appointed, in fact, commanded to tell the lost sheep how they can find Jesus, and we will give an account to anyone that we had the opportunity to reach with the Gospel. Again, you would have to be blind and quite hardhearted not to know that these chapters are all about Jesus. God, gives some amazing insight to His first and second coming, including His crucifixion.
[Zechariah 12:2-3,10-11 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.]
[I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people] It is promised that God will make foolish the wise, and weaken the strength of the enemies of His Church. God, often begins by calling the poor and despised to His Son, even the feeblest will resemble David, and be wise as serpents, harmless as doves, and as strong as Christ can carry them, [Matthew 10:16,19-20 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.]
[and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,] All who look to the One they pierced will be saved. Let me tell you, the burdens of life make us weak, they literally drain every bit of strength that is in not only our physical body, but mental and spiritual as well, but when we are weak, that is when Christ is strong in us, [2 Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.]
When the Lamb of God shall be offered up as a sacrifice for all mankind, and the Gospel shall be preached, that is when the foolish shepherds will be exposed, in particular one, the false prophet. God, goes on to describe this liar who even had his own hands wounded in order to mimic Christ.
[Zechariah 13:3-6 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. 4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: 5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. 6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.]
[What are these wounds in thine hands?] This is actually not Jesus, this is referring to the false prophet, referencing verse 3. However, Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, He suffered and died on the cross because He loves us too much to let us end up in hell. Praise God! There is one reminder, one sign to show what Jesus did for us that we will see when we meet Him face to face, and that is the scars in His hands and feet where the nails were driven into them, [John 20:27-29 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.].
Christ, was indeed wounded for our transgressions, He suffered and died on the cross because He loves us too much to let us end up in hell. Praise God! All who look to the One they truly pierced will be saved. Let me tell you, the burdens of life make us weak, they literally drain every bit of strength that is in not only our physical body, but mental and spiritual as well, but when we are weak, that is when Christ is strong in us. God, speaks of the glorious day when Israel will finally recognize Christ as the Messiah, but also gives details of why we suffer as Christians.
[Zechariah 13:7-9 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. 8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.]
[and will refine them as silver is refined,] Sometimes is seems like no matter what we do we who are faithful are the ones being chastened or punished by God. Well, God uses affliction to refine us, to make us not only depend on Him for everything, but that we might endure it through the strength that only Christ can bring us. One day all the suffering will be over and we will all unite as one nation with our King, and He will get vengeance on all those whom afflicted us. God goes on to reveal the glorious day when Christ will return for us.
[Zechariah 14:1-3,5,8-9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.]
[and all the saints with thee.] God’s saints are the saved, born again Christians who receive Him as their Saviour. And what about those who were here before Christ gave His life? Well, their faith saved them as well. You see, they too died, not having received this promise, but having faith in it, [Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.]
[that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem;] The living waters is none other than Christ Himself, and His living water is ever lasting life to our soul, [John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.] Jerusalem shall be a spring of living waters to the world, it was made so when the Spirit would be poured out upon the apostles, and the Word of God would diffuse itself to the nations. Those that do not die in the battle, nor fall by the hand of their brethren, shall be destroyed by famine, or consumption. God, goes on to tell of this.
[Zechariah 14:12,15-16 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. 16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.]
[and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,] Can you imagine a blast so strong that their eye balls will melt out if their eye sockets? I am so glad that Christ’s saints will not be in or even witness any of this. We will be up in the clouds when all this takes place, [1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.]
[and to keep the feast of tabernacles.] Gospel worship is represented by the keeping of the feast of tabernacles. Every day of a Christian’s life is a day to keep the feast of tabernacles. It is just for God to withhold the blessings of grace from those who do not attend the feast. In fact, it is a sin that is its own punishment for those who forsake the duty, forfeit the privilege of communion with God, [1 Corinthians 11:26-30 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Saved or not, we all have burdens in life, thankfully, we who know Your Son as our Saviour can overcome them through Him. He is not only the living water that sustains our soul, He is what gives us the strength to deal with every burden. Lord, Help us not to resent the trials and afflictions of life or be fearful of their effects, for they are meant to purify our hearts and minds and make them as gold. Fill us with Your power, mercy, and grace, let it overflow us as a fountain, and cover us with Your protective wings so that we can endure all things through His strength. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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