Saturday, November 28, 2009
Smitten Shepherd – Scattered Sheep
(Zechariah 13:6-9)
Sometimes prophetic passages regarding the person and work of Christ seem to jump off the pages of Scripture, somewhat incongruous to their surrounding contexts. Such is the case in today’s passage, especially verse 6. Though the Messianic allusion seems to intrude abruptly into a passage dealing with the eradication of idolatry from Israel, the words certainly describe the wounds in the hands of Jesus. In addition, conservative scholars are unanimous that verses 7-9 are in reference to Christ.
Verse 6 describes a question arising: “What are these wounds in thine hands?” Some contemporary translations replace “hands” with “back” or “chest,” but the Hebrew wording literally means “wounds in your hands.” Of course, we immediately think of the piercing of Jesus’ hands, referred to in 12:10. The wounds were suffered by Jesus when He was “in the house of [His] friends”—in Israel, among His own people.
In verse 7, the Lord calls the sword to “awake against my shepherd and the man that is my fellow.” The “shepherd” in this passage is none other than Jesus. Note reverently: The Lord is calling upon the “sword” to execute “my shepherd, the man that is my fellow.” Isaiah 53:10 reminds us, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him: he hath put him to grief….”
Verses 8 and 9 refer to a yet future judgment of Israel, the Tribulation Period, in which Israel will bear judgment for rejecting their Messiah. Ultimately, however, those latter time Jews who see Christ come to establish His kingdom will turn to Him and believe the Gospel (Zech. 13:1). The wounds He received in the “house of [his] friends” will be the marks that will identify Jesus as Israel’s true Savior! Think about it: The Jews who crucified Jesus left the marks by which He would be recognized and received by a future generation of Jews! Talk about grace!
