Here we are in one of the most important prophetic moments I've ever seen in my Bible discovery. We have the Lord prophesying the coming of Jesus Christ and the corrupted corporate-religious situation into which he comes. The Lord begins chapter eleven with the decree that all the lands will see devastation. He prophesies that the Roman Empire will march through and occupy Syria (Bashan), Cypress, Lebanon, and into the lands of Israel/Palestine. And the Shepherds (The Priests and the Temple Authorities) will sell out for the profits they can squeeze from their own people already suffering from that Roman occupation. They were grifters of the highest order.
These "Shepherds" were really werewolves. They established a slick system for skimming the wealth from off the top of the temple offerings. They arranged for the temple offerings to be given and made in their own established way and prearranged with the husbandmen to bring to market the animal offerings (of course with a tariff attached for that honor in the name of God) that are fit for their established requirements.
You couldn't just assume that your own lamb was flawless enough, their examinations were more intense than you're capable of, and it was very unlikely that your offering would pass their test. Your only chance at redemption was to purchase a paschal lamb from them in the temple marketplace, for a worthy price, established by them, in the sight of God. These temple leaders were experts at calculating and measuring out their predetermined cost for grace. And as far as they were concerned, their lifestyles of wealth, fame, and pleasure proved their righteousness. God obviously blessed them in these circumstances. They had the people over a barrel coming and going. Washington D.C. bureaucrats and the IRS have nothing on these guys.
Look at what Lord says about this situation:
Zechariah 11:4-6
This is what the Lord my God says: “Go and care for the flock that is intended for slaughter. The buyers slaughter their sheep without remorse. The sellers say, ‘Praise the Lord! Now I’m rich!’ Even the shepherds have no compassion for them. Likewise, I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” says the Lord. “I will let them fall into each other’s hands and into the hands of their king. They will turn the land into a wilderness, and I will not rescue them.”
This is the situation into which Jesus arrives. If Jesus, like any good Jew, wants to make a temple offering he must pay a terribly inflated price for a temple lamb, but he cannot purchase it with his own money, not for gold or silver, first he must exchange that gold or silver for their temple bucks. And of course, that exchange is such that the temple again finds an opportunity to skim off the top with an exchange rate that is making these transactions impossible for many. The poor are often unable to get the full recompense they desire from these temple thieves. They are left to purchase tiny birds (turtledoves) as a sort of half-assed offering to get the specific blessings they want. This brings to my mind Mary and Joseph making an offering for their newborn son Jesus (vs. Luke 2: 22-24).
Is it any wonder that Jesus lost his cool when he went into the temple house of prayer and watched these thieves steal from his people in his Father's name?
So, what does the Lord say will happen?
Zechariah 11:7-8
"So, I shepherded the flock intended for slaughter, the oppressed of the flock. I took two staffs, calling one Favor (Grace) and the other Union (bonds), and I shepherded the flock. In one month I got rid of three (unfit) shepherds. I became impatient with them (the priests and temple prophets and civil rulers), and they also detested me."
The people had rejected the prophets and their prophetic warnings. Zechariah's words are forgotten by the time Jesus comes on the scene. And to their detriment the religious leaders and the people reject Christ's gracious and unifying offer of leadership, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep (John 10:11)." And to make matters worse they chose an imposter shepherd, a false shepherd, an abomination, who will neglect every responsibility of a good shepherd and will in fact feed upon the sheep. You've heard the old saying, two wolves and a sheep discussing what's for dinner.
But first they must deal with this Good Shepherd.
Zechariah 11:12
And I said to them, “If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.” So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
And from that moment on he looked out for an opportunity to betray him.
He sold him out for thirty silver.
And in doing so, he killed himself, and they all killed themselves as well in that they chose a false idol over the Righteous Lamb of God.
The covenant is broken in two. The staff has been broken, Favor has been broken in the body of Jesus Christ. And Judas is paid the price for his betrayal. He is paid what the chief priests and the temple authorities felt the life of Jesus was worth. They covenanted with Judas to betray him to them, and he did. And so, if they're now seeking to come before God again, they must face him as any would, by faith. No longer the chosen nationality in regard to salvation, the old covenant is broken by their own hands on a Roman cross. God no longer accepts their offerings without faith in His Son Jesus Christ. They must come to him as if they are gentiles. The veil is torn. And Judas fulfills the prophecy, betraying the shepherd for thirty silver and that purchase price is throw away by Judas and then used to purchase the potter's field.
Zechariah 11:13
And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So, I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord."
The die has been cast. The veil is torn. The blood of the One True Lamb has been poured out for many. He endured their mocking sin and bore it upon himself. And now to those who rejected him, those who will not be led by him, he says:
Zechariah 11:9
“I won’t be your shepherd any longer. If you die, you die. If you are killed, you are killed. And let those who remain devour each other!”
Jesus said, "it is finished". They have made their choice. They chose the way of the thief and the murderer. They sold out for a momentary sense of security found in their wealth and idols. For them it results in an irreparable loss. And so, he's done with them. The Union staff has been broken, now they are left to their own brutality.
Those who have not sold out now have a better covenant.
Hebrews 8:6
"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."
And they run that race in faith. Not only intellectually convinced, but they are in the race. They are living it out daily, they have not only NOT sold out their faith, but they've also jumped off the fence and are running towards Jesus with endurance.
But that's another discussion for another day.