Zechariah 11:15-17 - Homiletics

A picture of antichrist.

"And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd," etc. After the experience of the good Shepherd comes the description of the bad; after the right "instruments," the wrong ones; after the Christ, the anti christ , the person usurping the true Christ's position, that is to say, and so opposing his work. See ( Zechariah 11:17 ) the "idol shepherd"—the shepherd making himself the object of worship to his flock; and comp. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ; Luke 4:7 . Which of the "many antichrists" ( 1 John 2:18 ) to appear in "the last time" is here intended primarily, we do not propose to discuss. It seems safer to take the description as applying to all. So interpreted, it may be understood as setting before us

I. THEIR TRUE CALLING . They are spoken of here ( Luke 4:16 ) as "raised up" by God. By this we may understand:

1 . That they do not come without the knowledge of God. By the typical action enjoined on his prophet ( Luke 4:15 ), God not only shows here that he foreknew the appearance of these various enemies, but he also foretells it. As the prophet is ordered to do in figure, so will they do in fact (comp. Acts 1:16 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ; 1 Timothy 4:1 ; Matthew 13:25 ; and see 1 Corinthians 11:19 ).

2 . Nor yet without God ' s will. It is the natural tendency of corruption to come to a head, as it were, in this manner. An evil movement never continues long without producing evil leaders to guide it. But they cannot be fully developed till God permits (see the story of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 11:13 , 1 Kings 11:26 , 1 Kings 11:35 ; 1 Kings 12:2 , 1 Kings 12:3 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:6 , 2 Thessalonians 2:7 , 2 Thessalonians 2:8 , beginning).

II. THEIR CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS . These appear to be three.

1 . Shameful negligence. The things to which, in the position assumed by these idol shepherds, they ought specially to attend are just those they neglect. Where their flocks are in danger ("cut off"), they forsake them; where weak, as the "young," they pass by them; where "wounded," they do not "heal" them; where unable to walk (standeth still), they do not "bear" them (see John 10:12 , John 10:13 ; Ezekiel 34:4 ; and contrast Ezekiel 34:16 ; Isaiah 40:11 ; John 10:15 ).

2 . Shameless selfishness. Instead of feeding the flock, they feed themselves—"eating the flesh of the fat" (see Ezekiel 34:2 , Ezekiel 34:8 , end, 10; also such passages as Matthew 23:14 ; Luke 16:14 ; 2 Peter 2:1-3 , 2 Peter 2:15 ; Jude 1:11 ; and contrast 2 Corinthians 12:15-18 ).

3 . Unblushing cruelty. (See end of Luke 4:16 , "tear their claws in pieces;" and comp. Ezekiel 34:4 , end.) These perverters of God's truth ever become, in due course, the persecutors of God's people (see Revelation 17:6 ; Revelation 18:24 ; Revelation 19:2 ).

III. THEIR FINAL DOOM . Judgment, though often long delayed, will always come upon them at last. The "sword," in due time, will descend. Moreover, this judgment, when it does come, will be found:

1 . Peculiarly just. It is on the negligent "eye," and the cruel and grasping hand and "arm," that the punishment comes (compare, perhaps, in Ezekiel 34:16 , how it is said of the "fat and the strong," which had "fed themselves," "I will feed them with judgment").

2 . Peculiarly awful; all their power being "clean dried up," and all their light being" utterly darkened." So 2 Thessalonians 2:8 ; Revelation 18:8 , Revelation 18:21 , etc.; and compare such passages as 2 Kings 9:35-37 ; Psalms 2:9 ; Isaiah 30:14 ; Matthew 21:44 ; and below Zechariah 14:12 .

In contemplating these scenes we may frequently notice:

1 . How great is the forbearance of God. When we see this succession of enemies permitted to arise and prosper in sowing tares in his field, we may well exclaim as in Romans 9:22 . Not so would man have acted ( Matthew 13:28 ).

2 . How great is the goodness of God. This forbearance is partly for the sake of those who truly believe in his Name ( Matthew 13:29 ); and partly, also (more wonderful still), for the sake of those who do not ( Romans 2:4 ; 2 Peter 3:9 ).

3 . How great should be the humility of his people. With our short lives and limited powers and many infirmities both of intellect and of temper, how little we can understand of that widely scattered, often-shifting, far-spreading, long enduring campaign of good against evil which he thus permits and directs! Well may even an apostle confess as in 1 Corinthians 13:9 , and beginning of 1 Corinthians 13:12 ! And well may he admonish us all, therefore, as in 1 Corinthians 4:5 !