GRACE – UNITY THROUGH
MESSIAH vs. THE FOOLISH SHEPHERD
By Doug Krieger
There is a pernicious tendency—due to the insipid quest for
control within fallen man—which incessantly raises its ugly head among the shepherds
of the sheep of His flock. I’d like to
address this ubiquitous malady in its immediate and prophetic commentary as it
pertains to the prophet Zechariah’s amazing address of the same—this may surprise
you.
I don’t expect “commentary agreement” on my exegesis but I’ll
be more than satisfied if you get the drift of what I feel the Holy Spirit’s
bearing witness in my spirit that we’re on to something here that has major
consequence at the “end of time” for the people of God—both Judah (the Jewish
Nation) and Ephraim (those among the nations who have entered into Covenant
through Yeshua’s Person and Work).
Today’s Judah/Jewish people are seemingly more divided than
ever before due to a host of issues—primarily, today, centered on the current
distress, wars, hostages, etc., let alone how to address the flagrant rise of
anti-Semitism throughout the globe.
Simultaneously, these issues of “domestic division” afflict all the “people
of the Book”—namely, those who claim membership in the Commonwealth of Israel
who were once non-citizens but who through Messiah have been joined
teleologically[i] to
the “Israel of God” becoming joint-heirs through the Jewish Carpenter.
Dr. John Walvoord (past president of Dallas Theological Seminary)
once said that the book of Zechariah presented the most stereoscopic eschatology
of virtually any book in the entire Bible; rivaling the Revelation extracted
from the Isle called Patmos.
Specifically, Zechariah 11-14 speaks in immediate and futuristic implications
regarding the Almighty’s dealings with His people—and does so in no uncertain terms.
Our focus resides within the peculiar and rather open-ended reflections
concerning shepherding the flock of God either with the “Two Staffs” of the
Great Shepherd of the Sheep or via the Foolish Shepherd’s “three shepherds” who
await their fate—cutting off!
Inserted within these interpretive ambiguities is the
redemptive price of Messiah’s sacrifice and ultimate, I affirm, judgment upon
these three shepherds and their ring leader, if you would, the Worthless
Shepherd (Zech.11:17).
On the one hand, Zechariah 11:4-17, speaks
regarding the differences between the "two staffs" and the
dismissal of the "three shepherds" during a 30-day time frame (one
month). This is a profound prophecy indeed!
The Identity of the Two Staffs - Thirty Pieces of Silver –
and Three Shepherds
The true shepherd's staffs (Beauty & Bonds or Grace &
Unity) bespeak of Messiah as the “Great Shepherd of the Sheep” (Heb. 13:20) in
that eventually we read He was betrayed for "30 pieces of silver"
which "30" is a resemblance of the "30-day month" accorded
the "three shepherds" to be DISMISSED in one “30-day prophetic month”!
Obviously, and prophetically, the 30 pieces of silver pertains to Judas'
betrayal and, likewise, of the price of Christ’s redemption
(silver). The insertion of these “30 pieces of silver” in the midst
of this “shepherding” account makes no sense without Messiah’s intrusion into
the prophetic storyline taking place.
Identity of the Three Shepherds
Insofar as the “prophetic identity” of these “three shepherds”—scores of well-meaning commentaries have been written to ascertain who or what they are:
- "False Prophets" (in general – either past or future) – Vernon J. McGee – p. 967 (Through the Bible Commentary on Zechariah) or . . .
- “Priests and false prophets and kings of the Jews, who after the passion of Christ, were all cut off in one time, of whom Jeremiah speaketh, ‘The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew Me not; the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things which do not profit" Jeremiah 2:8.” ( Source: St. Jerome, cir. 400 AD)
- “The three shepherds whom Messiah removes are John, Simon, and Eleazar, three leaders of factions in the Jewish war [Drusius]. Or, as Messiah, the Antitype, was at once prophet, priest, and king, so He by the destruction of the Jewish polity destroyed these three orders for the unbelief of both the rulers and people [Moore]. (Source: Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)
- “The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians (Source: Biblical Hermeneutics)
- “The best explanation is probably the oldest, which
sees the three shepherds not as three individuals but as three classes of
individuals, namely: the prophets, priests, and kings of Israel” (Boice). The
offices of prophet, priest, and king were taken away from Israel after the
Roman conquest of Judea and have never been restored – because they are now
fulfilled in Jesus Christ. (Source: Enduring Word)
But we shall discover that the supreme Antitype of Messiah
(Zech. 11:15-17) is none other than the very source of this foolishness, this
worthless one who would slaughter the sheep of His pasture: the latter-day Antichrist and the “three
shepherds” simply amplify his person and work—today and at his conclusion.
God’s Dealing with His People, His Sheep
Firstly, the Shepherd is determined to feed His sheep—“particular
the poor of the flock.” His
dealings in this “feeding” are delineated through the Two Staffs.
The Staff of Beauty/Grace was "cut in two, that I
might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples” of the
land of Israel—SO IT WAS BROKEN ON THAT DAY (vs. 11) and those who were "the
poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD.”
Clearly, the Lord spoke to these poor of the flock and they understood why our
Lord's redemption was paid in 30 pieces of silver; furthermore, they comprehended
the nature of the “covenant” or the “Band/Bond” (i.e., the UNITY or UNION)
without “Beauty/Grace” (or “Favor”) would no longer sustain His Ancient
People.
No longer, due to a multitude of false prophets, would the
Almighty extend Beauty/Grace toward His ancient people—they would become
vulnerable to their enemies because they would have broken their CONDITIONAL
COVENANT (i.e., His marriage contract—i.e., the Mosaic Marriage Contract given
at Mt. Sinai); thus did He grant the 10 Northern Tribes a “certificate of
divorce” nigh 722 years after their initial agreement (Jer. 3:6-10) and
would “put away” her sister, Judah; yet He did not remove Judah’s
scepter—“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, until Shiloh comes”—Genesis 49:10).
Indeed, His grace and mercy were withheld when Ephraim/Israel
was “swallowed up of the nations” (Hos. 8:7-10)—whereas Judah/Israel
was scattered among the nations. No, He
did not break His UNCONDITIONAL COVENANTS which He made to Noah, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob/Joseph (the one, “conditional” was bi-lateral--Mosaic; the
other, “unconditional” [the New Covenant]) was unilateral wherein God Almighty
would keep it—for these former and latter covenants are irrevocable and
immutable).
This being said—that the bi-lateral agreement at Mt. Siani
(His marriage accord) was broken in measure (toward Ephraim’s 10 Tribes of the
North). This did not mean (since the
Almighty asserted: “I am betrothed to you forever”-Hosea 2:19-23)
that He would still find a way to REMARRY His people now “swallowed up
among the nations” (Hos. 8:7-10) . . . which He did in fullness in
accordance with Romans 7:1-4—to wit:
“. . . (for I speak to those
who know the law—Deuteronomy 24:1-4), that the law has dominion
over a man as long as he lives? For the
woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he
lives. But if the husband dies, she is
released from the law of her husband. So
then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called
an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she
is no adulteress, though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become
dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to
Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God”
(Rom. 7:1-4).
Even so they understood that Messiah’s intervention into
Israel’s history would bring much greater focus as to His dealings with “All
Israel” – but first, Messiah’s intervention on behalf of His sheep:
Messiah’s Redemptive Price & Breaking of Beauty &
Bonds
"And the LORD said to me,
'Throw it to the potter'—that PRINCELY PRICE they set on me"
(Zech. 11:13).
Those sheep who are "poor in spirit" can clearly
see and understand what is going on here. Once the 30 pieces of silver
were thrown into the house of the LORD by Judas—then, nigh immediately, it was
used for the purchase of the potter’s field:
"Then he (Judas) threw down
the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself .
. . and they (the chief priests and elders) consulted together and bought with
them the potter's field, to bury strangers in . . . Then was fulfilled what was
spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 'And they took the thirty pieces of
silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel
priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me." (See: Matt. 27:3-10 and Jer. 32:6-9[ii]
and Zech. 11:12-13).
Now, we must understand that the Shepherd’s staff of BEAUTY
or GRACE was broken in two. The initial
breaking of this staff has much to do with the other staff of unity—the two
staffs are intrinsically connected (the one, Staff of Grace, has an immediate
bearing upon the Staff of Unity).
The Staff of Beauty and Grace “was broken on that day”
(Zech. 11:11a). Yes, at the very time of Messiah’s crucifixion
(30 pieces of silver/Messiah's betrayal) His "covenant which I had
made with all the peoples" was broken . . . with "all
the people" (meaning, I affirm, was with BOTH Judah and Israel)
for this was the only covenant (Mosaic Covenant) spoken of at the time of the “30
pieces of silver” (i.e., the crucifixion/redemption) prior to the inauguration
of the New Covenant for ALL PEOPLE; however, and in particular, this is when we
hear and can readily understand AFTER the 30-pieces of silver we're thrown by
Judas into "the house of the LORD for the potter"
(eventually for the potter's field where undoubtedly Judas was buried) . . . so
it was affirmed on the day that Beauty and Grace were broken:
"Then I cut in two my other
staff, Bonds/Unity, that I might break the BROTHERHOOD between Judah and Israel”
(Zech. 11:14).
Thus the BAND/BOND/COVENANT was broken. This Mosaic Covenant was a bi-lateral
agreement (“if you do this, then I’ll do that”—indeed it was a “marriage contract”)—but
Israel did NOT keep her/their part of the bargain—therefore, was the Bonds/Bands/Covenant
broken and the brotherhood between Judah and Israel shattered once again.
Indeed, when the first staff—Beauty/Grace—is broken . . .
when there is no grace among God’s people, no mercy, then, most certainly,
there will be disunity! It was true at
the initial “Breach of Jeroboam” when “officially” the 10 Tribes of the North
were divided from the Two Tribes of the South (1 Kings 12-13) . . . and it was
true of First Century Christianity between Judah and Ephraim. And is just as much true today among God’s
people who without the beauty of His grace are destined for disunity for the “bond
of unity” is broken without the beauty of His grace.
How profound were the Bands/Bonds: The UNITY of "All Israel" (both
Judah and Israel - 2 Northern Tribes and 10 Southern Tribes - between Judah and
Israel, Judah and Ephraim/Joseph – NOW BROKEN).
The "working out" of this disunity took place in
the context of Messiah’s first coming (according to the account of the 30
pieces of silver in Zechariah 11:11-13) from His crucifixion unto the first 100-200
years of the newly-formed Ekklesia Jesus was to build. Eventually, this
"staff of unity" was broken - He broke the staff of Beauty/Grace
between the "two camps" of Judah and Israel—this led to the division
of Judah and Ephraim both before and shortly after Messiah’s first coming. There were by 200 AD virtually no Jews of
Judah found among “the nations” who were turning to Messiah—Ephraim was married
to another, even to Him who was raised from the dead and did return as the
prodigal son to the Father’s House but Judah, although faithful in the Father’s
house/inheritance did abide apart from Ephraim.
It is abundantly clear that Ephraim’s swallowing up by the
nations—the prodigal son who left the Father’s house—the wife who committed
adultery—provided the Lord, through death and resurrection, the divine right to
remarry her in that she was promised to be betrothed to Him forever. Satan meant the writ of divorce for evil but
God meant it for good . . . just as Joseph was rejected by his brothers, so it was
for their ultimate good!
Messiah’s redemption shall prevail. Later in Zechariah 12-14 where His dealings
with Judah/Jerusalem/Israel are prophetically designed for the Jews/Judah
"to look on Me whom they pierced (i.e., “the pierced One”)
. . . Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and
grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn" . . . ultimately
Judah/Jews/Jerusalem will be brought into full Bonds/UNITY and grace/beauty
will prevail in celebration of the Millenarian Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14).
The identity of the Worthless Shepherd
Notice, AFTER the Lord breaks the brotherhood between Judah
and Israel (a “brotherhood” which had already been broken at the “Breach of
Jeroboam” when Judah and Israel were divided into two kingdoms—1 Kings 11:26-14:20),
then He speaks of the FOOLISH SHEPHERD or WORTHLESS SHEPHERD . . .
"Next, take for yourself the
implements of a foolish shepherd. For indeed I will raise
up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek
the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand . .
. but he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces . . . WOE
to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock . . . a sword
shall be against his arm and against his right eye . . . his arm shall
completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded" (Zech.
11:15-17).
I believe, as does J. Vernon McGee (p. 969, Vol. 3 – Through
the Bible With J. Vernon McGee), this “foolish shepherd” is none other than
the Antichrist himself shrouded in prophetic adumbrations.
Not only is there this "spirit of antichrist"
afflicting God’s people today but THE Antichrist allowed by the LORD to wreak
havoc upon the sheep of His pasture during his final tenure when he shall be
incarnated by Satan himself as was Judas Iscariot—thence to be entitled as the “man
of sin, the son of perdition, the lawless one, the desolator, according to the
working of Satan . . . THE BEAST” (Luke 22:3; 2 Thess. 2:7-9). In context, this “Foolish or Worthless
Shepherd” is announced in Zechariah 11:8 as the “three shepherds” but is
clarified AFTER Messiah’s redemption (Zech. 11:11-13) to be the Antichrist—although
many antichrists have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1-3)!
However, it is the "spirit of antichrist" who has
already come, and is among us today. That
is what today’s brethren are encountering.
The Anointing from the Holy One, the Spirit of Grace and Truth, abides
within His believers but the “spirit of antichrist” mitigates against the Anointing
and spreads disunity among the brethren. Ultimately, THE Antichrist shall
appear in fullness.
The Triumph of the Great Shepherd of the Sheep
I affirm that when it says "I dismissed the three
shepherds in one month" (Zech. 11:8) that it is a far-reaching
prophecy of the "unholy trinity" of the Dragon/Satan, the
Beast-Antichrist and the False Prophet/Second Beast (anti-types of the Triune
God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—See:
Revelation 13-14) who shall be judged by the Almighty during the 30 days
(one prophetic 30-day month) from the 1,260th day unto the 1,290th day/days of desolation found in Daniel 12:11.
This is reinforced (it’s timing) by the Two Witnesses of
Revelation 11 who shall ascend after 3 ½ days (1,260 days) of “open persecution”
according to Revelation 11:11-13 . . . laying bear the final 30 days between
the 1,260th day and the 1,290th day. Only after the three-and-one-half years, the
latter half of Daniel’s 70th Week, do we hear of “Your wrath
has come” and these words:
“Then the seventh angel sounded:
And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have
become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever
and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15-19, excerpts)
My conviction is simply that these “three shepherds”—headed up
by the “worthless shepherd”—fit the antitype description of the Triune God. The antitypes are clearly: the Dragon/Satan cast down to the earth; the
Beast or THE Antichrist; and the False Prophet/Second Beast (juxtaposed to the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit). These
three shepherds have everything to do with the context of this prophetic declaration
which is clearly extended unto the end of days as seen in the remaining
chapters of Zechariah 12-14.
The pouring out of the Wrath of God and the Lamb will occur between
the 1260 days and the 1290 days (30 days) of Daniel 12:11 in that there are
1,290 days of desolation. The futurity
of the entire 70th Week of Daniel bespeaks of a 2,520-day period or seven
days or 1 year = 360 prophetic days * 7 days/years = 2,520 days (Daniel
9:24-27). The “days of desolation” extend beyond the
2,520 days and total 2,550 days. Thus
they are equal 30 days beyond the latter half of Daniel’s full 70th Week unto the 1,290th (days of desolation).
The “two witnesses” of Revelation 11 (the two olive trees
and the two lampstands) will, after three-and-one-half days or 3 ½ years or
after 1,260 days) be “caught up” in the cloud before all those who “dwell on
the earth” (Rev. 11). Then the Wrath of
God and the Lamb will be poured out in accordance with Daniel 12:11; Rev. 8:1
wherein there is silence in heaven for ½ hour (30 min.). His 30-day/30
minute judgment upon this unholy trinity, upon the "three shepherds
in one month" is an amazing prophecy.
These three shepherds who shall be DISMISSED (or
"destroyed" or "cut off" - i.e. totally eliminated) are
juxtaposed to the two staffs (Grace/Beauty and Unity/Bonds) in the hand of the
Great Shepherd of the sheep. Although Grace and Unity have been broken
and the unholy trinity of the Antichrist has wreaked havoc (slaughter) upon the
earth—“For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care
for those who are cut off” (Zech. 11:16)—the Lord will yet climax the
ages in dismissing the three shepherds and raising up Messiah in healing the
breach of Jeroboam and through grace (the supply of the Spirit of Christ) and
unity (i.e., the Unity of the Spirit) bring His people together in triumph over
these “three shepherds”—over the “foolish shepherd”—and crush Satan beneath our
“united feet” and very shortly (Romans 16:17).
The Lord has permitted “those who cause division and
offenses (who serve) their own belly” among us—those self-serving
shepherds (Rom. 16:17-18) to be exposed and their intentions revealed for “by
smooth words and flattering speech (they) deceive the hearts of
the simple”—therefore, may we be “wise in what is good, and
simple concerning evil” so that “the God of peace will crush
Satan under (our) feet shortly”!
Much Grace – Much Unity – this is BEAUTY and these are BONDS
which bind together the People of God!
True Grace alone will produce the “unity of the Spirit through the
bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3-6) in the Body of Christ—if we make every
effort to keep it!
Yes, the one who would “prepare the flock for
slaughter—in particular the poor of the flock” will NOT prevail—the foolish
shepherd was defeated at the cross . . . “for lo, his doom is sure!” (iii) The Great Shepherd of the Sheep has, will,
and forever feed His flock!
Finally, may the brethren replicate the true nature of the
Great Shepherd of the Sheep and not that of the “worthless shepherd.” How?
By doing the exact opposite of this “foolish shepherd” – care for the
sheep who have been “cut off” or “cut in two” by supplying them the beauty of
His grace and “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace” . . . seek the young sheep—for they are in need of more care . .
. heal those who are broken; for there are so many brethren who are inwardly
broken . . . and feed those who have gone through so much . . . stay with the
flock, build communities secure in their care for one another . . . this is
what the Good Shepherd desires to do through those shepherds who emulate the
Great Shepherd of the Sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ—and that is precisely what
Grace and Beauty looks like!
[i] Teleology (from τέλος, telos, 'end', 'aim', or 'goal', and λόγος, logos, 'explanation' or 'reason')[1] or finality[2][3] is a branch of causality giving the reason or an explanation for something as a function of its end, its purpose, or its goal, as opposed to as a function of its cause.[4] James Wood, in his Nuttall Encyclopaedia, explained the meaning of teleology as "the doctrine of final causes, particularly the argument for the being and character of God from the being and character of His works; that the end reveals His purpose from the beginning, the end being regarded as the thought of God at the beginning, or the universe viewed as the realization of Him and His eternal purpose." (Source: Wikipedia)
[ii] NOTE: Matthew appears to attribute the prophecy of the 30 pieces of silver to Jeremiah instead of Zechariah? This is NOT a discrepancy but a profound prophetic outburst! In Zechariah 11:12 and 13 it clearly states “30 pieces of silver” – likewise the “30 pieces of silver” is rehearsed in Matthew 27:3 but attributed to Jeremiah’s account of 17 pieces of silver—was Matthew amiss?
Jeremiah’s similar “messianic text” found in Jeremiah 32:9 bespeaks of “17 pieces of silver” used by Jeremiah to purchase the “redemption” or “deed” of the land belonging to Hanamel (meaning “God has been gracious”), the son of Shallum, Jeremiah’s uncle—the field/land was in Anathoth of the tribe of Benjamin (Jeremiah’s birthplace). Judah was going into captivity—thus, after captivity the progeny of Jeremiah would assert their right to the purchased land; thus was the clay pot concealed with the deed enclosed to prove who the real owner was/is.
Some commentators see this as an allusion to the redemption storyline relative to Matthew 27:3, however, its profound meaning is prophetic in nature and alludes to the return of the captives of Judah and Benjamin from Babylon—but more so. Not only would the deed within the clay pot prove it belonged to the prophet (once it was found and the seals removed) when Jeremiah’s progeny returned upon the return of the Jews to Judea in 537 BC under the Decree of Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, but it projects its identification with the return of Messiah to inherit the earth as in: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” during the opening of the 7-sealed scroll/deed found in Revelation 5-6.
The Usurper, Satan, claims current squatter’s rights over the earth but the day comes when the “seven seals” are broken from the scroll (hidden in the vase, likewise hidden in the good land/earth) whereupon at its unsealing (7-fold unsealing) will reveal who is the real owner of the property—which will be the Messiah. This is when YAHWEH WILL EXALT (the meaning of the name “Jeremiah”). The usurper will be ejected from the earth and cast into the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1-3).
The 17-pieces (shekels) of silver—the purchase price of
Hanamel’s property (deed)—has unique significance in that “17” connotes Messiah’s
very Person in that 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17 =
153. In resurrection Jesus assisted
Peter in catching some 153 fish (John 21:11); moreover, Joseph, an archetype of
Christ, was 17 years of age when he was sold into slavery in Egypt and his father,
Jacob, lived 17 years in Egypt before his death—these 2 sets of “17” act like
bookends surrounding Egypt. Also, Jesus’
first miracle according to the NKJV Study Bible filled up six water pots with
15 firkins of water (a firkin is equal to 10.2 gallons or 15 firkin * 10.2
gallons = 153 gallons of water into wine . . . the terms of 2 or 3 firkins each
in the six pots totals to 15 firkins or 3 sets of “2” = 6 + 3 sets of “3” = 9
and 6 + 9 = 15 firkins – so that 15 firkins * 10.2 gals. = 153 gallons)—therefore,
17/153 at the commencement of Jesus’ ministry and 17/153 at the close of Jesus’
ministry (first and last miracles in John’s gospel). Thus, the “17 pieces of silver” speaks of
Earth’s Ownership/Redemption by MESSIAH--REDEMPTION is complete! Only the Lamb is worthy/qualified to open the
seals thereof of the 7-sealed book in proof that He holds the deed!
3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
