Zechariah 12: Deliverance of Judah

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Listen to this article here (no video)

We are going to complete the last few verses of Zechariah 11 that we did not get to last time and then get into Zechariah 12.

15 And the Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd. 16 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. (Zechariah 11:15-16)

This last portion of Zechariah 11, which includes verses 15-17, highlights a coming foolish shepherd that God told Zechariah to portray. In this section, the worthless shepherd is more accurately seen as foolish or morally deficient. Simply calling him “foolish” can be taken to mean that he is not responsible for the foolish decisions he makes. However, the literal meaning of the text indicates that this coming foolish shepherd will be very calculating in his attempts to destroy Jerusalem/Israel and the Jewish people. It will be a replay of Hitler multiplied many times. Since the flock (Israel) had rejected the Good Shepherd – Messiah Jesus – God is going to use this coming morally deficient shepherd to begin to open Israel’s spiritual eyes.

In truth, it is not just that Israel rejected the Good Shepherd, but that Israel then embraced/will embrace Worthless Shepherds throughout her history and will do so a final time in the future! This recounts the events of the Messiah’s first advent and death, followed by the destruction and dissolution of Jerusalem and Israel as a nation in AD 70.

The other tragic events listed will occur with the second coming of Jesus and events following after His physical return. The bad or worthless shepherd is categorized in verse 16.

The worthless shepherd 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

While Israel will expect good things from this morally deficient shepherd (who comes on the scene in the future), they will learn the hard way that this worthless shepherd means them harm. This worthless shepherd will use Israel to ultimately gain access to the Holy of Holies in the rebuilt Temple during the upcoming Tribulation period, as Paul explains in 2 Thessalonians 2. This coming worthless shepherd will not care one iota for the people of Israel. His reign as “shepherd” over Israel will take a terrible toll on that nation.

Verse 17 highlights the fact that God pronounces judgment on the worthless shepherd and tells what He will do to him. We can see this throughout Israel’s history as this applies to any leader/king over Israel in the past. Eventually, God’s judgment was poured out on that king/leaders and the nation itself for embracing that person. However, it ultimately applies to the coming Antichrist (again, 2 Thessalonians 2).

This cycle of judgment leads to the second burden and the second advent and acceptance of Messiah, the King (chapters 12-14; Unger).

This is how Zechariah 11 ends; on a tragic note. However, Zechariah 12 immediately changes direction and opens with a very heartwarming message from God to that nation.

So as Zechariah 12 opens with the announcement of coming deliverance for Israel, there must first occur a final siege of Jerusalem (similar to AD 70). Two main events are in view:

• Final siege of Jerusalem
• Return of Messiah and defeat of His enemies

In Zechariah 12:1-9, we read that God Himself will make Israel a cup of trembling and burdensome stone to the entire world. World leaders will act like drunks as they seek to destroy Israel. Unfortunately for them, messing with Israel in that day prior to the physical return of Jesus (toward the end of the Tribulation), will result in damage to themselves. So as the nations of the earth will one day gather against Israel in an attempt to totally annihilate that nation and its people, the attempt will result in massive wounds, injury and death to themselves.

(this is) probably referring to that stone which was thrown on the breast of a culprit adjudged to lose his life by stoning, by which the whole region of the thorax, heart, lungs, liver, etc., was broken to pieces – Clarke

The attempt of the nations to eradicate Israel will completely backfire on them and result in God’s judgment on those nations. The reason God does this is because of His unequivocal covenant to Israel to preserve it, not because of the Jewish people themselves. He made the unconditional covenant with Israel and He will see it through to the end.

What literally occurs here is that the nations against Israel will drink the Lord’s cup of wrath because they dared to harm the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). Even as the nations attempt to attack and destroy Israel, they will be injured and bloodied in their attempts (v3). Verse 4 essentially states that God will cripple the instruments used in the attempt to conquer Israel. Verse 5 speaks of Jerusalem becoming a refuge for God’s people on the earth.

This speaks of the saving faith of the Jews in that day (MacArthur)

In verse 6, God is saying He will devour the armies attacking Israel in the latter days just prior to His return – Israel’s enemies will be consumed. Verse 7 highlights the fact that God will save the outer lying regions beyond Judah first so that Judeans would not come to think they were more important than the rest of their brothers/sisters of Israel.

In verse 8, God will strengthen the feeble to be as strong as David and give supernatural strength to rulers to fight their enemies. What is basically happening here (verse 9), is that God will essentially fight the battle for Israel.

This seems to point to the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16). Though the nations will do their best to crush Israel, God will crush them. Verse 10 indicates that following this event (during which the LORD returns to this earth), things will change drastically throughout the world for Israel and all the nations. We move from physical to spiritual deliverance in this section.

There will be tremendous mourning because of Jesus when the people of Israel see Him. The Jewish people will mourn because of how their ancestors treated Him during His first coming. They will be completely bereft with grief.

This mourning is likened to the Valley of Megiddo and to the time of King Josiah (a good king), who was killed by Pharoah Nechoh/Neco. Everyone throughout the Land will mourn when they see Messiah, and be overwhelmed with grief. Zechariah citing Nathan illustrates prominent families and Shimei illustrates ordinary families. When leading families mourn, all other families will follow suit.

“Nothing can excite to repentance like a view of the crucified Saviour.” [Note: Feinberg, God Remembers, p. 233.]

This whole process will be used by God to open the spiritual eyes of the Jewish people, who have thus far, since the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, been blinded spiritually. With some exceptions here and there, most Jewish people reject Jesus as Messiah. They find no fault in how their ancestors acted toward the Son of Man. But one day, they will see their error because their blindness will be fully removed, allowing them to see truth.

Paul refers to this in Romans 9-11.

7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear,
to this very day.” (Romans 11:7-10)

This hardening resulting in their spiritual blindness allowed God to bypass Israel and offer His salvation directly to the nations. Originally, Israel was supposed to be the light on the hill for all nations, sharing God’s truth with the world so that many would turn to God for salvation. Israel failed miserably at this quest, so God blinded them by hardening their hearts and went directly to the Gentile nations, bypassing Israel.

Notice that Paul states in verse 7 that the “elect among them did (obtain), but the others were hardened.” God always keeps for Himself a remnant from Israel and today, that Remnant is hidden within the Church. Once the Church is removed, God will again begin dealing directly with Israel and take from that nation a final remnant. God’s purposes will be completely accomplished.

What we see happening in the Middle East now is testament to what God is going to accomplish. Israel, as a nation, has much to go through before their eyes are open spiritually, but God will accomplish His plans in His timing.

Once God opens the eyes of the Israelites, He will begin a massive transformation in that nation and people that will result in the many blessings not only to Israel, but to the entire earth as we will see in Zechariah 13.

Following the blessings realized in Zechariah 13, the prophet once again picks up the “day of the LORD” motif as something Israel (and the world) should be troubled about. There will be massive changes occurring throughout the world, geographically and spiritually.

Honestly, it is difficult for me to fully understand all the differences because we live in a sin-laden world, where corruption runs rampant and people literally get away with murder, along with many other crimes. But to know that one day, all will be set to right, all injustices and sin will be judged and this earth will undergo a rejuvenation that only our Lord can bring about.

Unfortunately, before those future events can occur that will cleanse the earth, there is much tragedy and sorrow ahead, especially for Israel and believers who are alive during that coming day of the Lord’s wrath.

The book of Zechariah is not for the faint of heart. It is not meant to be allegorized. It is meant, like all of God’s Word, to be taken literally (in its most plain and ordinary sense).

Zechariah 12 highlights a major turning point in the heart of the nation of Israel. It is fulfillment of what the prophet Zechariah (and many other prophets), highlighted of God’s plans for that nation.

What we see today with the increasing anti-Semitism is merely a precursor for what is to come, led fully by the final man of sin, the Antichrist. He will unfortunately, pull the wool over Israel’s leader’s eyes, acting as a good shepherd, but inwardly seeking Israel’s destruction. God will not allow that to happen and will step in and fight Israel’s battle for her.

Join me next time as we begin to see just exactly what Zechariah 13 tells us about the future, for Israel and the world.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Source: https://studygrowknowblog.com/2025/03/10/zechariah-12-deliverance-of-judah/