Zechariah 11 Scofield
Read Zechariah 11 · Matthew Henry on Zechariah 11
“the one”
The O.T. Parables: Summary. A parable is a similitude used to teach or enforce a truth. The O.T. parables fall into three classes:
(1) The story-parable, of which Judg 9:7–15 is an instance;
(2) parabolic discourses; e.g. Isa 5:1–7
(3) parabolic actions; e.g. Ezek 37:16–22
11:11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.
“poor”
The "poor of the flock": i.e. the "remnant according to the election of grace" Rom 11:5 those Jews who did not wait for the manifestation of Christ in glory, but believed on Him at His first coming, and since. Of them it is said that they "waited upon Me," and "knew." Neither the Gentiles nor the Gentile church, corporately, are in view: only the believers out of Israel during this age. The church, corporately, is not in O.T. prophecy Eph 3:8–10.
11:15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
“And the Lord”
The reference to the Beast is obvious; no other personage of prophecy in any sense meets the description. He who came in His Father's name was rejected: the alternative is one who comes in his own name John 5:43; Rev 13:4–8.
Public domain (1917). Text from the BibleSupport.com e-Sword module.
11:7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
“two staves”
The scene belongs to the first advent. Beauty and Bands--literally "graciousness and union"; the first signifying God's attitude toward His people Israel, in sending His Son Matt 21:37 the second, His purpose to reunite Judah and Ephraim Ezek 37:15–22. Christ, at His first advent, came with grace John 1:17 to offer union Matt 4:17 and was sold for thirty pieces of silver Zech 11:12; Zech 11:13. "Beauty" (i.e. graciousness) was "cut in sunder" (Zech 8:10; Zech 8:11), signifying that Judah was abandoned to the destruction foretold in Zech 11:1–6 and fulfilled A.D. 70. After the betrayal of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver (Zech 11:12; Zech 11:13) "Bands" (i.e. union) was broken (Zech 11:14), signifying the abandonment, for the time, of the purpose to reunite Judah and Israel. The order of Zechariah 11. is,
(1) the wrath against the land (Zech 11:1–6), fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem after the rejection of Christ Luke 19:41–44.
(2) the cause of that wrath in the sale and rejection of Christ vs. (Zech 11:7–14);
(3) the rise of the "idol shepherd," the Beast Dan 7:8; Rev 19:20 and his destruction (Zech 11:15–17).