OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS TO BE BETRAYED

The book of Zachariah chapter 11 says this;

1  Open your doors, O Lebanon,That fire may devour your cedars.

2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined.

Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down.

3 There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins.

There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.

4 Thus says the Lord my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter, 5 whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them. 6 For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.”

7 So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock. 8 I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 9 Then I said, “I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.” 10 And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.

13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter. 14 Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

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. 

17 “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.”

This chapter was referenced concerning the return of the payment of thirty pieces of silver to Judas when he gave the priests information leading to the arrest of the Jesus. The priests used the money that Judas returned to them to buy the potterˋs field to make a graveyard that they could use to bury unclaimed foreigners.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS SENT TO VISIT THE FLOCK

The book of Zachariah chapter 10 foretells the visitation of the Lord and speaks for the in-gathering of the people of God and the enemies of the Judah shall be weakened.

1 Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.

2 For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

3 “My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.

4 From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.

5 They shall be like mighty men, Who tread down their enemies In the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the Lord is with them, And the riders on horses shall be put to shame.

6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the Lord their God, And I will hear them.

7 Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.

8 I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.

9 “I will sow them among the peoples, And they shall remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their children, And they shall return.

10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them.

11 He shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the waves of the sea: All the depths of the River shall dry up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall depart.

12 “So I will strengthen them in the Lord, And they shall walk up and down in His name,” Says the Lord.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS GOING TO ARRIVE IN JERUSALEM RIDING ON FOAL OF A DONKEY

The book of Zachariah chapter 9 verses 11 - 17 says this,

9“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem;

The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; 

His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’

11 “As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant,

I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

12 Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope.

Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.

13 For I have bent Judah, My bow,

Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion,

Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man.”

14 Then the Lord will be seen over them,

And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet,

And go with whirlwinds from the south.

15 The Lord of hosts will defend them;

They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine;

They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar.

16 The Lord their God will save them in that day,

As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land—

17 For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WILL JUDGE THE ENEMIES OF HIS PEOPLE

The book of Zachariah chapter 9 verses 1 - 8 says this; 

1 The burden of the word of the Lord Against the land of Hadrach,

And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the Lord);

2 Also against Hamath, which borders on it, And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.

3 For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust,

And gold like the mire of the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea,

And she will be devoured by fire.

5 Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful;

And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza,

And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

6 “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite.

8 I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON IS ZEALOUS FOR ZION AND HE WILL BRING HIS PEOPLE TO DWELL WITH HIM THERE

The book of Zachariah chapter 8 says this;

1 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 

2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal;

With great fervor I am zealous for her.’

3 “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,

The Holy Mountain.’

4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit

In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age.

5 The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls Playing in its streets.’

6 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’

Says the Lord of hosts.

7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east And from the land of the west;

8 I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’

9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the Lord of hosts, That the temple might be built.

10 For before these days There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.

11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.

12 ‘For the [h]seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these.

13 And it shall come to pass That just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.

Do not fear, Let your hands be strong.’

14 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I would not relent,

15 So again in these days I am determined to do good To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.

16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;

Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;

17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ Says the Lord.”

18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 

19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘The fast of the fourth month,

The fast of the fifth,

The fast of the seventh,

And the fast of the tenth,

Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts

For the house of Judah.

Therefore love truth and peace.’

20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities;

21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,

“Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, And seek the Lord of hosts.

I myself will go also.”

22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations

Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the Lord.’

23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE WORD WAS REJECTED BY THOSE TO WHOM HE WAS SENT

Zachariah chapter 7 verses 8 - 14 says this;

8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Execute true justice,

Show mercy and compassion

Everyone to his brother.

10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor.

Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’

11 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. 14 “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

This passage, continuing on from the previous text describing the Branch who would be sent from heaven,  gives a command from the Lord that required mercy and compassion as the true justice. Widows and orphans were not to be oppressed and evil schemes should not plotted in the hearts of men.

The Lord Jesus, who was telling the pharisees to show mercy rather than slavishly execute legal injunctions, was met by stopped ears and He was not heeded.

After Israel rejected the Branch, they were scattered by the whirlwind into many nations they did not know and the once pleasant  land was left desolate.

Have mercy O Lord.

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