Zechariah 13:7: “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, / Against the Man who is My Companion,” / Says the LORD of hosts. / “Strike the Shepherd, / And the sheep will be scattered; / Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.”

December 24th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Zechariah 11:17 described the worthless shepherd who doesn’t take care of his flock, but here in chapter 13 the Good Shepherd, God’s Shepherd, is described. This prophecy was not fulfilled for another 550 years, until Jesus came into the same city Zechariah was prophesying to and died on the hill called Calvary. It was through His death that eternal life was made available to all mankind. Jesus quoted Zechariah the day before He was crucified, saying that Zechariah was speaking of Him being struck and His disciples being scattered:

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, / And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'” (Matt. 26:30–31).

This is the supreme picture of God’s love for you and me. This is proof positive that we can trust Him, because He displayed His love for us on that cross.

Paul the Apostle wrote of it this way: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Because Jesus the Good Shepherd absorbed the sword of judgment for our sins, He opened to us access to God Himself.

American Pastor Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758) said that since he was a shepherd he was called to do 2 things: “I go out to preach with two propositions in mind. First, every person ought to give his life to Christ. Second, whether or not anyone else gives him his life, I will give him mine.” That seems like a good way for all of us to approach each new day.

“LORD, we give You this day back and ask You to use us for Your Kingdom.”