In this difficult chapter Zechariah re-enacts the exile of Judah that had taken place seventy or so years before. Zechariah himself plays the role of the good shepherd, representing God. The central idea is that, since the people rejected God their good shepherd, despite his love and care for them, God gave them over to an evil uncaring shepherd. This evil shepherd, however, will be judged for his evil. This chapter presents us with two options: either we are ruled by God, the good shepherd, or we are left to be plundered by evil shepherds. A lot of people think that freedom is autonomy (self-rule). But we do not have the resources in ourselves to be autonomous. When we come out from under God’s care, we inevitably become vulnerable to whatever wind of influence blows in to fill the authority vacuum over our lives. In this case, rather than being led by God who loves us and works all things for our good, we are then oppressed by a rabble of influences competing for mastery over our hearts. If you don’t obey God, then it is only because you are obeying something else. That ‘something else’ will necessarily be destructive. Freedom does not mean having no one to obey. Freedom is obedience to the right ruler. God loves us and calls us to obey him so that we will flourish. He wants us to live the best life we can live. Only he can assure this. If you try to do life without God, you will end up exhausted and drained. Submit yourself to the good shepherd.
Submit yourself to the good shepherd.
Read Zechariah 11 and John 10:10-11
