Zechariah 11:15-16
Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.” (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Zechariah 11:14-17
Throughout this prophecy, Zechariah has played the part of the Good Shepherd. He was the shepherd who truly loved the flock. The flock was being shepherded by shepherds that only cared for their own personal gain. They slaughtered them and didn’t even spare the oppressed from ruin.
Once Zechariah began his role as shepherd, he used two staffs to care from them. One was called Favor and the other Union. He promptly had to run off three shepherds who were leading the sheep astray. So thus far through verse 14, we’ve been introduced to four shepherds – Zechariah and the three shepherds he got rid of.
Today in verse 15 we are introduced to a fifth shepherd. God tells Zechariah to “take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd”. The NLT says it like this:
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go again and play the part of a worthless shepherd’” (vs 15).
There will be a future shepherd that will lead Israel. This leader will be foolish and worthless. The word used here is the Hebrew word ᵉwilî pronounced eh-vee-LEE. This word is only used twice in all of Scripture. It describes a willful resistance to God’s wisdom. It speaks of a leader who ignores God’s counsel and trusts instead in human schemes.
The other Scripture that uses this word is found in Isaiah:
“The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools;
the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice” (Isa 19:11).
So clearly this new leader will not be seen as wise by those who belong to God. If you truly possess wisdom, it’s easy to recognize foolishness. However, God will allow this foolish shepherd to lead His flock. God then tells Zechariah about this shepherd:
“For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves” (vs 16).
This shepherd seems to match the description of the Antichrist that is described elsewhere in Scripture:
“I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him” (John 5:43).
“He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God… The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing” (2 Thes 2:4, 9).
“But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (Rev 19:20).
“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all” (Dan 11:36-37).
The Antichrist will present himself as the Good Shepherd but will actually be the wolf (Rev 13:11). I’ve said many times before that prophecy is nearly impossible to predict. Prophecy can be seen in hindsight, but it’s not possible to see it clearly into the future. I think the Antichrist could be an actual person, a country, a movement, or possibly even a false teaching. Anyone who claims to know how it will play out is fooling themselves. If the Jews missed Jesus the first time, it’s highly likely we will miss the Antichrist until God revels him/her/it to us.
However, one thing is for certain, the Antichrist doesn’t prevail. The Good Shepherd will return and this fifth foolish shepherd will pay for the evil that he has done:
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels” (2 Thes 1:6-7).
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming” (2 Thes 2:8).
Christ in the Old Testament 
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