Zechariah 13

7–9 Here Zechariah moves back in time to Jesus’ first coming, when God Himself struck His shepherd and scattered the sheep (verse 7). Jesus quoted verse 7 and applied it to Himself and His disciples (Mark 14:27,49–50). This was the “good shepherd” Zechariah described earlier (Zechariah 11:4–14), who was rejected by His own people, the Jews. According to Zechariah 12:10–14, it was the Jews who pierced Jesus; but here we see that ultimately it was God who struck Him (Isaiah 53:10; Acts 2:23). The Jews and Romans were merely God’s instruments in bringing about Christ’s death, by which the sins of believers have been taken away (John 1:29; 1 John 1:7; 3:5). Note that God identifies His shepherd as the man who is close to me (verse 7)–so “close” as to be God’s equal (see John 10:30; 14:9; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:6).

In the last part of verse 7, the Lord begins to shift further into the future. Yes, Jesus’ disciples were scattered; but after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the surviving Jews were also scattered—and most have remained scattered to this day. These are the little ones against whom God has turned His hand; with the striking down of their Messiah they are to be left like sheep without a shepherd.

In verses 8–9, God focuses on events still further in the future—events that will take place when Jesus comes again. God intends to purify, to refine His people. First He will strike down two—thirds of them—those who have remained unfaithful. Yet a third—a remnant—will be left; the leaving of a remnant displays God’s mercy in the midst of judgment.

Then God will refine the remnant of Jews like silver (see Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 1:6–7); they will turn to God in faith. God will restore His covenant with them as of old, and once again He will say, “They are my people,” and they will say, “The LORD is our God”³² (see Leviticus 26:12; Zechariah 8:8).