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"So I fed the flock for slaughter"

Text: Zechariah 11:7

FEEDING THE FLOCK PROPERLY

The bad shepherds had failed to do their work faithfully. The Good Shepherd would show them how shepherding was to be done.

“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.”
Zechariah 11:7

1. A prophetic vision:

a) Concerning the flock for slaughter.

b) With reference to the Good Shepherd who would feed the flock.

2. The fulfilment of this prophetic vision

a) The Lord Jesus fulfilled this role perfectly (Cf. John 10).

b) Feeding the flock:

i) The original phrase: “the flock for slaughter”

This was maintained to confirm the subject spoken of in the earlier verse.

ii) “The poor of the flock”

This phrase well described the multitudes who followed the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Two staffs

a) This was standard equipment of all shepherds in those days.

i) One staff was straight, to help the shepherd defend the sheep.

ii) The other staff was curved like a hook (to reel the straying sheep in).

b) Name given to the first staff: “Beauty”

i) It represented the heart of the shepherd towards his work.

ii) It also represented how he felt towards the sheep he was looking after.

c) Name of the second staff: “Bonds”

i) The flock had been divided into two warring nations.

ii) His task was to make them bonded together as “One”.

4. “I fed the flock”

The Gospels describe how the Good Shepherd had fed the flock with the Word of God.