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"I will not deliver them"

Text: Zechariah 11:6

THE LORD’S JUDGMENT

Time and again, the LORD warned Israel to walk in righteousness. When they chose idolatry, they were chastened severely. Israel and Judah had to endure being dispossessed from their land.

Upon their return from captivity, all went well for a while. But while idolatry was no longer the problem, unrighteousness and injustice continued to prevail.

“‘For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,’ says the LORD.
‘But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbour’s hand and into the hand of his king.
They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.'”
Zechariah 11:6

1. “I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land”

a) The shepherds were soundly rebuked for their wickedness.

b) But the inhabitants of the land were not much better than their leaders.

i) They also practised wickedness.

ii) They walked in unrighteousness.

c) The LORD would judge the shepherds.

d) He would remove His pity from the inhabitants when He judged them.

2. The judgment of the LORD

a) Neighbour against neighbour.

i) The social cohesion would not be there.

ii) Each one would selfishly care only for themselves.

iii) They would betray each other.

b) Subjects and their leaders:

i) The leaders would take advantage.

ii) The inhabitants would not be protected by the LORD.

iii) They would indeed become “the flock for slaughter”.

3. The Roman invaders

a) They would attack the land.

b) They would destroy much land as they advanced (Lebanon, Bashan, Jordan).

c) The LORD would allow the new invaders to conquer Israel.

He would not step in to deliver the shepherds nor the flock!