Zechariah 11:1-17
The fire referred to in vv. 1-3 foretells God’s anger against the land and against the people because of the crime they would be guilty of at the Cross.
In v. 4 the prophet is led to personify first the good shepherd (Christ), and then the foolish shepherd, that is, the Antichrist (vv. 15-17). Up to v. 14 we are projected into the time of the gospels. These possessors, these sellers, these evil shepherds in v. 5 are respectively the Romans and the leaders of the Jews, whether political or religious. The Lord Jesus brands them all as thieves, robbers, hirelings, ravening wolves (John 10:8; John 10:12; Ezekiel 34:1-31). He, the good Shepherd, came to take their place and feed the people, bringing them glory and national unity (the two staves named Beauty and Bands). But with the exception of some of the "poor of the flock" (v. 11; Luke 14:21) this people did not understand His purposes of love. Vv. 12, 13, fulfilled so precisely, tell us at what a derisory price the Lord was valued (Matthew 26:15). What is the value we put on the Lord Jesus? Then, without any transition, vv. 15-17 go straight on to introduce us to the rule, yet to come, of the "idol shepherd" (John 5:43). This Satanic person is raised up to punish the "flock of slaughter", the people who were guilty of having rejected their true Leader.