God’s Word for You

Zechariah 11:1-3 The forest fire of judgment

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Monday, August 22, 2022

In this chapter, Zechariah turns his eyes to the day when Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans (this happened in 70 AD), a time when all of the Old Testament sacrifices became impossible even to attempt because the temple was torn down and burned, just a few years after Christ’s sacrifice made all of those sacrifices unnecessary because of his ultimate sacrifice on the cross, the sacrifice that fulfilled all of God’s requirements and atoned for the sins of all mankind.

11 Open your doors, O Lebanon,
  so fire can devour your cedars!
2 Wail, O pine, for the cedar has fallen.
  The tall trees are ruined!
  Wail, oaks of Bashan,
  for the forest has been cut down!

Forest fires are terrifying events. Sometimes there is just no way to stop this kind of fire. It has to burn itself out, and people can only try to keep it from burning too many homes and villages along the way. These two verses describe a fire sweeping through forests and destroying everything all around the land of Judah. We could describe where Lebanon was, and Bashan too, except that I don’t think that Zechariah really has those places in mind.

Chapter 10 was about the Lord’s special concern and care for Judah. The enemy nations of Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, were condemned in that chapter. Chapter 11 presents a judgment on Israel (Judah) because they were going to reject the Messiah and betray him. While the chapter divisions are ancient, they are not inspired (what I mean is that the text is inspired, but not chapter numbers or verse numbers). But in this case, Bashan in particular was not an enemy of Israel but was part of Israel, and so I think it’s best to take this judgment of the forest fire as being on Israel itself.

“Lebanon” and even “the forest of Lebanon” or “tower of Lebanon” (Song of Solomon 7:4) was also a way of talking about the buildings of Jerusalem, especially Solomon’s own palace, which were built from the massive cedars of Lebanon (2 Chronicles 2:8) and the good hearty oaks from Bashan (Isaiah 2:13). This also fits better with the command, “Open your doors, O Lebanon,” since a forest doesn’t have doors, but palaces and cities do.

Solomon’s palace was 150 feet long and 75 feet wide (1 Kings 7:2), decorated with golden shields (1 Kings 10:17), and fitted with platters, goblets and dishes of gold (2 Chronicles 9:20). In its glory, we would have wondered whether it was a palace, an arsenal, a bank, or a museum—because it was all of these at once.

The second poetic line (“foot”) of verse 2 is only three words in Hebrew, and I have translated them “the tall trees are ruined,” in keeping with the context of the forest fire in the first two verses. However, the prophet might be hinting about more than this, since the word ‘adiyr is a more general word than “tall thing (tree?). It means “majestic,” and it reminds us of what the disciples were saying about the temple in Jerusalem when they were there with Jesus: “What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1). But Jesus replied: “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Mark 13:2). All that seemed tall and majestic would be brought down low, into ruin.

Fire was coming to the cities of Judah, and especially to the palaces of Jerusalem on the slopes of Mount Zion. And the Lord’s judgment continues:

3 There is the sound of the shepherds wailing,
  for their glory is ruined!
  And there is the sound of the lions roaring,
  for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

The subjects of shepherds here brings us into the condemnations and prophecies of the rest of the chapter. We will even see a prophecy about the betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver in verses 12 and 13. Here the glory of Judah’s shepherds is broken down and ruined. Priest, Levite, and false prophet will each be held accountable for Israel’s sin, along with the other leaders such as the princes and nobles of the Jews. These men are the “lions,” the nickname Jacob gave to Judah on his deathbed (Genesis 49:9). Solomon even put carved lions beside the armrests of his throne (1 Kings 10:19) and lined the steps leading to his throne with twelve more carved lions (10:20). All the nobles of Judah were taken into the captivity, “Israelites from the royal family and the nobility” such as Daniel and his companions (Daniel 1:3), but in the future, when the Messiah would come, there would be no nobles who would bow to him, who would embrace his message, or who would put their faith in him. Therefore their thicket, the garden oasis of the Jordan, would be ruined, too, going up in flames like everything else.

The kingdom that was watered by the Jordan would be diminished, burned, ruined, and torn down. The reason for this destruction is unbelief, judged by the Judge of judges, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke directly to the city and said to the Jews of Jerusalem: “I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers, but you will kill and crucify some, and others you will flog. You kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, but how often have I longed to gather you like chicks under my wings! (Matthew 23:34,37). And again: “Look, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38).

While passages like this are fearsome and grievous for people who reject Christ, we need to remember that all his words are true. When sin is judged, it proves God’s holiness. When the sinful and the wicked are condemned, God is shown to be righteous and just; his justice means the punishment of unbelievers. Is a lifetime too little time to come to faith in Jesus and to put your faith in him? It is the only true goal in life; all other goals and achievements are nothing and will come to nothing. They are what Peter says will be burned up with the elements in the end (2 Peter 3:10). Set aside your achievements in your heart, and think about your place before God. as we say in the Catechism:

“Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments. Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, employer, or employee? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you hurt anyone by word or deed? Have you been dishonest, careless, wasteful, or done other wrong?” (Confession, Thirdly). These are the sins we confess, and doing this, our pastor assures us: “By the authority of Christ, I forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” (Confession, Fourthly).

For when we are forgiven by the pastor acting in the name of Jesus, we are truly forgiven, just as surely as if Christ’s own hands were raised above our heads and making the sign of the cross. This is what it means to put our faith in him and to trust him. We trust him for many things, for blessings and food and a roof over our heads, this is true. But we put our faith in him most of all for his forgiveness. His grace and salvation are not possible from anyone else, and so we throw all caution to the wind and throw our arms around Jesus, because he is our only Savior. Through him we have become God’s own dear children, now and forevermore.

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

Browse Devotion Archive