Zechariah 11 - Introduction

Rup.: “‘All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth,’ saith the Psalmist Psalms 25:11, and, ‘I will sing to Thee of mercy and judgment’ Psalms 101:1. So is this prophecy divided. Above , almost all were promises of mercy, which are now fulfilled in deed; and from this, “Open, O Lebanon, thy doors” , all are terrible edicts of truth and tokens of just judgment. How much sweetness and softness and pleasantness is therein, “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion: shout, O daughter of Jerusalem;” what bitterness and acerbity and calamity to those, to whom he says, “Open, O Lebanon, thy doors, that the fire may devour thy cedars; howl, O fir tree; howl, O ye oaks of Basan.” As then, before, we beheld His mercy in those who believed and believe; so now let us contemplate His just judgment on those who believed not.” Gilead and Lebanon Zechariah 10:10 had been named as the restored home of Ephraim; but there remained a dark side of the picture, which the prophet suddenly presents, with the names of those self-same lands, “Open thy doors, O Lebanon; howl, O ye oaks of Basan” Zechariah 11:1.