Instruments of A "Foolish Shepherd"

                In Zechariah 11: 15-17, the Lord says, "Take unto you yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that, that is broken, nor feed that, that stands still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaves the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be uterly darkened!"

Wow! Amazing! Here is a little known scripture that the Lord God had written down as a prophecy that must be fulfilled or has it been fulfilled? Here is a prophecy that the Lord God says he will do, and that was to raise up a shepherd that will use instruments of a shepherd  in such a way that will cause him to become a foolish shepherd. God goes on to denounced this shepherd as a idol shepherd that leaves the flock, and this word idol here means good for nothing, vain or filled with excessive pride and vanity, and idol of no valve and a thing of naught. Has there been such a foolish, vainty filled, shepherd that confesses to be set up God to date?

What are the instruments of a foolish shepherd? To understand this, one must know what the the instruments of a shepherd, whose has accepted as his occupation, or profession to oversee and care for a flock, or herd of sheep. The 2 main instruments of a shepherd are his rod, and his staff. These 2 instruments of a shepherd identify him as a shepherd, because they extend the arm, the discerning eye and the heart of the shepherd to help him care for his sheep, as no other animal so uniquely receives.The rod communicates to the sheep the sense of authority,  and power, providing comfort of peace and protection against danger from wolves or other predators, whereas, the staff conveys a sense of tender care, contact and contentment, which all provides comfort to the sheep.

The rod of the shepherd is symbolic of the rod of God's Word, which is His power and authority, that is provided by Jesus Christ and His Word, as our Shepherd. The staff of the shepherd is symbolic of God's grace, through His favor, care upon His sheep, through the power of His Holy Spirit,  all made possible by the chief shepherd, Jesus Christ and provides for all of Christ's sheep, to comfort, and lead His sheep in paths of righteousness. The patriarch David and shepherd, understood well about these instruments, as they were used in the shepherding of his father's sheep, and as well as they applied in the pastoring of God's sheep. In Psalm 23,  David writes, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."

In Zechariah 11;16, God lays out the plain truth about this foolish shepherd, and gives to us the fruit of his ministry and work. God said he will raise up a shepherd in the land "which shall not visit those that be cut off." What does this mean, not to visit the ones that shall be cut off? We all should know to be cut off is to be cut off from God, the Father, and is to be cut off from blessings, and  life and is a life and death matter. What is it that cuts one off from the Father? We also should know that it is sin that cuts one off from God, Isa. 59:2, "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear". The Eternal God says when you will not learn about sin, and that you are to come out of sin, "that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether Jew or gentile," Ex. 12:19.

God says this foolish shepherd will not visit, meaning to oversee, care for, guide and help to deliver God's lost sheep from sin, that separates them from God. Why? It is because of this foolish shepherd perverting the path to Jesus Christ, the True Shepherd, and Savior from one's sins. This foolish shepherd keeps the sheep cut off from the True Shepherd, Jesus christ, by confessing himself to be the master shepherd, and placing himself in an exalted, master pasture's office, as the church's general pastor. The heirlings of this shepherd that he pays well above the tithe, producing sheep's salaries, keeps him in his exalted office, and either above the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, or at least on the same level of authority and power.  By this highly, and self-acclaimed office, and the deceived sheep accepting this of him, he becomes an idol to them, praised and hightly worshipped above God. What he says and writes has more influence with the sheep than what Jesus Christ says and has inspired to be written! All of this is the sin of idolatry, and keeps people cut off from Jesus Christ, the True Shepherd!

This foolish shepherd has not led the lost sheep that are cut off to the True Shepherd, Jesus Christ! They are cut off, and will continue to be cut off unless they come to see their sins, and realize they are not to be a sinner, and at the same time, confessing to be a saint, and a member of Christ's true body. God says of this foolish shepherd, "neither shall he seek the young one." What does it mean to seek the young one?  A true and wise shepherd would seek out any young lambs that had gotten lost, as cut off from its mother. Any young, newborn lamb that is cut off and does not get the rich, early needed milk of its mother, soon will die! A wise shepherd uses his staff to lead, or carry the young lamb to its mother, being careful not to touch it, or leave his human scent on the lamb, because the mother will reject her own lamb, if any other scent is detected on the young baby lamb! Christ, the Chief Shepherd, leads us to the true mother, the church, if we have not been scented by man, and humble as a little child!