11, 12. (a) How have the rulers of Christendom not followed the example of King David the psalmist? (b) According to Zechariah 10:3-7, is Jehovah pleased with the political “shepherds” who are guided by the religious clergy?

¹¹ The political rulers, even of professedly Christian Christendom, have refused to follow the example of King David, who shepherded the flock of the nation of Israel in 1077-1037 B.C.E. In Psalm 23:1, 2 the former shepherd-boy David said: “Jehovah is my Shepherd. I shall lack nothing. In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by well-watered resting-places he conducts me.” Could the Supreme Shepherd Jehovah be pleased with the conduct of the political rulers who as shepherds of their peoples are guided and supported by the religious clergy of Christendom? Not according to Zechariah 10:3-7:

¹² “Against the shepherds my anger has grown hot, and against the goatlike leaders I shall hold an accounting; for Jehovah of armies has turned his attention to his drove, the house of Judah, and has made them like his horse of dignity in the battle.

13. The clergy have left the political “shepherds” and the “goatlike leaders” in ignorance of whose attitude toward them, and how so?

¹³ Even in Christendom the political “shepherds” do not appreciate that Jehovah’s anger has grown hot against them. Do not the religious clergy pray for them and call down heaven’s blessing upon them? Likewise, Christendom’s headstrong “goatlike leaders” do not believe and fear that Jehovah of armies will hold an accounting with them. Do they not go to Christendom’s churches and so will not the priests and preachers act as mediators for them with God and straighten out matters for them with God? So they do not expect to feel the heat of Jehovah’s hot anger in the foretold “war of the great day of God the Almighty.” They show no concern about his holding an accounting with them at Har–Magedon, the battlefield of that “war.” However, although their own religious clergy have left these political “shepherds” and “goatlike leaders” in ignorance and self-complacency, Jehovah of armies certainly has not done so. He has served notice upon them, doing this well in advance and repeatedly. By what means?

14. By means of whom has Jehovah served such notice well in advance, and how has he transformed these from being like sheep into being like a majestic war-horse?

¹⁴ By means of his anointed Christian witnesses, the antitypical “house of Judah.” These have not followed the misleading political “shepherds” and “goatlike leaders” of Christendom. Jehovah is their Shepherd, and since 1919 C.E. He has turned his favorable attention toward them as his “drove” of sheep. During World War I they were indeed like sheep, not taking part in military combat along with Christendom, but were subjected to the beastlike political, military exploiters of mankind who had the approval and backing of the religious clergy. But since that first world conflict the great Heavenly Shepherd has regathered his “drove,” the spiritual “house of Judah.” From being like sheep, He has transformed them to be like “his horse of dignity in the battle.” He has imparted to them by means of his Word and holy spirit a courage like that of a majestic battle horse.​—Zechariah 10:3.

15. Why ought this transformation to be so with the spiritual “house of Judah” since 1914 C.E.?

¹⁵ This ought to be so. For, at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., Jehovah God enthroned in the heavens the “Lion that is of the tribe of Judah” and commanded him: “Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.” (Revelation 5:5; Genesis 49:9, 10; Psalm 110:1, 2) As is the Leader of the spiritual “house of Judah,” so the other members of the “house” should be.