How does Zechariah 13 relate to the concept of atonement?

In Zechariah 13, the smiting of the shepherd is a powerful foreshadow that highlights Christ's atonement. It reflects the divinely ordained suffering that the Messiah would endure on behalf of God's people. This passage illustrates the necessity of Christ's death as a means of atonement for sin. The sword that strikes the shepherd represents the justice of God being satisfied through the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. This act of divine justice is central to the Reformed understanding of atonement, which asserts that through Christ's sacrifice, believers are reconciled to God and sins are forgiven.