Zechariah’s prophetic Gospel message is to bring comfort and encouragement to God’s people as they await the coming of the LORD in full glory to His temple. Yet many are confused by the Book of Zechariah. The book is written in both prophetic and apocalyptic forms. Apocalyptic is a genre, or type of Scripture that is designed (like the Book of Revelation) to show God’s powerful ruling over the world, and that He will bring victory in the end for His people! Some of the apocalyptic passages in Zechariah can bring confusion and consternation rather than confidence, courage and particularly comfort. This is sad. In the wonderful prophecy of Zechariah, God’s people are to see God’s victory, God’s salvation, God’s glory dwelling in the midst of His people. This can bring us hope today!
Through suffering, humility, death, mourning, God brings victory from sin, death, hell, the devil; with rejoicing and praises forevermore to His people. But how? Through His piercing: Zechariah 12:10: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.â€
There is a piercing of God’s heart metaphorically because of sin (see J. Calvin); but there is also a literal piercing of God in the offering up of His own Beloved Son for our sins, to be our Savior, and the sanctifier of all those who believe in Him—to makes us pure and holy. “…One of the soldiers pierced [Christ Jesus’] side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water… Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced†(John 19:34, 37).
As God’s people, let us think of how our sins “pierce†our God’s compassionate and merciful heart. Let us see His love for us in His own piercing on the cross. Let us be deterred in our sinning by the demonstration of His loving heart to us on the cross. Let us say triumphantly in Him:
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?†(Rom. 8:32).
Beloved, only God can redeem. Only God can save. How can sinful, malicious, proud men mourn the piercing of God? When sin would drive sinners to hatefully fashion a crown of thorns and to place it on the precious brow of the Beloved (cf. Rom. 3:10-23)? Only God can grant this grace—only God can give us these pleas for His mercy! Only God can send forth His Spirit to cause sinful man to look at the cross, and to mourn, and repent, and cry out for grace and mercy and forgiveness! “And I will pour out…†(Zech. 12:10a). Thank God for the “I will†of Jesus to the cross for us! The cross of Christ opens up a fountain–a never-ceasing, unfathomable fountain of grace—fullness of grace in the Lord Jesus Christ! (John 1:16). A fount full for forgiveness, full for grace and mercy, full for the Spirit of God, full to make us pure and holy; a fount full to convict, comfort and conform us to His likeness. This fount is available for us to bathe in, but also for Christ to pour in us, filling us by His Spirit. There is washing and filling involved in this grace-work!
As God’s people how do we have true repentance (Zech. 1)? How do we get true righteousness (Zech. 3)? How do we possess the fullness and power of God’s Spirit (Zech. 4)? How is the Branch, the Priest-King crowned Lord for us (Zech. 6)? How can fasting turn to true and joyous and eternal feasting (Zech. 7-8)? Through the cross of Christ, providing both blood to remove sins, and water to cleanse. Now God shall dwell eternally in the midst of His people!
Hallelujah! Let this comfort your souls and hearts in Christ today.
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs