On the day of Pentecost when God, in fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah 12:10, poured out his “Spirit of grace and supplication”, Peter stood up and explained to the Jews that they had just crucified their Messiah. And because the Spirit of God was mightily at work that day, thousands of Jews were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37). They considered the one whom they had pierced, as Zechariah says, and they “grieved bitterly” for the “firstborn son” of God. To turn us to Jesus, God first enables us, by his Spirit, to feel our need for salvation. He awakens our conscience. To be saved from guilt and shame we must first allow ourselves to feel the guilt and shame that is there. We must face the harsh reality before we can embrace the wonderful truth of what God has done for us in Christ. To reap with joy, as the psalmist says, we must first sow in tears (Psalm 126:5). Zechariah describes here the grief of facing this reality. The reality is that our sins caused the death of Jesus. “He was crushed,” says Isaiah, “for our iniquities” (53:5). Accordingly, Zechariah prophesies the striking of the shepherd (13:7). This is a cause for grief. But it is also the cause of our salvation. This is how the fountain of purification (13:1) is opened up. This is how, as Zechariah says, “They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God’” (13:9). The more grief over sin, the more joy in salvation.
Thank God for his amazing grace to you.
Read Zechariah 12:10-13:9
