A Life in Exile

We have a few more lessons from the prophet Zechariah before we move into our final two weeks of 2024 and the book of Malachi. Remember that Zechariah is speaking to the people post exile, reminding them to return and remain faithful to the Lord. Not only would judgment come for the nations, but it would come for God’s people as well.

Zechariah contains prophecies that are two-fold in fulfillment, like many we have seen, and today’s focal passage is included. After he speaks of how the enemies of Jerusalem will be destroyed, he shares this:

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10 CSB)

The One they have pierced.

John, the beloved disciple, provides a poignant and detailed look at the last week of the Messiah’s life on this earth, as he remained near his Master throughout and was at the feet of the cross at the end. In describing the death of Jesus, John gives evidence that his testimony is true, not only by the details of what he witnessed but by the scripture that it fulfills.

Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that their bodies be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth. For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced. (John 19:31-37)

While he quotes Exodus, Numbers, and Psalm in reference to the Passover lamb having none of his bones broken, John refers to our passage from Zechariah as the prophecy fulfilled by the piercing of Christ Jesus’s side by the soldiers. Since he was already dead, there was no need to hurry up his death by breaking his legs. Our God is a God of details, even in how his Son was killed.

Jesus is the One who was pierced, as Isaiah records:

But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. (Isaiah 53:5)

The One they see and mourn.

Not only did the disciples mourn at the loss of their beloved rabbi, but in the second fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy, the nations will see him and mourn.

Our same apostle John, now exiled on the island of Patmos and old in age, writes another book for our benefit. This one is a revelation from God of what is to come. Why? To encourage believers to persevere in the faith and not grow discouraged. As he gives praise to God in the opening chapter, he refers again to the words of Zechariah.

To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:5b-8)

The One they pierced on the cross died to save us from our sins. The mourning of those who followed him was out of grief and also ignorance, not realizing that on the third day, he would stand among them once again, as Risen Lord and Conqueror of sin and death. With his resurrection and the arrival of the Holy Spirit upon his ascension, there was no more grief—only hope and joy—knowing he would return again.

Still, Scripture must be fulfilled, so mourning must take place when the Pierced One is seen by the nations. When would that happen? At his triumphant return. What would cause the nations to mourn? The realization that he truly was the Christ and they had failed to turn to him for salvation.

It is not too late to look to the crucified and risen Christ. Let him turn your mourning into joy before it’s too late. How will we know we’ve missed our chance? When we see the scars on the One who descends on the clouds.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Learning from the Past post, click HERE, or start the series from the BEGINNING.