Zec 12:10-13 | KingComments | STEP | After destroying the enemy, something must still happen to Israel. After the physical salvation of “the house of David” and “the inhabitants of Jerusalem” the spiritual salvation must now follow. They must repent and convert. The true great Day of Atonement must come. This will happen in the hearts of the believing remnant through “the Spirit of grace and of supplication” Who will be poured out on them by God Himself. There is grace from God and supplication with people. Both come as the working of God’s Spirit. It is the Spirit who grants grace and works penance. Here we see a remarkable representation of facts. Who speaks here? The LORD speaks, the same of , the Creator of heaven and earth. Who will they look on? “They will look on Me ”, that is the Speaker, the LORD. But how will they look on Him? As the One, “whom they have pierced”, that is none other than the Lord Jesus. They will look on Him Whom they have pierced, a Man, as Thomas saw Him ( ). They will then see that the Messiah is the LORD Himself, that the despised Jesus of Nazareth is the LORD Himself. Not a Roman soldier, but Israel pierced Him ( ). We must realize that each one of us personally did the same, through the Roman soldier. “Look on” is watching with great attention. When they see Him like this, they will pronounce the mourning of Isaiah 53 ( ). It is the mourning of the loss of an only son ( ). Christ is the Firstborn Who is being reintroduced into the world ( ).

‏ Zechariah 12:10-13

Look on Him and Mourn for Him

After destroying the enemy, something must still happen to Israel. After the physical salvation of “the house of David” and “the inhabitants of Jerusalem” the spiritual salvation must now follow. They must repent and convert. The true great Day of Atonement must come. This will happen in the hearts of the believing remnant through “the Spirit of grace and of supplication” Who will be poured out on them by God Himself. There is grace from God and supplication with people. Both come as the working of God’s Spirit. It is the Spirit who grants grace and works penance.

Here we see a remarkable representation of facts. Who speaks here? The LORD speaks, the same of Zec 12:1, the Creator of heaven and earth. Who will they look on? “They will look on Me”, that is the Speaker, the LORD. But how will they look on Him? As the One, “whom they have pierced”, that is none other than the Lord Jesus.

They will look on Him Whom they have pierced, a Man, as Thomas saw Him (Jn 20:27-28). They will then see that the Messiah is the LORD Himself, that the despised Jesus of Nazareth is the LORD Himself. Not a Roman soldier, but Israel pierced Him (Jn 19:34 ; 37). We must realize that each one of us personally did the same, through the Roman soldier.

“Look on” is watching with great attention. When they see Him like this, they will pronounce the mourning of Isaiah 53 (Isa 53:1-12). It is the mourning of the loss of an only son (Amos 8:10). Christ is the Firstborn Who is being reintroduced into the world (Heb 1:6).

The Great Mourning

Zechariah compares the mourning at the sight of Him Whom they pierced with the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo. This is most likely the mourning because Josiah was killed in battle in Megiddo (2Chr 35:22-25). Josiah was killed by his own fault, but is still a son of David and very beloved. That is why it is “a great mourning” and can be referred to as a comparison with the one about the Messiah here. He, the Innocent, Who was rejected by them, an act of which they are guilty. The valley of Megiddo (Jdg 5:19) is similar to “Har-Magedon”, where in the future the enemy nations will be gathered and judged by the Lord Jesus (Rev 16:16).

Collective and Personal Mourning

It is clear that these are not hired complainants (cf. Mk 5:38-40). Collective confession of guilt must be made if something has been done wrong collectively. But national mourning only has value if everyone has his or her personal share in it. There is a collective guilt, but everyone personally must suffer for it. In this way, every family in Israel will share in this grief.

There is also another division. There is talk of “the family of the house of David” (Zec 12:12), which means the royal family, and of “the family of the house of Levi” (Zec 12:13), which means the priestly family. Within these families another refinement is made. “The family of the house of Nathan,” the son of David (2Sam 5:14; 1Chr 3:5; Lk 3:31), is within the house of David, again separately involved as a family in that mourning. The same goes for “the family of the house of the Shimeites” within the house of Levi. Thus, the mourning will continue in “all the families that remain”.

The fact that with “each family by itself” always is talk of “their wives by themselves”, indicates that repentance exceeds the unity that exists in the innermost bond on earth. Each stands personally before God (cf. Joel 2:16). Husband and wife form a unity, but a husband cannot take the place of his wife in mourning over a sin. The wife has her own responsibility.

No one comes to repentance for what someone else does, not even in the most intimate bond. Everyone must humble himself over his own sins and see that the Lord Jesus had to be pierced for that. Then a fountain of cleansing opens, as we see in the next chapter (Zec 13:1).