The capacity to reflect & mourn
The capacity to reflect & mourn
https://www.esv.org/Zech12:10–14
Week 18: 26/04/2023. Wed
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. (ESV)
Zechariah possibly pointed to the Israel of his day rejecting the LORD. Yet the ability to reflect and mourn for their actions showed that their hearts were not hardened like stones yet.
John later used "whom they have pierced" of Zechariah to refer to Jesus when he was pierced (see John 19:34—37), as a fulfilment of Zechariah's prophecy. Even though physically it was the Roman soldiers who drove the nails, Peter in his Pentecost preaching, attributed the responsibility to the Jewish audience (Acts 2:36—41):
Acts 2:36–37 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” [37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (ESV)
Zechariah referred to the pouring out of "a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy" (12:10) as essential for this ability to be mourn, and for Peter's audience to be "cut to the heart" and ask "what shall we do?" Today, we give thanks to God for sending His Holy Spirit to guide our hearts and do God's will.
To start/continue on this journey, we must first understand the grace of God on us, be sensitive (cut to the heart, convicted, or committed) and deal with our own sins using God's mercy, but move forward with His promises of power and presence.
