20250422

mourning day

Zechariah 12:1-13:9

Zechariah 12:1 A pronouncement: The word of Yahveh concerning Israel. A declaration of Yahveh, who stretched out the sky, laid the foundation of the land and formed the breath of man within him.
Zechariah 12:2 “Notice, I will make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering for the people surrounding the city. The siege against Jerusalem also involved Judah.
Zechariah 12:3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who try to lift it will injure themselves severely when all the nations of the land gather against her.
Zechariah 12:4 On that day” – this is Yahveh’s declaration – “I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness. I will watch the house of Judah but strike all the horses of the nations with blindness.
Zechariah 12:5 Then each of Judah’s leaders will think to himself: Those who live in Jerusalem are my strength through Yahveh of Armies, their God.
Zechariah 12:6 On that day, I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and the left, while Jerusalem continues to be lived in on its site.
Zechariah 12:7 Yahveh will save the tents of Judah first so that the glory of David’s house and those who live in Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah.
Zechariah 12:8 On that day, Yahveh will defend those who live in Jerusalem so that on that day, the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahveh, before them.
Zechariah 12:9 I will set out to destroy all the nations against Jerusalem on that day.
Zechariah 12:10 “Then I will pour out a wind of grace and prayer on the house of David and those living in Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will passionately demonstrate sorrow for him as one passionately demonstrates sorrow for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.
Zechariah 12:11 On that day, the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
Zechariah 12:12 The land will passionately demonstrate sorrow, every family by itself: the family of David’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Nathan’s house by itself and their women by themselves;
Zechariah 12:13 the family of Levi’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself and their women by themselves;
Zechariah 12:14 all the remaining families, every family by itself, and their women by themselves.
Zechariah 13:1: “On that day, a fountain will be opened for the house of David and those living in Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.
Zechariah 13:2 On that day” – this is the declaration of Yahveh of Armies – “I will remove the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will remove the prophets and the unclean breath from the land.
Zechariah 13:3 If a man still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will tell him: You cannot remain alive because you have spoken a lie in the name of Yahveh. When he prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will pierce him through.
Zechariah 13:4 On that day, every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a hairy cloak to deceive.
Zechariah 13:5 He will say: I am not a prophet; I work the land, for a man purchased me as a servant since my youth.
Zechariah 13:6 If someone asks him: What are these wounds on your chest? He will answer I received the wounds in my friend’s house.
Zechariah 13:7 Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate– this is the declaration of Yahveh of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
Zechariah 13:8 In the whole land—this is Yahveh’s declaration—two-thirds will be cut off and die, but a third will remain.
Zechariah 13:9 I will put this third through the fire; I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say: They are my people, and they will say: Yahveh is our God.”

mourning day

Embedded within this prophecy of restoration is a prophecy of spiritual revival – a cleansing of idolatry and sin from Judah and Jerusalem. It starts on the day the whole people are scattered when their shepherd is struck and killed. The people of all Judah will be in Jerusalem when they look on the LORD himself, whom they have pierced. Their resulting grief will bring a spirit of repentance and humility, wiping centuries of pride from their hearts. Idols and false prophets disappear from many. Yet, there will still be enough rejection to warrant a further cleansing. The LORD will again turn his hand against the whole land, and two-thirds will perish. The remnant will be tested, refined in the fire. They will call upon his name, identifying themselves as the LORD’s people.

LORD, give us a vision of remembrance of Christ crucified, so that we turn from our idolatry and dishonesty and cling to you alone.