The One They Pierced

The One They Pierced

Zechariah 12 describes a coming day when God will begin to destroy all of the nations who have attacked Jerusalem.

Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died. (12:10)

The apostle John pointed to Jesus’ crucifixion as a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy:

When [the soldiers] came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. . . . These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and “They will look on the one they pierced.” (John 19:33-34, 36-37)

But the mourning over the One who was pierced does not seem to take place at the Crucifixion. While a few mourned his death, most cheered it. And the victory described here didn’t happen at that time either. Soon Jerusalem would be trampled and destroyed, not her enemies. So this aspect of Zechariah’s prophecy must still be in the future.

Just as John saw a partial fulfillment of this prophecy in the death of Jesus, so was he given a vision of the prophecy’s final fulfillment, which he recorded in Revelation:

Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.

And everyone will see him—

even those who pierced him.

And all the nations of the world

will mourn for him.

Yes! Amen! (Revelation 1:7)

Son who was pierced, Lamb who was slain, I look to you now and I see your pierced side. I mourn—for my sin that required such a sacrifice, my cold rejection of you, and my apathy toward you. Thank you for the spirit of grace poured out on me that has caused me to see you and mourn so redemptively.