A Fountain Will Be Opened

On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity. Zechariah 13:1

THROUGHOUT THE PROPHECIES of Zechariah, God said over and over in a variety of ways that he was going to do something good for the recently returned exiles living in and around Jerusalem. These were people who had committed blatant social and moral sins; they were passively rebellious and spiritually apathetic. Zechariah wooed them with incredible visions of the future in which God would bring peace and restoration. This would be accomplished by the Messiah, who would “pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem” (12:10). However, when the Messiah came proclaiming grace, his people would pierce him. But his piercing would become the means by which a cleansing fountain would be opened for him to wash away their sin.

During Zechariah’s ministry, the people were at work to rebuild the Temple, where they would resume the offering of animals as a sacrifice for sin. But Zechariah was promising something far better than the fountain of the blood of animals that would flow at the rebuilt Temple. This fountain would not flow from the neck of an animal but from the pierced side of the Son of God. The blood from this fountain would not only cover their sin; it would cleanse them from sin, and it would empower them to say no to sin.

Lord, you have opened up a fountain of cleansing and invited us in to be purged of sin. Don’t let ________ resist or refuse your invitation to be washed in your fountain. Cleanse away the sin that has left shameful stains on the interior of ________’s life. Make ________ pure as only you can.