Read: Zechariah 12-14
Verses chosen for reflection: Zechariah 12:10-14
[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. [11] On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. [12] The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; [13] the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; [14] and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.
Reflection:
It is quite obvious that Zechariah 12:10-14 points to the crucifixion. Tom Holland, a Christian historian said that it was not until the year 1000 that people started to paint visuals of what truly happened to Jesus. The Son of God being tortured and dying on the tree. It was then, the most cruel form of execution any human being could have endured.
Prior to that, in the world of art, Jesus had been "beautified" to show only His victory on the Cross. It was as if some early Christians were ashamed of the way Jesus died. They wanted to celebrate the Resurrection but tried to hide the shameful death of Christ.
This was however, not faithful to the word of God. The Bible informs that God Himself was not a self deceiving idealist. He was definitely not ashamed of the plan for His only begotten Son to die on the Cross. Even through the prophecy of Zechariah, God laid it bare that Jesus would come and die for our sins. Totally shamed on the Cross.
And for what happened to Jesus on the Cross, God called for those who understand, not to rejoice (at least not yet); but to mourn. Mourn because the death of Christ was necessary for the wages of our sins. At the very least, it confirms and reflects the depraved nature of all human beings. Of how much we have sinned against God. Inclusive of the Resurrection, this part of God's plan for Jesus to die on the Cross, is the Gospel.
Relate
The church of today has the tendency to emphasise victory on the Cross; but not the mourning for our sins and the need for repentance. Yet, we are given the truth that victory cannot come without mourning. The Resurrection would have been meaningless if Jesus was not crucified on the Cross. Or rather, the Resurrection could not even have happened if there was no Crucifixion.
There is therefore no freedom in Christ if there is no conviction of our sinful condition. The conviction of our sin condition is a requirement for true repentance. Mourning is and will always be a part of the Christian faith. We can do well to embrace and practice the discipline of confession, conviction and repentance. These are necessary in order for any born-again Christian to be sanctified in the way of Christ.
One possible reason why we talk and practice so little on mourning and repentance might be because these are difficult things to talk about. These are things we prefer to bury deep in our hearts. Much easier and look more triumphant if we talk about victory on the Cross.
Yet, this is only half the Gospel. Clearly, God wanted Israel to understand that while there will be a Saviour who gives hope; repentance will be the key to entering that door of hope. It is the same with us. We cannot appreciate the grace of God if we cannot embrace the theology of mourning over our propensity to sin. We cannot understand the love of God if we have no awareness that it is only by His mercy that our mourning can turn into joy.
Rest
Lord, give us discernment to reject the many false teachings that are rampant. Bless us with a heart to mourn and repent over our sins, so that we can better appreciate the extraordinary love and grace that You have given to us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Jason
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