Zechariah
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10
Five hundred years before Jesus, great David’s greater Son, came to establish an everlasting kingdom of forgiveness, Zechariah prophesied events from Jesus’ suffering. According to Zechariah’s words, the Lord would pour out on the house of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace, who pleads for mercy.
Zachariah goes on, “Then they will look at me, whom they pierced.” These words are seen in their fulfillment in connection with Jesus’ death on the cross:
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "NOT ONE OF HIS BONES SHALL BE BROKEN." And again another Scripture says, "THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED." (John 19:34-37)
When the soldiers came to Jesus, they found that he was already dead. So they pierced his side with a spear. He was dead. The women, the soldiers and the mob looked upon the One “they have pierced.” How often do we look at Jesus, the One we have pierced? “But it was because of our rebellion that he was pierced.” (Isaiah 53:5 EHV) In the words of Zechariah we mourn for him as one mourns for an only child. We grieve bitterly for him. We do not mourn because of the unfairness and torment of Jesus’ death. Instead we mourn because it was our sins which pierced Jesus. Yet, we do so with hope, knowing His resurrection has secured our forgiveness and salvation.
By Thine hour of dire despair, By Thine agony of prayer,
By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing spear, and torturing scorn,
By the gloom that veiled the skies O’er the dreadful sacrifice,
Listen to our humble cry. Hear our solemn litany!
The Lutheran Hymnal 166:3