Zechariah 13

Read Zechariah 13

Using the phrase “on that day,” God declared that during the future New Covenant “a fountain” would be “opened” for the Lord's worshiping people “to cleanse them from sin.” What else would happen in the age to come? The “idols” of false gods would “be remembered no more,” and false “prophets” filled with “the spirit of uncleanness” would be put to shame regarding their claims to speak for God.

Eventually the written revelation of the Lord would be completed. The Old Testament pattern of the Lord's speech which was recorded little by little and in various ways would come to a grand finale with the Word of the Son of God (Hebrews 1:1-2). The testimony of the Messiah would be recorded first in the gospels, and then the ascended Christ would complete the Bible by inspiring the authors of apostolic letters and other writings through those who were eye and ear witnesses of His earthly ministry (Hebrews 2:1-4).

The suffering of the eternal “Shepherd” of Israel and of those individuals who put their hopes in Him would also be essential components of the New Testament period. “Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” This important verse from Zechariah 13 was later quoted in Matthew 26:31.

Even though Jesus was mortally wounded, He had known in advance that He would rise from the dead. Therefore, He gave His disciples instructions about where they should meet Him. Immediately after the Zechariah quote in Matthew 26 we read, “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” The dispersion of our Lord's disciples would not be permanent. In Matthew 28:16 we read that the apostles “went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.”

These men would live on and would all face significant tribulations as prophesied years earlier. Throughout the many centuries of New Covenant life, many who showed some interest in their writings would eventually fall away, but a remnant would remain faithful to the God of the Bible though their lives would not be easy. The consolations of the Almighty written in Zechariah 13 belonged to all who would worship Jesus. “They will call upon My Name and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are My people'; and they will say, 'The Lord is My God.'”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Hosts, there is a fountain of cleansing for us through the blood of the Lamb. Pour out the fresh water of Your Spirit upon Your children even now. Though we may suffer greatly at the hands of the wicked, our situation is still very good. We have a finished Word granted to us in the Old and New Testaments, so we have Your voice with us continually. More than this, the final Shepherd has come, and when He was struck down, He won for us the fullest peace with You. We are Your people, and You are our God.