June 18, 2025 - Zechariah 12:10 - "The Spirit of Grace and Supplications"

Zechariah 12:10

 "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."

Here is a striking prophecy that finds its fulfillment in the redemptive work of Christ at His first coming. This passage is not a prediction awaiting some future national revival in ethnic Israel, but rather a vivid foretelling of the effectual calling of God's elect, particularly among the remnant of Israel in the first century. When the LORD says, "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications," He speaks of His sovereign initiative in salvation, pouring out His Spirit to bring His elect—those for whom Christ died—to Him in repentance and faith. It speaks of Christ, Whom they pierced. This was fulfilled at Pentecost and beyond (Acts 2:17), as many elect Jews were brought to mourning and faith by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. The weeping over the Pierced One is not merely emotional—it is Spiritual: a Godly sorrow wrought by grace in those whom God chose from eternity and redeemed by Christ’s finished work.

In this way, the prophet Zechariah reveals not a future hope, but a fulfilled promise, founded in Christ’s cross and applied by the Spirit through sovereign grace. John 19:37—“And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” John connects Zechariah 12:10 directly to the crucifixion of Christ, showing the Spiritual vision of the Pierced Savior that the Spirit would later grant.

"...the spirit of grace and of supplications:"

Where God, by His Holy Spirit, gives grace—and grace is what it takes for Him to give life—this life-giving grace causes the sinner to look to Christ in supplication. Why is it called "supplication"? Because where the Spirit shines the light of Christ upon the heart, that heart is brought low in humiliation, and made to see the sinfulness of its sin. Thus, the supplication is the crying unto God through the LORD Jesus Christ for mercy. That is the sign of life! When a mother is delivering a baby, what you listen for is the cry of the baby. That way, you know the baby is alive. How do we know that a sinner has been made alive by the Spirit of God? There is a cry to God!

"...and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced."

The "look" is the result of the Spirit of grace, but what is significant is the Object to Whom the redeemed look: Christ, "whom they have pierced." This is not speaking of end times, but refers to the events beginning at Pentecost, as the prophet Joel prophesied: Acts 2:16–17: “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh...” Though Peter quotes Joel, the language of "pouring out the Spirit" mirrors Zechariah 12:10. The "Spirit of grace and of supplications" was poured out on the remnant in Jerusalem at Pentecost, granting repentance and true mourning over Christ's crucifixion.

"...and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."

Here we see the effectual work of the Spirit in the hearts of those whom Christ redeemed and justified at the cross. This mourning is not mere emotional sorrow, but a deep, spiritual repentance produced by the sovereign grace of God. It is the mourning of a soul awakened to see the dreadful weight of sin laid upon the spotless Lamb of God.

Like one grieving over the death of an only son or a firstborn child, the elect—under conviction—mourn not only for their sin, but for what their sin did to Christ, their Redeemer. Such mourning is not a work of the flesh, but the fruit of the Spirit, revealing the glory of Christ crucified as the only Hope for sinners. This heartfelt sorrow is the evidence of grace—the result of the blood of Christ effectually applied by the Spirit to the hearts of God's people. It leads not to despair, but to faith, worship, and joy in the One Who was pierced for their transgressions and raised for their justification (Romans 4:25).