Zechariah was written around 500 B.C. to the people of Judah who had returned from 70 years of exile in Babylon but notice how our passage points forward to a particular “day” when a fountain would be opened.
Reading in context, we see that “day” defined in Zechariah 12:10. It was a “day” when “an only child” would be “pierced.” This refers to when God gave His “only Son” (John 3:16) to come to this world, suffer on a cross, be pierced in His hands, feet, and side for the forgiveness of our sins.
And so, this specific “day” was when an “only child” would be “pierced,” and this piercing would open a fountain of cleansing.
Zechariah gives further evidence about the timing of this only child that would be pierced and provide a fountain of cleansing:
“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.” Zechariah 13:7 (NIV)
The timing of when the only child would be pierced to open a fountain is when the Shepherd would be struck. This is when Jesus, the “Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), was struck down and hung up on a cross, there to die for us (see Matthew 26:31) to pay the penalty of our sin, and to break the power of our sin.
Now, let’s notice what things would be accomplished at the opening of that fountain.
Question 3. According to Zechariah 13:1-2, what things would happen when God opened a fountain?
Friend, look at all that God accomplished on the day the only child was pierced, and the Shepherd struck! This piercing would open a fountain of cleansing where people could come, wash, and find cleansing from all sin and impurity. This fountain would also remove idolatry. Idolatry is simply the worshipping of something or someone other than the real God.
Food had definitely become an idol in my heart as I constantly thought about it, planned my day around it, pictured myself eating certain things, and gratified my flesh with it. For years, I was obsessed with food, and this is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). But this fountain that God opened washes it all away! And this fountain would also banish the spirit of impurity from the land!
Such is the powerful cleansing of the fountain, friend! Do you want this kind of washing? This deep cleansing of the soul that washes our sin away entirely and removes idolatry from the land of our hearts?
Question 4. Do you want this kind of washing? Share your thoughts.
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