| The Prophecy - Israel Mourns For The Messiah: | |
| Old Testament Prophecy | New Testament Fulfillment |
...and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son. (Zech 12:10) |
Short term fulfillment = For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, ...They shall look on Him whom they pierced (John 19:37). Long term fulfillment = Will be fulfilled with Messiah's second coming - (Rev. 1:7). |
The Holy Spirit will be poured out on Israel. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Israel will finally be able to see with spiritual eyesight and will choose to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. At this time Israel will realize the mistake behind not recognizing Jesus as Messiah when He came the first time and the entire nation (what's left of it after the time of Jacob's Trouble) will go into a state of mourning, grieving for their Messiah's death.
This is one prophecy that seems to have both a short term fulfillment and a longer term fulfillment. This type of prophecy is sometime referred to as a duel purpose prophecy. It will be fulfilled in the future to bring about its full purpose.(Revelation 1:7)
While it is true that some Jews (often referred to as "The Jewish Remnant") recognized Jesus as the long awaited Messiah (and went on to write the New Testament), much of Israel did not.
After Israel's spiritual blindness is removed, and they mourn for their Messiah which will be considered an act of repentance, this prophecy will be totally fulfilled. When this occurs, as Israel is crying out "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" (Psalm 118:26) Jesus Will Return to the earth a second time.
There may be some who teach that the one being pierced here is the Nation of Israel itself. However, this is in error and a direct result of Judaism's ongoing effort to deny Jesus as Messiah. Proof that the Christians did not invent this passage as being Messianic can be found written in the Talmud.
From The Talmud:
"It is well according to him who explains that the cause (of the mourning [in Zech. 12:10] ) is the slaying of the Messiah the son of Joseph, since that well agrees with the Scripture verse: "And they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son." (Sukkah 52a)
There is a passage in the talmud which may refer to this repentance that Israel experiences just before the Messiah comes. For more on this please see Israel Will Repent.
For more on Messiah being the Son of Joseph please read Two-Messiahs.
From Rashi: (and also Radak)
"Our rabbis interpreted it as referring to Messiah ben Joseph."
There is a connection between this prophecy and the picture of the Suffering Servant found in Isaiah 53.
For us to have pierced Him, He would have to have been here on earth before the scene described in Zechariah 12. He could not have pierce-marks on Him that we would recognize as having been given Him by us (humankind) unless there were something recognizable about Him and the pierce-marks on Him. Someone was pierced.
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be, Amen (Revelation 1:7).
These events occur at the end of The Tribulation Period (sometimes referred to as the time of Jacob's Trouble or Daniel's 70th week.
Articles related to Messiah's second coming include:
Read More From The Prophet Zechariah:
Dr. Daniel Botkin with The Gates of Eden Newsletter.
Rabbi Bruce L. Cohen
