Behold the Man Upon the Cross

When the Spirit of Grace and supplication has been poured out upon the Church, what will happen? Verse 10 of Zechariah 12 answers:  “They will look on Me, on the One whom they have pierced.”  Have you been concerned that I have taken much liberty with this text - - I mean – this is not the church – it is Israel!  This passage has nothing to do with Christ and His church, this is Old Testament.  But note again – this is God speaking, and God says we will look upon Him, whom we have pierced.

How can it be that God Himself will be pierced?  Only in Christ crucified, only at the cross can it be said – “the Lord who stretched out the heaven and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man” is “pierced for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.”  That is why, as a Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus in John 19:37, the Apostle John cites this verse in Zechariah as having thusly been fulfilled.  God incarnate was pierced!

Zechariahs concern is not so much with the manner of crucifixion as it is with our response to it.  When the Spirit is poured out upon sinners, how will they respond?  How do sinners respond  to Grace?  Those to whom the grace of repentance is given will look up to the incarnate God, pierced for sinners.  Remember in Acts 2:37 when the Holy Spirit was poured upon the Church, and the people responded, and Peter stands up and preached.  What did Peter preach?  He preached Christ, and He pierced (crucified)!  And as the Spirit brings the grace of repentance to them, what did they do?  They cried our – they plead, the offered supplication.  This is what Zechariah has been speaking of here.  They saw Christ crucified and they saw their complicity in piercing his hands and feet and side upon that tree, and they cried out!

Do you know anything of that heart cry as you see the reality of your own sin?  Can you say with the hymn writer:

Behold the man upon the cross,

My sins upon His shoulders.

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there,

Until it was accomplished.

His dying breath has brought me life,

I know it is finished!