What is the meaning of Zechariah 12:11? On that day “On that day” (Zechariah 12:11) points to a specific, future moment when God will act decisively. Scripture often uses the phrase to mark the climactic “Day of the LORD” (Zechariah 12:3; 14:1; Joel 2:31). Revelation 1:7 echoes the same future focus: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him.” Zechariah has just spoken of Israel looking “on Me, the One they have pierced” (12:10), so the mourning described here is firmly anchored to that literal, prophetic day when Messiah is revealed and hearts are pierced with conviction. the wailing in Jerusalem • This is a city-wide, even nation-wide lament. • Jerusalem, the covenant center (1 Kings 11:36; Psalm 122:2-3), becomes the focal point of repentance. • Zechariah 12:10 ties the sorrow to recognition of the Messiah they pierced. Matthew 24:30 anticipates a similar scene: “All the tribes of the earth will mourn.” • The scope reaches “every family” (Zechariah 12:12-14), showing personal, heartfelt grief rather than a mere public ceremony. will be as great as The comparison stresses intensity. The coming lament will not be symbolic or mild; it will match or surpass a well-known historical grief. Jeremiah 30:7 describes Israel’s future distress as “none like it,” and here Zechariah gives a concrete standard for measuring the sorrow. the wailing of Hadad-rimmon • Hadad-rimmon recalls the nation’s mourning after godly King Josiah was killed by Pharaoh Neco (2 Kings 23:29-30). • 2 Chronicles 35:24-25 records Jeremiah and all Judah singing dirges for Josiah, establishing an annual lament. • By invoking that event, Zechariah points to a time when the entire nation once grieved together over the loss of a righteous leader—now foreshadowing their grief over rejecting the Righteous One. in the plain of Megiddo • Megiddo was the battlefield where Josiah fell (2 Chron 35:22). • The location became synonymous with tragic loss and national sorrow. • Megiddo also frames future conflict (Revelation 16:16, Armageddon), linking past grief with coming judgment and ultimate deliverance. • The reference grounds the prophecy in real geography and history, underscoring the literal certainty of the future mourning. summary Zechariah 12:11 promises a literal, future day when Jerusalem will mourn deeply over Messiah. The Spirit-induced sorrow will equal, and likely exceed, the nation’s former lament for Josiah at Megiddo. By citing an event every Israelite knew, God assures His people that their repentance will be real, widespread, and heartfelt, preparing them for the salvation and restoration that follow. |
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