The focus now changes from physical to spiritual deliverance (cf. Deut. 30:1-10).
12:10 The Lord also promised to pour out on the Davidic rulers and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, representing all the Israelites, a spirit of remorse. Grace would be the motive for this outpouring and supplication to God (for what the Jews had done to their Messiah) would be the result. This God-given conviction would cause them to mourn when they looked (in faith) toHim (better than onHim) whom they had formerly pierced (i.e., slain; cf. Num. 21:9; Isa. 45:22; 53:5; John 3:14-15; 19:34).
"It is not so much a mourning for the act committed, but for the Person involved. Compare John 19:37; Revelation 1:7."254
They would mourn as one mourns over the death of one's only (beloved, cf. Gen. 22:2; Jer. 6:26; Amos 8:10) son or his or her firstborn son.
"It is a picture of penitence as vivid and accurate as any found anywhere in the Scriptures."255
The Jews will do this either just before the Messiah returns to the earth or when He returns to the earth (cf. Isa. 27:9; 59:20-21; Jer. 31:31-37; Amos 9:11-15; Rom. 11:25-27). The spirit in view will be a result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit who conveys grace (compassion; cf. Heb. 10:29) and calls forth supplication (prayer; cf. Isa. 32:15; 44:3; 59:20-21; Jer. 31:31, 33; Ezek. 36:26-27; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29).
The unusual combination "they will look to Mewhom they have pierced"and "they will mourn for Him"suggests two different individuals, but the deity of the Messiah solves this problem. Yahweh Himself would suffer for the people in the person of Messiah. The suffering could be figurative (they wounded His holiness) or substitutionary (He died in place of others). Other references to this text point to a substitute suffering (e.g., John 19:37; Rev. 1:7; cf. Isa. 53:5).
". . . like Thomas their excruciating and inexpressibly penetrating cry of deepest contrition will be, My Lord and my God!' (John 20:28)."256
12:11 In that day there would be great mourning in Jerusalem and undoubtedly elsewhere throughout Israel. Zechariah compared this mourning to the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo, an event that scholars have had trouble identifying. Hadadrimmon is a compound of two Amorite or Canaanite divine names, Hadad being the storm god and Rimmon the thunder god.257Hadadrimmon may have been an important though presently unknown individual, a place near Megiddo (cf. 14:10; Josh. 15:32; 19:7),258or a pagan deity (cf. 2 Kings 5:18).259The devotees of the Canaanite god Baal mourned his "dying"each winter and then celebrated his "resurrection"each spring. Probably the place where King Josiah died and or where the people mourned his premature death near there as late as the writing of Chronicles is in view (cf. 2 Chron. 35:20-27).
12:12-14 All the Israelites would mourn; this would be a national repentance. The repeated phrases "every family by itself"and "their wives by themselves"solemnize the mourning and underline its genuineness.
"The wives are spoken of as mourning apart because in public lamentations the custom prevailed of separating into groups, also according to sex."260
"The closest relationship is as nothing in [the] presence of sin and God as its judge. Each must be alone."261
This would not be a national media event staged by the leaders of Israel to make a show, but individuals everywhere throughout the nation would sincerely voice their remorse.
"Individually and corporately, this is the experience of Leviticus 16 (the Day of Atonement) and Psalm 51 (a penitential psalm) on a national scale. . . . Isaiah 53:1-9 could well be their confession on the great occasion."262
The houses of David and his son Nathan represent the political branches of the nation, though not just the kings as reference to Solomon might have suggested (cf. 2 Sam. 5:14).263The houses of Levi and his grandson Shimei represent the religious branches of Israel, though not just the main ones that reference to Gershon, Shimei's father, might have suggested (cf. Num. 3:17-18, 210. Perhaps the political and priestly families received mention because they were those chiefly responsible for Messiah's death. When these leading families mourned, all the other citizens would follow their example. The families of Nathan and Shimei may have been the most prominent families of their kind in Zechariah's day. Zerubbabel came from Nathan's line (Luke 3:23-31), and the Shimeites presumably dominated the Levitical classes in the postexilic era.264
"Nothing can excite to repentance like a view of the crucified Saviour."265
