“IN THAT DAY” (PART 2)(13:1-9)
Neal Pollard
There are three beautiful blessings highlighted by Zechariah in this short chapter. Again, he signals these with his repeated phrase, “in that day.” Often, he prefaces that by saying “it will come about.” He is underlining what the Messianic age would look like. When Christ came, what could be expected?
A Fountain Free (1). Jeremiah had used the fountain metaphor in his writings before captivity (2:13; 17:13; So will Joel 3:18). Have you ever wondered why we sing, “There’s a fountain free, ’tis for you and me?” No New Testament uses that imagery and applies it to Christ (the only reference to a fountain is James 3:11). This passage was undoubtedly pivotal. This fountain would be for sin and impurity. Jesus calls Himself living water (John 4:10-11), but Zechariah will deal with that (14:8). John will invoke the fountain imagery in Revelation 7:17. The promise? The Messiah would be the means of cleaning men from their sins (Eph. 5:26; Heb. 9:14; 1 Jn. 1:7,9).
The End Of Idolatry In Palestine (2). The first half of this verse explicitly promises that the days of idolatry would be over. That does not mean that sin struggles would cease, but this particular sin struggle–which had plagued Israel since before the giving of the Old Law (Ex. 32:4)–would no longer be a struggle. Hosea also shares this promise (2:16ff). Jesus combatted shallow righteousness among the religious leaders of His day (Mat. 5:20), but not idolatry. They learned their lesson once for all by the time Messiah came.
The End Of Prophecy And Unclean Spirits (2-6). I believe Homer Hailey is right in what the second half of verse two means. Brother Hailey wrote, “In the conquest of Christ over Satan and his forces, unclean spirits have ceased to control men as they did in the time of the ministry of Christ and the apostles” (A Commentary On The Minor Prophets, 392). When Jesus comes on the scene, unclean spirits inhabit individuals. This provides Christ an opportunity to demonstrate His power over Satan. The apostles would also demonstrate that power, as we see Luke record multiple times in Acts. This is certain. The ceasing of miracles would have to coincide with the disappearance of unclean spirits or you would have Satan possessing more power in this world than Christ does. Paul wrote that miracles, including prophecy, would cease (1 Cor. 13:8-13). Zechariah said there would be no unclean spirits overtaking people, thus no need to cast them out. Visions and prophecy would be replaced with a complete, written revelation of God’s will “in that day.”
A Rejected Shepherd (7). The last two promises are not signaled with Zechariah’s favorite phrase. Instead, what he writes here is quoted by Matthew as the prophecy is fulfilled at Jesus’ arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Mark records its happening (14:50-52). Matthew records Jesus’ quotation of Zechariah 13:7, foretelling the apostles that later that night they would all scatter when He was arrested (26:31). “Little ones” is a favorite way for Jesus to refer to His trusting disciples (Mat. 10:42; 18:6,10,14; Mark 9:42; etc.). Jesus invoked the Shepherd-sheep imagery in His ministry (John 10:1ff), as do His disciples later (Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev. 7:17).
A Refined People (8-9). Last of all in this chapter, we have the picture of how verse 7 would effect the followers of the Messiah. There is the immediate effect (8) and the ultimate effect (9). One sees clear parallels between these verses and Ezekiel 5, where the one-third and two-third imagery is employed. Though not in a premillennial sense, undoubtedly the words of Paul regarding “spiritual Israel” can be seen as a fulfillment of the idea here: “and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins’” (Rom. 11:26-27). Though he quotes Isaiah there, it is synonymous with Zechariah’s overall message at the end of chapter 13. Those who think they want to follow Messiah will be refined in the furnace of persecution or trials or sin or priorities. Though we are 2000 years beyond the coming of the Messiah, we are subject to the same refinement. Jesus would say the majority will not come through with their faith intact (Mat. 7:13-14;22:14). But, for those who do, here is a beautiful promise: “They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God'” (8b; 2 Cor. 6:16; Heb. 8:10; Rev. 21:3).
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