Zechariah 12 begins with God promising to defend Jerusalem from enemy nations. He will make her like an immovable rock, and all who try to come against it will be injured (Zech 12:3). He takes the side of His people and strengthens even the weak to fight like David (Zech 12:8). But even more striking than His promise for protection is what He promises to do within them.

Verse 10 marks a change in focus from physical protection to heart transformation. God declares that He will pour out a spirit of grace and supplication (Zech 12:10a). He opens their eyes so that they will finally recognize the One they have rejected. Their hearts will mourn like grieving a firstborn child with deep sorrow (Zech 12:10b). This sorrow is comparable to the historical mourning for King Josiah at Hadadrimmon (Zech 12:11).

His Gift

However, repentance is not a change we are naturally inclined to pursue. The Bible repeatedly shows that the human heart is stubborn and prone to self-justification. We either make excuses, downplay our faults, or grow numb to our mistakes. Yet through God’s mercy, our hearts seek repentance because God has begun the work in our hearts. Through an awakening sense of sorrow and longing, He moves our hearts so our eyes can now see. The goodness of God leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4), an invitation for us to draw back to Him through His grace.

Our Response

Realizing how we have strayed can leave us heavy-hearted, even ashamed. There might be a grief within us that says: I finally saw how far I had drifted from You, Lord.

God does not reveal this to make us run; He tells it so we might come home. So instead of withdrawing, may we respond with courage, drawing near with a heart that says, “Lord, I want to walk with You again.”

Though God offers this gift freely, not all will receive it. If we hear His voice today, let us not harden our hearts (Heb 3:15).

Are we willing to walk through the door He has opened?

“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him I trust.” (Ps 91:2)

Let this be our response to His calling.