The Giver of Salvation
Daily Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 11-13
Daily Focus Passage: Zechariah 12
Zechariah addresses the reality of sin that plagues the people. The sin of the people includes pursuits like idolatry, selfishness, and rebellion against the Lord. The people face difficulty in this world because of sin's presence and, as a result, need an avenue for redemption and salvation. Zechariah addresses the salvation that the Lord offers, the heart of repentance, and the cleansing of redemption. Today, we must understand that the Lord has made way for salvation through Christ and requires a repentance heart of faith for the cleansing of redemption.
THE GIVING OF SALVATION
Zechariah speaks to the Lord, creating the avenue for salvation and being the only one who can give salvation. The Lord uses prophets and faithful followers throughout the Old Testament to point forward to the coming salvation. In Genesis 3:15, the Lord announced the coming way of salvation immediately after the fall, and this announcement runs throughout the Old Testament. We find God's mercy and grace on display through the people of Isreal and see his goodness for his own. We find the constant message that the Lord alone is the one who saves and that no one can save the self. Thus, the prophet teaches us that God alone is the giver of salvation.
THE HEART OF MOURNING
The prophet speaks to the nature of the repentant heart by describing the mourning that must occur. When people come to the place of recognizing their sin and owning their guilt, they become mournful over it. The state of mourning sin does not occur because of guilt of getting caught, but instead is a heart mournful with the desire to change. In the New Testament, Jesus declared in the Sermon on the Mount about the blessedness of those who mourn. This understanding centers on mourning our sins, leading to our recognition of the need for a Savior.
THE ACT OF CLEANSING
The prophet knows that the cleansing must remove the presence of sin from the Lord. When the individual mourns their sin and seeks authentic repentance before the Lord, the Lord cleans the heart and brings the individual into a right relationship with the Lord. Cleansing is a work of the Lord alone and is not achieved through human-made steps. The cleansing of the Lord removes the stain of sin entirely and leaves the child of God white as snow.
THE PERSON OF CHRIST
The message of Zechariah finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Christ's work on the cross and the victory in the resurrection is the work of making way for salvation. The Lord extends the offer of salvation to all who would call on his name in faith. The proper response to faith in Christ must include mourning our sins and the desire to live for Christ. When we receive the offered gift of salvation, we receive the gift of cleansing that the Lord alone does.
As you consider your life, have you come to the place of recognizing that salvation comes only through Christ? Have you mourned your sin and sought repentance before the Lord? Have you experienced the cleansing of the Lord? Do you have a relationship with Christ?
