The second oracle, the second “burden,” begins. Now a burden is a negative prophecy. In some sense, this contains hard words for Israel, but in another sense it is full of consolation.
God is the one who speaks. He stretches out the heavens, lays the earth’s foundations, and forms the spirits of men within them (v. 1). The plans of the wicked unravel — those who attack Judah and Jerusalem will be given a cup of drunkenness (v. 2). When they try to lift the great stone, they only hurt themselves in the attempt (v. 3). When they attack, God Himself will visit them and their horses with madness (v. 4). God will give strength to the governors of Judah, and they will consume their enemies (vv. 5-6). God will save the countryside and the city, but the countryside first, so that no one can boast (v. 7). The Lord will destroy all who come against Jerusalem (v. 9). The feeble among the Jews will be like David, and the house of David will be like the Angel of God (v. 8).
When does this prophesy find fulfillment? The Lord has promised a great deliverance for His Church. But when was this prophecy fulfilled, or when will it be? We should take it that this must refer to the Christian Church, with converted Jews included. But why?
This passage gives us a good occasion to apply our method of allowing the New Testament to interpret prophetic passages for us. Take the phrase in that day. The passage we have just considered is part of the prophecy now given (v. 10). Notice how the phrase in that day is woven throughout the entire passage (vv. 3, 4, 6, twice in 8, 9, 11). The New Testament applies v. 10 clearly and plainly to Christ, the one who was pierced. Christ was pierced through the rejection of the Jews over the course of centuries, culminating in the literal piercing of His side with a Roman spear. “For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced'” (John 19:36-37). So He was pierced at the crucifixion. But when will His people mourn?
In His famous teaching on the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus insists that all these things would happen within one generation. “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matt. 24:34). But what was included in this? Look four verses earlier. “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30). We see the same thing in the book of Revelation, which is first century fulfillment. “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen” (Rev. 1:7). When will this happen? Shortly (Rev. 1:1). By this we mean shortly from the vantage point of two thousand years ago.
The custom of the Jews was to separate men and women in mourning (vv. 12-14). The mourning would be like the mourning at Hadadrimmon, probably for Josiah (2 Chron. 35:25). Israel would mourn as for an only Son, which, of course, Christ was (v. 10b). This is the mourning of repentance.
There was both grace and supplication because God determined to pour out the Spirit of grace and supplication. Consider the words — pour, Spirit, repentance. “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear . . . Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?'” (Acts 2:33,37).
Because of this a fountain was opened. We are privileged to live in the Christian aeon, the time when the gospel conquers and rules, the time when the fountain of forgiveness has been opened wide, for sin and for all uncleanness.