The LORD Alone Saves

Zechariah 12 lifts our eyes to the God who alone saves. The prophet paints a picture of the Lord’s sovereign hand at work in history, His faithful promises to His people, and His ultimate plan of redemption through the One who would be pierced for our transgressions. Here we see that salvation is not found in human strength, cleverness, or power—it is the Lord alone who saves, because of who He is and what He has done.

God Keeps His Word

God’s Word is unwavering and unshakable. From the very beginning of creation until the end of the age, His purposes are sure. Jesus Himself declared, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working” (John 5:17). No plan of His can fail.

Zechariah points us to “that day,” the eschatological future when God will once again lift His people up and place them under the perfect reign of the true King, the Son of David. On that day, the nations will see that it is far better to follow the Lord than to oppose Him. Those who trust in Him will find refuge and strength, for “God is in the midst of her; she will not be shaken” (Psalm 46:5).

God Transforms Chaos Into Joy

The Lord is not only a keeper of promises but a transformer of realities. He takes chaos and turns it into order; He takes suffering and turns it into joy. Zechariah foresees a time when the house of Judah will be exalted, not because of their might, but because from them would come the King who fulfills all righteousness.

Even the weakest among God’s people will be made strong, not by their own resolve, but by the Lord’s Spirit working in them. Those who boast must boast in the Lord, for He alone is the source of their strength (2 Corinthians 10:17).

God Gives Us the Pierced One

At the heart of Zechariah 12 is one of the clearest gospel prophecies in all of Scripture: the coming of the Pierced One. The Lord Himself promises to pour out His Spirit, and the people will look upon the One they have pierced and mourn. Here we see the foreshadowing of the cross, where Christ was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and by His wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53).

The grief over the Pierced One is compared to the mourning for King Josiah, whose sudden death left Judah brokenhearted. But the grief over Christ pierces deeper still, because it reveals the weight of our sin and the greatness of His love. Grace is not simply unmerited favor—it is God’s favor poured out where there was guilt, rebellion, and enmity. At the cross, the righteous died for the unrighteous, and eternal life was opened to us.

Living Under the Power of the Cross

Charles Spurgeon once said, “A bleeding Savior makes men’s hearts bleed. When He is pierced, they also are pierced.” To look upon Christ crucified is to be humbled, broken, and remade by love.

How then do we live under the power of the Pierced One? We take up our cross daily, committing ourselves to prayer, to the Word, and to serving one another in grace. We esteem others more highly than ourselves, walking in the same humility that led Jesus to the cross. And we keep the main thing the main thing: the message of Jesus Christ—crucified, risen, and reigning—is the heartbeat of the Church.

The LORD Alone Saves

Zechariah 12 reminds us that salvation does not belong to us—it belongs to the Lord. He alone keeps His promises, transforms our weakness, and saves us through the blood of His Son. When we look upon the Pierced One, we see both the horror of our sin and the wonder of His grace. And in that gaze, our hearts are pierced too—not unto despair, but unto life, hope, and everlasting joy.