The Great Day of Cleansing | Zechariah 13:1-9 | Richard Caldwell

Scripture

• Zechariah 13:1–9

About this sermon

Introduction: A great awakening among the Jewish people is coming in the future. It will come at the end of the age. It will come during the tribulation period, especially in the last half of the tribulation period. It will come especially, and in a massive way, at the time of the second advent. That great awakening is described in this 13th chapter. What is described is a great day of cleansing. And in this description, we find — not just the wonder of what God will graciously do for the Jewish people — but what God has done for ALL OF HIS PEOPLE in THE CLEANSING of His people. What God will do for Israel at the end of the age, God has done for you and me on the day that He saved us and forgave us of all our sins. We will consider this chapter under five headings, each one having to do with a relationship between God’s saving acts and the cleansing of God’s people. I. REPENTANCE AND CLEANSING (THE MOURNING OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER) This chapter is vitally connected to the ending of the previous one. “In that day” makes clear that a continuation of thought is occurring. This reaches back to verses 10-14 of the previous chapter and repeats the words at the beginning of verse 11. We can state the connection this way. THE GODLY GRIEF THAT GOD POURS OUT ON THE HOUSE OF DAVID AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM IS DESIGNED BY GOD TO BRING THEM TO THEIR CLEANSING. This is what we find wherever salvation occurs, wherever cleansing occurs, wherever justification occurs — a broken and contrite heart. GODLY SORROW. GENUINE REPENTANCE. ESV 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. The faith that is saving faith is a penitent faith. Repentance is a change of heart and mind that results in a change of course. But it is not a human WORK prerequisite to salvation, it is a DIVINE WORK UPON THE HEART that is present wherever God is saving a soul. THE FAITH OF THE TRUE BELIEVER EMBRACES GOD’S VERDICT UPON HIS SIN, AND EMBRACES GOD’S REMEDY IN THE PERSON OF HIS SON. When Peter told the church at Jerusalem of God’s saving work among the Gentiles, he made clear that he recognized God’s sovereign GRANTING of repentance. ESV Acts 11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I said, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.' 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life." When Paul met with the Ephesian elders for the final time, and he described his ministry of the Word of God, he made clear that the message of repentance toward God was a vital part of his message. ESV Acts 20:18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.