Beholding the Pierced One
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10
In this profound prophecy from Zechariah, we glimpse a divine outpouring—a spirit of grace and supplication that awakens hearts to behold the Messiah, pierced and wounded. Though this verse points forward to a future revival among Israel, where the nation will collectively gaze upon the One they rejected and experience deep repentance, its truth echoes through history and into our lives today. God has poured out this same spirit in personal awakenings and widespread revivals, from the early church to moments of renewal in our own era. And He can do it again, beginning right here with each of us, if we but ask.
At the heart of this passage is the call to look—to fix our eyes on Him whom we have pierced. This gazing is no mere glance; it is the starting point of true spiritual life. As Charles Spurgeon wisely observed,
Salvation begins not with our efforts to muster sorrow, but with seeing Jesus as He is: the Lamb slain for us, bearing the marks of our rebellion.
Consider the face of Jesus, the very sight that Zechariah invites us to behold. It is both the most cruel and the most beautiful vision imaginable. Cruel, because it bears the brutality of the cross: thorns pressed into His brow, cheeks swollen from blows, eyes dimmed by agony, all inflicted by human hands, including our own through sin. This face, marred beyond recognition (Isaiah 52:14), confronts us with the horror of what our transgressions demanded. Yet it is infinitely beautiful, radiating the glory of selfless love, the triumph of grace over judgment. In those wounds, we see not just suffering, but substitution—He was pierced for me, for you. This duality stirs the soul: revulsion at the cruelty we caused, mingled with awe at the beauty of redemption.
This beholding transforms us. The greatest blessing of our salvation is not merely escape from punishment or provision for our needs; it is the privilege of looking upon His face. Too often, we seek God’s hand—His blessings, answers, and interventions—while neglecting His face, the revelation of His character and glory. But true intimacy with God demands we pursue Him for who He is, not just what He gives.
We do this best by starting with the Bible, the mirror where His glory shines brightest. In Scripture, we encounter the living Word, beholding Jesus in His fullness: the pierced Savior who invites us to draw near. From this gaze flows genuine prayer—not as a duty or formula, but as a heartfelt response to seeing God. Our pleas for mercy arise naturally when confronted with the One wounded for our sake.
Moreover, this looking is not a one-time event. Salvation dawns when we first see Him pierced, leading to repentance and faith. But from there, we must continually seek His face, where we find not only initial rescue but ongoing sanctification—the purifying work that conforms us to His image—and deep satisfaction that quenches the soul’s thirst. As Spurgeon noted,
Our tears of sorrow turn to tears of joy as we abide in His presence. Yet, we cannot manufacture this vision on our own. We need to pray for prayer itself—for God to pour out afresh this spirit of grace and supplication. Even now, in our personal lives and across broader communities, let us implore Him to stir hearts, that we might look upon the Pierced One and be revived. Though Zechariah speaks of Israel’s future awakening, history shows God delights to unleash such outpourings in any age, turning apathy into ardor, sin into surrender.
Today, pause and behold Jesus through the lens of Scripture. Let the sight of His pierced form break your heart anew, not in despair but in devotion. Seek His face above His hand, and watch as repentance gives way to faith, sanctification, and soul-satisfying joy. Pray for this spirit to fall upon you, your family, your church, and beyond. Pray, “start with me, Lord.”
May we not neglect this nearness but draw ever closer, living to display His glory. In beholding Him, we find all we truly need.
In this profound prophecy from Zechariah, we glimpse a divine outpouring—a spirit of grace and supplication that awakens hearts to behold the Messiah, pierced and wounded. Though this verse points forward to a future revival among Israel, where the nation will collectively gaze upon the One they rejected and experience deep repentance, its truth echoes through history and into our lives today. God has poured out this same spirit in personal awakenings and widespread revivals, from the early church to moments of renewal in our own era. And He can do it again, beginning right here with each of us, if we but ask.
At the heart of this passage is the call to look—to fix our eyes on Him whom we have pierced. This gazing is no mere glance; it is the starting point of true spiritual life. As Charles Spurgeon wisely observed,
“A great mistake is very common among all classes of men – it is currently believed that we are first of all to mourn for our sins, and then to look by faith to our Lord Jesus Christ. Most persons who have any concern about their souls, but are not as yet enlightened by the Spirit of God, think that there is a degree of tenderness of conscience, and of hatred of sin, which they are to obtain somehow or other, and then they will be permitted and authorized to look to Jesus Christ. Now you will perceive that this is not according to the Scripture, for, according to the text before us men first look upon him whom they have pierced, and then, but not till then, they mourn for their sin.”
Salvation begins not with our efforts to muster sorrow, but with seeing Jesus as He is: the Lamb slain for us, bearing the marks of our rebellion.
Consider the face of Jesus, the very sight that Zechariah invites us to behold. It is both the most cruel and the most beautiful vision imaginable. Cruel, because it bears the brutality of the cross: thorns pressed into His brow, cheeks swollen from blows, eyes dimmed by agony, all inflicted by human hands, including our own through sin. This face, marred beyond recognition (Isaiah 52:14), confronts us with the horror of what our transgressions demanded. Yet it is infinitely beautiful, radiating the glory of selfless love, the triumph of grace over judgment. In those wounds, we see not just suffering, but substitution—He was pierced for me, for you. This duality stirs the soul: revulsion at the cruelty we caused, mingled with awe at the beauty of redemption.
This beholding transforms us. The greatest blessing of our salvation is not merely escape from punishment or provision for our needs; it is the privilege of looking upon His face. Too often, we seek God’s hand—His blessings, answers, and interventions—while neglecting His face, the revelation of His character and glory. But true intimacy with God demands we pursue Him for who He is, not just what He gives.
We do this best by starting with the Bible, the mirror where His glory shines brightest. In Scripture, we encounter the living Word, beholding Jesus in His fullness: the pierced Savior who invites us to draw near. From this gaze flows genuine prayer—not as a duty or formula, but as a heartfelt response to seeing God. Our pleas for mercy arise naturally when confronted with the One wounded for our sake.
Moreover, this looking is not a one-time event. Salvation dawns when we first see Him pierced, leading to repentance and faith. But from there, we must continually seek His face, where we find not only initial rescue but ongoing sanctification—the purifying work that conforms us to His image—and deep satisfaction that quenches the soul’s thirst. As Spurgeon noted,
“It is a beautiful remark of an old divine, that eyes are made for two things at least; first, to look with, and next, to weep with. The eye which looks to the pierced One is the eye which weeps for him.”
Our tears of sorrow turn to tears of joy as we abide in His presence. Yet, we cannot manufacture this vision on our own. We need to pray for prayer itself—for God to pour out afresh this spirit of grace and supplication. Even now, in our personal lives and across broader communities, let us implore Him to stir hearts, that we might look upon the Pierced One and be revived. Though Zechariah speaks of Israel’s future awakening, history shows God delights to unleash such outpourings in any age, turning apathy into ardor, sin into surrender.
Today, pause and behold Jesus through the lens of Scripture. Let the sight of His pierced form break your heart anew, not in despair but in devotion. Seek His face above His hand, and watch as repentance gives way to faith, sanctification, and soul-satisfying joy. Pray for this spirit to fall upon you, your family, your church, and beyond. Pray, “start with me, Lord.”
May we not neglect this nearness but draw ever closer, living to display His glory. In beholding Him, we find all we truly need.