Cleansing from Sin
Zechariah 13:1–9
📖 Scripture
1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
2 “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.
3 And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.
4 “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive.
5 Each will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.’
6 If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’
7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
8 In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it.
9 This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
💡 Scripture Summary
A fountain will be opened to cleanse the people from sin and impurity. Idols and false prophets will be removed from the land. A prophet will be wounded in his own home. The Lord’s sword will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. A remnant will be refined and call on the Lord.
📜 Memory Verse
“The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.”
– Zechariah 14:9
🔎 Reflection
Remembered No More (13:1–6)
After speaking about a man who will be pierced and killed, God promises to cleanse His people from their sins and impurity, and this is accomplished through the work of Jesus. God also promises to remove idols and false prophets from the land; they will no longer be remembered. This promise continues to be fulfilled for His people today. When we worship Christ and consider Him to be the ultimate source of truth, idols and false prophecies no longer hold their appeal. Promises of health, wealth, and personal glory can be tempting at times, but let us reject these false gods and refuse to remember them. Let us focus our worship on the true God who cleanses and purifies us.
How different are you now that God has cleansed and purified you? Consider what temptations still threaten to pull you away from the truth and ask for God’s help to remain focused on Him.
Refined and Tested (13:7–9)
The passage continues to use the metaphor of shepherd and sheep. When God’s shepherd is struck down, the people will scatter. Most will abandon God, but a smaller remnant will be refined and tested. They will call on the Lord, and He will answer them. God will acknowledge them as His people, and they will be committed to worshiping Him. Periods of testing and refinement can be a challenging and even painful process. However, like refined silver and gold, we become a purer version of ourselves. Let us not resist this process but embrace the sanctification of becoming more like Jesus. May we remain faithful and endure with perseverance just as Jesus endured and persevered out of His faithfulness to us.
In what ways have you experienced testing and refinement? Reflect on how this process has sanctified you to become more like Jesus.
💬 Today’s Inspiration
“Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.”
– Marty Haugen
🙏 Prayer
Dear Lord, You are the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. Just as sheep respond to their shepherd’s voice, may I be attentive to You and follow You wherever You lead me. In Your name I pray, amen.
🖋 Essay
Getting Rid of Mold
If you could choose to have mold in your home, would you? Mold can cause allergic reactions, respiratory problems, and bodily irritations. If you did find mold in your home, you could respond in several different ways.
You could do nothing. You know the mold is there, but you simply ignore it, maybe out of apathy or anxiety. Another option is to paint over it. You would no longer see the mold, and it would be easier to forget about it. However, painting over mold does not kill it, and the infestation could grow between the layers of paint. A third option would be to clean it yourself. You could use bleach or vinegar to kill the mold, but the products would not penetrate deep enough to kill mold living under the surface. The final option is to call for help from a professional who is able to effectively remove all the mold.
We can respond to our spiritual uncleanliness just as we might respond to mold. We can ignore our habitual sins and let them grow. Or we can cover up our sins, pretending to ourselves and others that they do not exist. However, just like mold, sin continues to grow in the darkness. We may try to fix our sins by ourselves, but a wicked heart thrives under a lack of accountability. Let us instead seek what truly makes us clean by calling for help from our Savior Jesus Christ. With prayer, God’s Word, and the help of God’s people, we can be restored to a healthy state once again.
Written by John Pai