13:1ffThere will be a never-ending supply of God’s mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing power. This picture of a fountain is similar to the never-ending stream flowing out from the Temple (Ezekiel 47:1). The fountain is used in Scripture to symbolize God’s forgiveness. In John 4, Jesus tells of his “living water” that satisfies completely. Are you spiritually thirsty? Do you need to experience God’s forgiveness? Drink from the fountain—ask Jesus to forgive you and give you his salvation
Life Application Study BibleZechariahChapter 13
Zechariah 13
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1515, 1516
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
13Zechariah 13
A Fountain of Cleansing
113 “On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity. 2“And on that day,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will erase idol worship throughout the land, so that even the names of the idols will be forgotten. I will remove from the land both the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them. SIf anyone continues to prophesy, his own father and mother will tell him, ‘You must die, for you have prophesied lies in the name of the LORD.’ And as he prophesies, his own father and mother will stab him. 4“On that day people will be ashamed to claim the prophetic gift. No one will pretend to bea prophet by wearing prophet’s clothes. 5He will say, ‘I’m no prophet; I’m a farmer. I began working for a farmer as a boy.’ &And if someone asks, ‘Then what about those wounds on your chest?*’ he will say, ‘I was wounded at my friends’ house!’
The Scattering of the Sheep
77 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,the man who is my partner,”says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.
“Strike down the shepherd,and the sheep will be scattered,and I will turn against the lambs.
8Two-thirds of the people in the landwill be cut off and die,” says the LORD.“But one-third will be left in the land.
9I will bring that group through the fireand make them pure.I will refine them like silverand purify them like gold.They will call on my name,and J will answer them.I will say, ‘These are my people,’and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God."”
Textual footnotes
- 13:6 Hebrew wounds between your hands?
Life Application Notes 4 notes
13:2-6This chapter pictures the final days of the earth as we know it. For God's new era to begin, there must be a cleansing—~ all evil must be abolished. Therefore, idols will be banished, and false prophets will be ashamed of themselves and no longer try to deceive God’s people.
13:7Just before his arrest, Jesus quoted from this verse, referring to himself and his disciples (Matthew 26:31, 32). He knew beforehand that his disciples would scatter when he was arrested. The Roman “sword” was the military power that put Christ te death.
13:8,9This “third” was a remnant, a small part of the whole. Throughout the history of Israel, whenever the whole nation seemed to turn against God, God said that a righteous remnant still trusted and followed him. These believers were refined like silver and gold through the fire of their difficult circumstances. Determine to be part of God's remnant, that small part of the whole that is obedient to him. Obey God no matter what the rest of the world does. This may mean trials and troubles at times; but as fire purifies gold and silver, you will be purified and made more like Christ.