eth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart (Zech. 12:10- 14). It is to be noted that Israel’s mourning in that day is compared to “the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.” Scholars agree that this refers to the national mourning over Josiah who was slain by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt in the valley of Megiddon ('II Kings 23:29-30; II Chron. 35:20-27). The death of king Josiah was considered a great loss of Judah, because he was the last hope of the declining Jewish kingdom, and in his death the last gleam of possible survival faded into night. It is said that “national lamentations over him continued and became ‘an ordinance’ in Israel, which survived the seventy years captivity and continued ‘to this day,’ when the chronicles were closed.”* The mourning over Josiah is mentioned specifically to com pare it with the still greater and more bitter lamentation of penitent Israel in the future. Disagreement exists among scholars with respect to the significance of families named who will participate in the future mourning of Israel. We believe Baron’s explanation seems most logical. The names chosen rep resent two families of the royal line and two of the priestly line, and of these “one stands for the chief (David for the royal, and Levi for the priestly), and the other (Nathan for the royal, and Shimei for the priestly) for the subordinate families of their lines as including and representing the whole.’” Such a selection suggests that the mourning will include every family of these lines from the highest to the lowest. That the rest of the tribes will share in this act of penitence is indicated by the declaration, “all the fam ilies that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.” Led by the aristocratic lines, the remaining tribes will join in this national mourning. It will be a public manifestation of national and individual repent ance characterized by intense sorrow and weeping. The object of Israel’s grief will be the electrifying appear ance Of her Messiah in power and glory. Just as Jesus wept bitterly over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44), so now the saved remnant will weep profusely over Him. In that day they will say, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation” (Isa. 12:2). Indeed, all Israel shall be saved! *Professor of Bible, Biola College. DOCUMENTATION 1. David Baron, The Visions and Prophecies of Zecha riah. (London: Hebrew Christian Testimony to Israel, 1918), p. 445. 2. Loraine Boettner, The Millennium. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1958), p. 186. 3. Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1955), p. 375. 4. Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church. (Phila delphia: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1945), p. 158. 5. Ibid. 6. Baron, op. cit., pp. 451, 452. 7. Ibid ., pp. 452, 453.
not presuppose a fulfilment of Zechariah 12:10. On the basis of John 19:37, Covenant theologians insist that this prophecy is being fulfilled in the 'Church. To illustrate, 0. T. Allis, a prominent spokesman for amillennial Cove nant theology, concludes that John’s reference to the prophecy is “a notable example of a prediction which has been fulfilled, is now being fulfilled, and which still awaits complete fulfilment.”4 His argument is against dispensationalists who “are disposed to deny this progres sive or germinant fulfilment during the Church age.”5 That John 19:37 does not suggest a fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah is evident from the following facts: (1) Zechariah 12:10 pertains only to Israel and not to the church. A literal interpretation of this verse in the light of its immediate context and larger context of the book restricts it exclusively to the Jewish nation. (2) The verse is in an eschatological context which relates definitely to the second coming of Jesus Christ. (3) The chronological order of events in Zechariah’s prophecy does not correspond to that at the Cross or at Pentecost, where Covenant theologians place the beginning of the fulfilment of this prophecy. (4) It is quite clear that no national mourning for Christ occurred at the Cross or at Pentecost, which is demanded by Zechariah 12:10. (5) The fact that John referred to only one part of this verse argues for application and not interpretation or fulfilment. To any unbiased person it is indeed clear that Zecha riah’s prophecy will be fulfilled at the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. When His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4), then “every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him” ('Rev. 1:7), and then, “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:26). Thus, Israel’s salvation has been ordained of God to occur at the second coming of Jesus Christ. At that time Israel will look meditatively upon the One whom she pierced. It will be a look of faith in full rec ognition of Jesus Christ her Messiah. Fourth: The penitence accompanying Israel’s salva tion. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation (II Cor. 7:10)! This will be true in the case of Israel’s re demption. But before this happens it would be well to remind all that the Jews will encounter a time of tribu lation unparalleled in their varied history. Joel calls it “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness” (2:1-2); Zephaniah describes it as “a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloomi ness, a day of clouds and thick darkness” (1:15); Mala- chi says that it is “the day that shall bum as an oven” (4:1); and Jeremiah designates it “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (30:7). Israel must suffer intensely but she will be saved! The veil of unibelief which has enshrouded the hearts of the people of Israel these many centuries will be re moved. This veil of darkness and blindness will vanish suddenly when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon them, and they behold the One whom they pierced. Similar to the experience of Paul, it will be the working of the Holy Spirit and the majestic appearance of the glorified Christ that will cause the scales of spiritual torpor to fall away. In that day the saved remnant will declare exuberantly, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord: we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isa. 25:9). The recognition and acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Messiah will result in uncontrolled weeping among the saved remnant. This epochal period of pronounced lamentation is vividly sketched as follows: “And they shall mourn for him, as one mourn
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