“In that day, a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.”
We see in the last three chapters of Zechariah many
references to ‘in that day.’ Most
scholars concur that the phrase ‘in that day’ refers to the latter part of the
Great Tribulation which culminates in the day of the Lord’s return. As we have seen in Chapter 12, there will
come a day when the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem “will look upon Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns
for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
(Zechariah 12:10)
We know that angels celebrate every time one single person
sees Christ for who He is, repents of their sin and surrenders to His
Lordship. “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7)
How great the celebration will be when a nation comes to Christ! It will be a glorious time indeed, in
Heaven.
So do you think this fountain is just then opened up? Friends, it was opened on the day that Jesus
Christ died for our sins and rose again.
“God, the everlasting Word, was made flesh and dwelt among us, and in
fullness of time the weight of human sin was laid on him. In order to put that
sin away he must die, for death was the penalty for guilt; up to the cross he
went through agonies unspeakable, and at the last he yielded up his soul; and
when he did so sin was put away, and the fountain for the cleansing of sin was
effectually opened.” (Charles Spurgeon)
When we are finally overcome by the bitterness of repentance
for our sins against Jesus; when we mourn because we realize the incredible
price our Savior willingly, and lovingly, paid for our sins; it is then that our
eyes are opened to that fountain of grace. The fountain existed all our lives, but until
we saw our need for repentance – and repented – we could not see this precious
fountain. “The sinner does not find a
Savior until he bewails his sin; when he sees his own filthiness then it is
that the way to have that filthiness removed is made clear to him. God is
always willing to forgive, but we are not always willing to be forgiven. The
fountain is experimentally opened to each one of us when we spiritually discern
it, believe in it, and are made partners of its cleansing power.” (Charles
Spurgeon)
The fountain is open for sin AND for uncleanness. God makes a distinction in His Word between
these two. The Hebrew word for sin here
is “chatta’ah” (Strong’s 02403) has a root word “chatta’” (Strong’s 02398) which
means ‘to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt.’ “For
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Whereas the Hebrew word for uncleanness is
“niddah” (Strong’s 05079) has a root word “nadad” (Strong’s 05074) which means
‘to retreat, flee, depart, move, wander abroad, stray, flutter.’ David uses this term in is prayer “Indeed, I would wander far off, and remain
in the wilderness.” (Psalm
55:7) “Sin has separated us from God and
brought upon us the divine wrath; uncleanness, which is a tendency still to
sin, a defilement of our nature, prevents our returning to our heavenly Father,
and entering into renewed fellowship with aim. This great evil in its double
form is, according to the text, distinctly recognized by God; it is not winked
at, it is not treated as a trifle that may remain, and yet man may be beloved
of God and be happy; no, but the evil being there, preparation is made for its
removal. The text says, not that the filthiness is concealed, that the
transgression is excused, but that there is a fountain opened for the effectual
removal of sin and uncleanness. In the gospel God never trifles with human sin.
We proclaim full, free, immediate forgiveness to the very chief of sinners, but
it is not in a way which makes men think that sin is trivial in God's esteem,
for there is coupled with the declaration of pardon a description of the way in
which God by the sacrifice of his Son renders it possible for him to be
merciful without being unjust. In the substitution of Christ Jesus we see
justice and mercy peacefully embracing, and conferring double honor upon each
other.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Lastly, the fountain is inexhaustible. What a relief to know that such grace
continues to flow, undefiled. No
generation can pollute it. No amount of
sins can deplete it. “There is a fountain
opened; not a cistern nor a reservoir, but a fountain. A fountain continues
still to bubble up, and is as full after fifty years as at the first; and even
so the provision and the mercy of God for the forgiveness and the justification
of our souls continually flows and overflows.”
(Charles Spurgeon)
Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, if you have not repented
of your sin and confessed your need for the Savior Jesus Christ, you will not
get to experience the fountain awaiting you.
If you have repented of your sins and surrendered to Jesus, but have
succumbed to your sin nature and therefore become estranged from God, there is
a fountain awaiting you. Ask Jesus, and
He will wash away your tendency toward that old sin. Abide in Christ and He will make you
new. “Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away,
behold, all things have become new.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
There is a fountain open, and it is waiting.
May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
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