It's easy to see why they were looking for a mighty warrior savior/messiah. Not only were they in captivity, but prophecies like these described battles and war.
"On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. "The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:6-9 NIV)
In these images of battles and war, Israel is saved. It's capital city, Jerusalem, would be saved. Not only that, Judah, the city of David, would also be saved. This is important because they knew the savior/messiah would be coming through the line of Judah and David. God was going to win these battles. God was going to win the war.
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives. (Zechariah 12:10-14 NIV)
As is often the case with Scripture, though, we can't just read the parts we like and stick with them. All of the prophecy is from God and all of it fits together into one big picture. The same prophecy that declares victory for Jerusalem and Judah also speaks of mourning for one whom they have pierced. This one is like a firstborn son - an only child. This prophecy refers to this one as "me." The speaker in this prophecy will pour out a spirit of grace on Jerusalem. This is the suffering messiah/savior.
"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. "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. 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. "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. Each will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.' If someone asks, 'What are these wounds on your body?' they will answer, 'The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.' (Zechariah 13:1-6 NIV)
This messiah will cleanse us from sin and impurity. False prophets will stop prophesying in that day. The false prophets who don't stop will have no cover or recourse. Even their own parents will turn them in and they will receive the penalty for false prophecy - death. The savior/messiah will remove confusion about God and make it clear to all people in that day - God offers to save us through His savior/messiah.
"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. In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. 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.'" (Zechariah 13:7-9 NIV)
When Jesus was struck down, the sheep scattered on that day. The one-third and two-thirds began when he arose from the dead. Those who declared Jesus as the savior/messiah and made him the Lord of their lives would be changed forever. They would be set free from sin and death and given the Spirit of grace. Their lives, though, would be a refiners fire that burned off the impurities that kept them from God and His work. They would call on Him and He would answer their prayers. They were His people and the LORD is their God.
What about you? Are you a part of the 1/3 who declares Jesus as your savior and Lord or the 2/3 who will be struck down and perish? Do you see struggles as a "refiners fire" burning off impurities in your relationship with the LORD? Do you call on Him in prayer, knowing He will answer? Are you one of His people? Is the LORD your God?
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