A Fountain Opened

The thirteenth chapter of Zechariah is a precious prophecy of Christ. He is revealed to dejected and grieving sinners as the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. Prophecy is made of His bitter suffering and death and of the gathering of His scattered disciples. In this prophecy the Lord also confirms, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). And the comfort of those who mourn over their sin and iniquity is anchored in the revelation of Christ. The people of God plead, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation" (Psalm 35:3). For in truth there is but one only comfort in both life and death, namely, that I am not my own, but belong to Christ.

It is this only comfort that the Lord wants to give the dejected among His people by the words of Zechariah. Those who mourn over their sins and have seen Him whom they have pierced (as they are referred to in the previous chapter), are shown the fountain which is opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. How clearly we see here that true sorrow for sin leads the sinner to Christ! All common convictions and Esau's tears leave the sinner outside the fountain. Those who are truly sorry for their sins, however, cannot live without Christ. He is the fountain of which Zechariah spoke.

Scripture frequently refers to Christ as a fountain. The poet says, "For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9). "A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon" (Song of Solomon 4:15), cries the bride when she, with all the blessings bestowed upon her, ends in Christ. When Christ is called a fountain, it is done to reveal the riches of His grace to His people.

First, as a fountain brings forth water from itself, Christ likewise brings forth living water from Himself. He has life in Himself. "For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself' (John 5:26). He who is eternal life Himself is become the Surety and Mediator for His elect. He merited eternal life and bestows it on whom He wills. In Adam all men are subjected to death; in Christ there is eternal life for His elect.

Secondly, Christ is called a fountain because of the inexhaustible fullness of His grace. Fountains yield their water day and night. Their springs form brooks and rivers; there is no end to their fullness. In like manner Christ is a fountain of grace. In Him is an abundance which can never be emptied. Here there is cleansing for the blackest Ethiopian, and forgiveness for the greatest sinner. "And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace," says the apostle (John 1:16). Oh, what a privilege God's children have! Here is grace for justification. Christ has completely satisfied the demand of God's justice for all the sins of His people. He was justified when He was raised from the dead, and in Him His people are justified. Oh, come, guilty and lost sinners! May the Lord lead you to this fountain to find atonement and to receive a right to eternal life.

In Christ there is fullness of grace for sanctification. Sin not only made us guilty before God, but it also corrupted us, so that no good thing dwells in us. All our thoughts, words, and deeds are evil. God's people learn to understand this more and more by uncovering light. Moreover, we lack all ability to subdue even one sinful thought. This causes God's people to utter many complaints, and it grieves them continually in this life. They must cry out with Paul, "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Romans 7:23). However, in Christ there is an inexhaustible fountain for cleansing. Oh, that we would not cling to self, but flee to the fountain, to Christ! By faith we would make use of Him who died unto sin once, to wash our garments white in the blood of the Lamb and to glory with the bride, "I am black, but comely" (Song of Solomon 1:5). Christ is the fountain for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption for His people. Whatever needs, assaults, oppressions, or persecutions God's dear people may encounter, a moment's tarrying at the fountain of life is sufficient to deliver them out of all their miseries. The fullness of His all-fulfilling grace delivers and redeems all the captive Zionites, here by faith, and one day eternally and perfectly.

Thirdly, as a fountain never stops giving water, so Christ is the fountain opened for His own, day and night. He was dead and is alive for evermore. He prays for His own without ceasing. And in His intercession He demands, on the basis of God's justice, all that is necessary for the salvation of His own. The throne of grace is never closed. No one ever comes to Christ the fountain in vain. Oh, people of God, call upon Him during your work by day or in your weary solitude at night! Though all creatures upon earth forsake you, this fountain is never closed. "Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee" (Psalm 50:15). By our sins we shut the heavens above us, day after day. Christ keeps them open, however, by the unceasing ministry of His grace. "Grace is poured into Thy lips: therefore God hath blessed Thee forever" (Psalm 45:2). Oh, precious Fountain of life!

Fourthly, the water of this fountain is pure. "And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Revelation 22:1). It is a fountain for the sin and uncleanness of the house of David and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The abomination of transgression is shown by Zechariah in a twofold terminology. The prophet speaks of sin and uncleanness. Sin is the term for our iniquities and indicates that man has missed the purpose which God had set before him in the covenant of works: to attain eternal life by obedience. By sin we fall short of the purpose of our existence. Thus Israel willfully rejected the Messiah, nailing Him to the cross. And every person falls short of the purpose of his life and executes the just judgment of death upon himself.

In addition, transgression is also uncleanness. In Israel the unclean person was separated. He was not permitted to appear in the presence of God. Our sins make us unclean before God. Because of the loathsomeness of our soul we were cast upon the open field, polluted in our blood. God is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and He cannot look on iniquity. The words used by Zechariah express both the greatness and the loathsomeness of sin, making man entirely condemnable before God. Every sin considered by itself subjects us to the judgment of death! This causes the uncovered sinner to mourn as for a firstborn.

However, take notice of the riches of God's grace. In Christ a fountain was opened against the sin and uncleanness of the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. No, the ministration of Christ is not for all men; there is no general redemption. The Lord Jesus died only for the elect, and they will surely be saved in Him. Oh, people of God, may you with all your sins and uncleanness be washed in this fountain! This water has such a purifying and such a cleansing power that it takes all your sins away. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Cry out continually with David, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7). Indeed, this fountain will make you as a chaste virgin, without spot or wrinkle. Christ praises His own work in His bride, the church, saying, "Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee" (Song of Solomon 4:7). Thus says He who searches the hearts and tries the reins of men who are black with sin, but are washed in the fountain and viewed in the pure waters of the mediatorial work of Christ.

Fifthly, to mention no more, Christ is called a fountain because His waters refresh the souls of the elect and quench the thirst of thirsty ones. He who drinks of natural water will thirst again, "but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). Oh, poor worldlings, who seek to satisfy your thirst at the mud puddles of sinful pleasures and the service of the world; and churchgoers, professors of the truth, and communicants, who drink of the deceitful waters of your own righteousness, you will thirst everlastingly. You will perish forever in your sins and with your imagined heaven. May God open your eyes before the door of grace is shut forever. You are still in the day of grace, still in the day of salvation. May it become the time of your salvation. Oh, that you would learn to drink from the waters of life proceeding from the fountain, from Christ. Poor sinners will come to that fountain. Weary and heavy laden ones will find rest there. Those who have learned to despise everything outside of Christ will be refreshed.

However sweet the refreshments of the soul may be when a people convicted of their sins may pour out their complaints before the Lord and may have a lively sense of their choice to live and die with God's people, in all those encouragements there is no foundation upon which to exist before God. The soul is therefore frequently tossed to and fro. The Spirit of the Lord continues to strive with them. More and more they are uncovered and placed before God in their detestable sins, so that Christ will become precious above all else, and their thirsty souls be refreshed out of the fountain of life.

Oh, come, you who are standing afar off; do not tarry with that which cannot save you! There is a fountain opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. Would we but look upon Christ in faith and freely drink of the waters of life more. Come, people of God, with all your sins and your unclean hearts, come to these waters of the pure river of life. Oh, that the separations caused by sin would be taken away, and that in the fountain of Christ's blood God's people might live near to God! The times are dark and distressing. It may be that difficult times of oppression and trial for God's people are imminent. Oh, that our soul might find refuge with the Lord! Oh, people of God, let go of the world with all its money, goods, cares, and worries! Seek continually to be washed in that fountain, which, according to the good pleasure of the Father, is opened in Christ by the Holy Spirit. May the Lord draw us, for then we will run after Him. Then, in all our strife and distress, our hearts will be encouraged in the God of our life, and it will be true of us:

In doubt and temptation I rest,
Lord, in Thee;
My hand is in Thy hand,
Thou carestfor me.
Psalter 202:1

Indeed, one day this fountain will completely remove all sin and uncleanness, and render the most wretched, but elect, sinner fully glorious. Neither sin nor uncleanness will be found there any longer. Oh, how great is the goodness which God has laid up for those who fear Him! "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

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