God, through the prophet Zechariah, has an extensive section of "on that day" statements. Many of these are carried forward and interpreted by inspired writers in the New Testament, applying them to Messiah and/or New Covenant principles.
While the phrase occurs throughout Zechariah, there are a heavier concentration of “on that day” prophecies in chapters 8-14. This section contains several New Testament, inspired-writer-confirmed Messianic passages including 11:13 (“thirty pieces of silver”), 12:10 (“him whom they have pierced”), and 13:7 (“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered”).
The following descriptors belong to their respective oracles. Repeated “that day” language does not by itself establish one date or one fulfillment for every passage:
- God “will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days” (8:11)
- a “sowing of peace” (8:12)
- “many peoples and strong nations…seek the Lord” (8:22)
- king coming with “salvation…humble and mounted on a donkey” (9:9)
- God will “save them, as the flock of his people” (9:16)
- “From him shall come the cornerstone” (10:4)
- the prophet is commissioned to shepherd the flock doomed to slaughter (11:4-7)
- the staff is broken to annul the covenant (11:10), followed by wages of “thirty pieces of silver” (11:12-13)
- “every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies” (13:4) – prophecy ceases
- “feeblest…shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God” (12:8)
- pour out a “spirit of grace” (12:10)
- mourning when “they look on me, on him whom they have pierced” (12:10)
- a fountain opened “to cleanse them from sin” (13:1)
- “They will call upon my name, and I will answer them.” (13:9)
- Lord “king over all the earth” (14:9)
- Not just the High Priest, but even the horses have “Holy to the Lord.” inscribed on them. (14:20)
Explicit New Testament connections include the donkey-mounted king (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:4-5; John 12:14-15), the pierced one (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:37), and the struck shepherd (Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27). Compare the silver and potter language in Zechariah 11:12-13 with Matthew 27:9-10, whose fulfillment formula names Jeremiah. Keep these express connections distinct from suggested interpretations of the remaining images.
Chapter 12’s mourning leads into 13:1’s cleansing fountain and the removal of idols and false prophecy (13:2-6). The shepherd and remnant oracle follows (13:7-9). Chapter 14 describes siege, the Lord’s intervention, living waters, kingship and holiness (14:1-21). These scenes should not be assigned to Pentecost or a particular later event solely because their language is similar.
