What is “the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication”?

Zechariah 10 says, “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

First and foremost we realize that this ancient prophecy was directed to “the house of David”, meaning Israel, Judah, and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem”. God revealed to Zechariah that there would come a day when the Jewish nation will consider that Jesus Christ, whom they did not believe and crucified more than 2000 years ago, truly was and indeed IS their Messiah. When that revelation hooks their hearts, they will look on Jesus whom they rejected in the 1^st century AD and weep bitterly that they killed their own firstborn son.

Now, when a person mourns the death of a firstborn son, an only son, the grief seems insurmountable. When the realization finally hits the Jewish people that Jesus is the Messiah, their grief will feel totally overwhelming.

Enter the Holy Spirit of Grace and Supplication. He reveals the truth of Jesus Christ but he also moves in the hearts of the mourners and grants them His Holy Spirit enabling to both recognize their Messiah and to pray in deep repentance and in deep supplication for the rest of their Jewish family.

Let’s look at the Strong’s Concordance for a definition of these two words–grace and supplication:

GRACE

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance definition of GRACE in GREEK, New Testament:

charis: grace, kindness

Original Word: χάρις, ιτος, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: charis Phonetic Spelling: (khar’-ece) Short Definition: grace, favor, kindness Definition: (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, (b) favor, (c) gratitude, thanks, (d) a favor, kindness.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Definition of GRACE in HEBREW in New Testament:

favor, gracious, pleasant, precious, well-favored

From chanan; graciousness, i.e. Subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty) — favour, grace(-ious), pleasant, precious, (well-)favoured.

see HEBREW chanan

SUPPLICATION

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance definition of SUPPLICATION in GREEK, New Testament:

hiketéria: supplication

Original Word: ἱκετηρία, ας, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hiketéria Phonetic Spelling: (hik-et-ay-ree’-ah) Short Definition: supplication, entreaty Definition: (originally: the olive branch held in the hand of the suppliant), supplication, entreaty.

HELPS Word-studies   2428 hiketēría – properly, an olive branch; (figuratively) earnest supplication for peace (relief, reconciliation), used only in Heb 5:7.

Heb 5:7: “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications (2428 /hiketēría) with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety” (NASU).

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance definition of SUPPLICATION IN HEBREW, New Testament:

techinnah: favor, supplication for favor

Original Word: תְּחִנָּה Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: techinnah Phonetic Spelling: (tekh-in-naw’) Short Definition: supplication

Word Origin from chanan Definition favor, supplication for favor NASB Translation grace (1), mercy (1), petition (4), supplication (18), supplications (1).

I believe that this passage points directly to an end times move of God to revive the government of Israel, the people of Judah, and the city of Jerusalem.

Now all of this may seem very–well, very Jewish. But if we are born again we have been grafted into the family and nation of Israel. This is an honor for Christians. So the Spirit of Grace and Supplication is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Savior of mankind.

What Does the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Mean to Me?

Yesterday I finished work early, but not early enough to begin a new writing project. I wandered a bit. My husband worked on our daughter’s car, my son was not yet home from work, and I was alone in the house.

I whispered to God, “I hate to admit this, but I’m bored.”

I didn’t know what to do with myself and kept asking the Holy Spirit, “What’s next? What can I do for you now?”

I went through the mechanics of making a dinner and sat down on my recliner in the living room to eat dinner alone. I caught a song on You Tube by Phil Driscoll called, Faithful.  This song focused on a verse from James, “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights in whom there is no variation or shifting of shadow.” God NEVER changes. This verse and this exact song took me back to the miracle conception of Johnathan, my firstborn. I was barren and could not have children.  BUT GOD!!!

This verse from James was spoken over him by my dad the day he was born, and the song Faithful by Phil Driscoll became foundational for the promised child God gave

Hope with her son Johnathan at Disneyland, California

me.

Now, remember, earlier I told God, “I’m bored.” So I take NO credit here! I am telling you, the Spirit of Grace and Supplication POURED out over me and I began to weep and intercede for my firstborn, Johnathan. All the memories flooded back as I prayed, memories of what God told us when I carried him, the day he was born when we his parents and both of his grandfathers held him up before God at the hospital and dedicated him to the Lord. It was like I was looking at my child with eyes that REALLY SAW him, REALLY SAW God Almighty’s love and commitment to His plan for Johnathan’s life.

I cried, out, “Oh, God, YOU ARE FAITHFUL! And all those promises have not changed. Our son is a GIFT from GOD!”

This bored child of God wept and interceded for more than two hours. My husband came in from working on the car, lay on the living room floor, and joined me.

I went from bored to an unexpected visitation from the Holy Spirit of Grace and Supplication. And I will admit to you, that I am utterly blessed that God gave me this living illustration to share with you today. I didn’t deserve it, and certainly wasn’t ready for it. But I was available when I said, “What’s next, Holy Spirit? What can I do for you now?” At the end of the two plus hours, a great burden had lifted off my shoulders and no thoughts of fear or doubt or guilt could touch me. I was free. My son was free. I knew it.

I don’t know how to tell you to “get this” except to ask God the same question for yourself:

“What’s next Holy Spirit? What can I do for you now?”

Whatever He says, wherever He takes you, JUMP IN! He will bless your obedience.