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“‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
Against the Man who is My Companion,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
‘Strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered;
Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
And it shall come to pass in all the land,’
Says the Lord,
‘That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one–third shall be left in it:
I will bring the one–third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, “This is My people;”
And each one will say, “The Lord is my God”’” (Zechariah 13:7-9).

“Generally speaking, the divine actions and powerful effects meant by the Holy Spirit are the acts of reforming and regenerating us. Depending on the outcome of this reformation and regeneration, the divine actions and powerful effects also include the acts of renewing us, bringing us to life, sanctifying us, and making us just; and depending on the outcome of these in turn, the divine actions and powerful effects also include the acts of purifying us from evils, forgiving our sins, and ultimately saving us. These are the powerful effects, one after the other, that the Lord has on people who believe in him and who adapt and modify themselves in order to welcome him and invite him to stay…

The divine truth in connection with goodness, that is, faith in connection with goodwill, is the force that reforms and regenerates us…It is important to know that the Lord is carrying out these salvation processes in every single one of us all the time. They are the steps to heaven. The Lord wants to save everyone” (True Christianity 142).

“The Lord constantly tries (and cannot help trying) to implant truth and goodness, or faith and goodwill, in everyone” (True Christianity 145).

“The essence of spiritual love is to do good to others for their sake and not for our own” (Divine Love and Wisdom 335).

The passage from Zechariah seems to be interpreted commonly as a prophecy of Jesus, and rightly so. Several translations capitalize Shepherd and Man, etc. because it is very easy to see the parallels—a companion to God who must be struck to allow for the ultimate salvation of God’s people. I get it and it makes sense.