Advent: 16 Days to Go
In this installment of our Christmas adventure, God has released Zacharias from his silence and he responds with a wondrous song of praise to God...
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
--Luke 1:67-80 KJV Bible
When Zacharias is able to speak again, he, like Elizabeth and Mary, brings a great song of praise to God for His wonderful plan to bring the “Light” to a dark world. In his song, notes several Old Testament prophesies that are fulfilled by the coming of John and Jesus.
Zacharias makes reference to Psalm 106:10, where the psalmist recalls God's deliverance of the children of Israel from their enemies. Zacharias also remembers God’s "horn of salvation," which is one of the Old Testament symbols representing God's protection. This symbol compares God's protection to an animal which uses its horns for protection and defense. Zacharias also makes mention of the “oath,” or the covenant which God made with Abraham and is descendants, as recorded in Genesis 22:16-18. As Zacharias notes, we are called to serve God, but God’s plan will allow us to do just that without fear of persecution or oppression.
Zacharias recalls the words of the prophet Malachi, who foretold that God would send a messenger before the Lord to prepare the way (Malachi 3:1). Zacharias also recalls the words of the prophet Jeremiah when he said that God would forgive the sins of the people (Jeremiah 31:34). Zarachias also remembers the “dayspring,” or the “Sunrise,” as it is sometimes translated. This is a reference to Malachi’s “Sun of righteousness,” which rises with healing in His wings for all those who revere the name of the Lord (Malachi 4:4). Zacharias also recalls the words of the prophet Isaiah, who foretold that the Lord would bring “Light” by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, to the Galilee of the Gentiles (Isaiah 9:1).
It seems apparent that, like Jesus, John also grew up in a home where the Word of God was much loved. Both grew to become strong in spirit. But unlike Jesus, John spent much of his adult life away from the established religious leaders of the day until his time came to “prepare the way.”
Next time, Mary’s betrothed husband Joseph receives an angelic visit...
-
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
--Luke 1:67-80 KJV Bible
When Zacharias is able to speak again, he, like Elizabeth and Mary, brings a great song of praise to God for His wonderful plan to bring the “Light” to a dark world. In his song, notes several Old Testament prophesies that are fulfilled by the coming of John and Jesus.
Zacharias makes reference to Psalm 106:10, where the psalmist recalls God's deliverance of the children of Israel from their enemies. Zacharias also remembers God’s "horn of salvation," which is one of the Old Testament symbols representing God's protection. This symbol compares God's protection to an animal which uses its horns for protection and defense. Zacharias also makes mention of the “oath,” or the covenant which God made with Abraham and is descendants, as recorded in Genesis 22:16-18. As Zacharias notes, we are called to serve God, but God’s plan will allow us to do just that without fear of persecution or oppression.
Zacharias recalls the words of the prophet Malachi, who foretold that God would send a messenger before the Lord to prepare the way (Malachi 3:1). Zacharias also recalls the words of the prophet Jeremiah when he said that God would forgive the sins of the people (Jeremiah 31:34). Zarachias also remembers the “dayspring,” or the “Sunrise,” as it is sometimes translated. This is a reference to Malachi’s “Sun of righteousness,” which rises with healing in His wings for all those who revere the name of the Lord (Malachi 4:4). Zacharias also recalls the words of the prophet Isaiah, who foretold that the Lord would bring “Light” by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, to the Galilee of the Gentiles (Isaiah 9:1).
It seems apparent that, like Jesus, John also grew up in a home where the Word of God was much loved. Both grew to become strong in spirit. But unlike Jesus, John spent much of his adult life away from the established religious leaders of the day until his time came to “prepare the way.”
Next time, Mary’s betrothed husband Joseph receives an angelic visit...
-
Comments
Post a Comment