The Christmas Story From Luke's Gospel Pt. 5 Zachariah's Amazing Prophecy

Elisabeth said that her son's name was John but the family questioned using that name.

Luke 1:57-62  Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58  And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 59  And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60  And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61  And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62  And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63  And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 

Mary returned to her home shortly before John the Baptist was born.

There is no doubt that Zachariah and Elisabeth were  filled with great anticipation that God answered years of praying for a son.

Just as Abraham and Sarah cherished Isaac when he was born, so this husband and wife cherished the birth of their son.

Zachariah remembered the angel's instruction about how this son was to be raised because God had a special calling for John to fulfill.

Thus, John was born and family and friends gathered together to rejoice with Elisabeth and Zachariah.

It was time to give this baby a name, something that was not done lightly by the Jewish people.

When that time arrived Zachariah who could not yet speak, Elisabeth indicated that his name would be called John, even though this was not a common name used in their family.

Remember that the name "John" literally means "Jehovah is a gracious giver" and this was especially true for an aged couple receiving a son from the Lord.

She insisted on the name John but the family members asked Zachariah to confirm this and he did by writing "His name is John" on a writing tablet.

As soon as this was done another miracle occurred.

Zachariah's tongue was loosed and he was able to speak with his voice once again.

Luke 1:64-66  And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65  And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66  And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

The first thing Zachariah did was to open his mouth and loudly praise God.

The impact upon the birth of John the Baptist to an older couple was profound.

A fear and reverence toward God manifested itself and they shared this good news with many other people.

The result was that many people soberly and happily received this news and were anticipating what ministry God might have for John.

People who witnessed and heard these wonderful things laid them up in their hearts, knowing that God was at work among His people.

Luke ends this part by telling us that the hand of the Lord was with John as he grew up. 

Zachariah was filled with the Holy Ghost and begin praising God and prophesied.

So far in this chapter of Luke's Christmas story, the angel of the Lord appeared twice, once to Zachariah and once to Mary.

Then, Elisabeth, Mary and now Zechariah were filled with the Holy Ghost and each one spoke words of praise and prophecy.

Zachariah was filled with the Spirit of God and foretold the future ministry of his son, John.

Luke 1:67  And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 

The word prophesy means predicting or foretelling future events.

Zachariah speaks not only of what God had already done, but also of what He was about to do in order to save a lost world.

Luke 1:68  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 

Zachariah praised God for two tremendous blessings which He granted to His people. 

First, He visited them through the miraculous births of John and Jesus. 

This connects to God visiting His people by sending Moses to them to bring them out of Egyptian slavery (See Exodus 3:16).

God already did this by giving Elisabeth and Mary son's in ways that cannot be explained apart from acknowledging that God was at work.

Second, He has ransomed them through the life, ministry, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This was the prophetic portion of Zachariah's Spirit guided praise and prophecy.

Isaiah 46:9-10  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 

The prophet Isaiah was used by God to give grand and sweeping views about Messiah and Israel.

God reminds us to remember what He has done since the very beginning at creation.

There is no "god" other than the LORD God Almighty who alone does wonderful things.

He created all things by His Word. He spoke and it happened exactly as He commanded.

Second, God declares the end from the beginning, meaning that God alone can tell us about creation, our origins and human history since Adam and Eve.

God alone can tell us how all things are going to unfold from creation until the final conclusion of all things at the end of Revelation.

This is God's wonderful Word through which He communicates truth vital for our soul.

Luke 1:69  And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 

The words "And hath raised up a horn of salvation" refer to a mighty and glorious Savior, Jesus Christ.

This expression is a quotation from Psalm 18:2. 

Horns are well known emblems of strength, glory, and power. 

Horns have also been considered as emblems of light and Christ said of Himself that "I am the light of the world" (See John 8:12).

The connection to the house of David was given, and this was a necessary requirement for the Messiah. 

Luke 1:70-72  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; 

From the beginning of the world all the prophets have referred to the Messiah. 

The most striking of these were Jacob (See Genesis 49:10), Moses (See Deuteronomy 18:15) and Isaiah (See Isaiah 9:6-7; & 53:1-12).

The enemies we face include our sins, our carnal nature and fleshly lusts. 

In addition to our internal tendency toward sinning, we also face our great adversary Satan and his demons, who seek to damage or destroy us. 

Messiah came to save us from these enemies (See Genesis 3:15; Matthew 1:21).

The idea of "performing the mercy promised to our fathers" is a direct reference with God's abundant lovingkindness. 

God's grace in extending mercy to children is regarded as extending lovingkindness to the parent. 

Blessing the children by extension was blessing the nation, thus fulfilling the promises made to the fathers, and showing that He regarded them with mercy.

1 Peter 1:18-21  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

The phrase "and to remember his holy covenant" reminds us of the salvation covenant set in order by the Father and Son in eternity past (See also Ephesians 1:4. Titus 1:2; Hebrews 10:1-18).

This holy covenant has been dispensed through the patriarchs, and saints, as Adam, Noah, Abraham and many others.

It is a holy covenant because it was made in heaven according to the good purposes of the Father's will.

Through redemption and salvation provided by Jesus Christ, the glory of God's holiness and justice is secured, His grace and mercy can flow to repentant sinners. 

By sending His Son Jesus Christ,  God demonstrated that He intended to fulfill His covenant, and bring redemption to His people.

Luke 1:73-75  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. 

Beautiful words "The oath which he swore to our father Abraham." 

Hebrews 6:13-14  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 

God swore to uphold both ends of this king and vassal treaty. 

Not only would He provide protection, salvation and deliverance, He would secure it by sacrificing His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (See Genesis 22:16).

If the vassal failed to uphold the terms of the king's treaty, then the king had the right to destroy or punish them.

This alludes to mankind's sin and the fact that God poured out His wrath for our sins upon Christ at the cross of calvary.

Thus, this pictures Christ fulfilling God's moral law for us and receiving the wages of our sins which is death.

The king and vassal treaty is upheld permanently by the sacrifice of Christ and the shedding of His blood, and is an essential part of why we celebrate Christmas.

Luke 1:76-79  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. 

Next, Zachariah prophetically spoke of his own son, John the Baptist.

John was a prophet in both senses, in that he proclaimed the mercy from God, announced the baptism of the Holy Spirit; and taught men how to leave their sins in order to find the salvation God promised (See Luke 3:5-14).

John would be the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was to prepare his ways, to be an instrument in the hands of God to turn the hearts of the Israelites to believe in and follow the Lord Jesus.

The words "By the remission of their sins"  refer to a sinner receiving a full pardon or forgiveness from God. 

It means that God will treat a repentant sinner as if he or she had not committed sin. 

God will treat people as His friends if they come to Him by repentance and faith in Christ seeking forgiveness. 

When that is obtained, God is always disposed to treat them with kindness and mercy.

Jeremiah 23:5-6  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The word translated "the day spring" in Luke's gospel connects with the prophet Jeremiah where Messiah is spoken of as God's righteous "branch." 

The Messiah, Jesus Christ is that branch who came from above and who is the bringer of light into a world darkened by sin. 

He is called the bright and morning star, that sun of righteousness, who has light in himself, and gives light to others (See Malachi 4:2; Revelation 22:16).

John's gospel calls Jesus the "logos" or the Word that was with God in the beginning and is God who created all things.

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

Thinking about Jesus as the Light of the world and as the Word of God reminds us of truths connected with scripture (See John 1:1-5; 8:12-30).

The entrance of the Word into our hearts gives light (See Psalm 119:130).

The Word of God lights up obstacles in our path so that we do not trip or fall and it shines a bright beam on the path God wants us to walk on (See Psalm 119:105).

Jesus brings these threads together by saying that those who follow Him will have the light of eternal life, and will no longer walk in darkness.

Thus, He is the dayspring from on high who has visited His people to save them from their sins and enemies.

Luke 1:80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. 

This chapter ends with a simple note about John the Baptist. He grew (physically maturing) and he waxed strong in spirit (Being filled by the Holy Spirit).

He lived in the wilderness and God supplied for his basic needs until He was ready for John to be Christ's forerunner.

This is all part of the Christmas story and much of this truth is intended to remind us of  few important truths.

First, God is always at work even when it seems to us that He is not doing anything to advance His kingdom.

Second, that God is always faithful to keep His promises and to carry out His Word.

Third, that the covenant of salvation was made by God, promised to Abraham and was perfectly and eternally upheld by the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Let us all rejoice in God our savior this Christmas and let us make sure our family and friends know the reason why we observe this holy day.

Bob