Zechariah’s Prophecy
TRANSLATION
(67) And his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, (68) “Praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people! (69) He has raised up for us a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David (70) (as he said through his holy prophets long ago), (71) to save us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, (72) to show the mercy promised our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, (73) the oath which he swore to our father, Abraham, (74) and to grant us deliverance from the hand of our enemies so that we might serve him without fear, (75) in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
(76) “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, (77) to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins (78) because of the tender mercy of our God, by whom the rising sun will visit us from heaven (79) to shine on those who have lived in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.”
(80) And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day when he appeared publicly to Israel.
OBSERVATIONS
After an extended time of silence, Zechariah’s mouth was filled with a prophecy of redemption by the power of the Holy Spirit. Specifically, his message described the role his son would play in preparing the way for the coming of the long-awaited Messiah. Repetitions in this segment included “father/fathers” (vss. 67, 72, & 73), “Israel,” (vss. 68 & 80), “prophets/prophet” (vss. 70 & 76), “our enemies” (vss. 71 & 74), “mercy” (vss. 72 & 78), and “child” (vss. 76 & 80).
OUTLINE
Zechariah prophesied…
– that God would raise up a Savior for Israel from David’s line. (67-75)
– that Zechariah’s son, John, would prepare the way before him. (76-80)
IDEA STATEMENT
God fulfilled his covenant promises to Israel by raising up a Savior from David’s line for whom Zechariah’s son, John, would serve as a herald, preparing the way before him.
APPLICATION
The faithful remnant in Israel had been waiting for God to communicate with his chosen people for many generations. Bible students call the period between the closing of the Old Testament and the opening of the New “the 400 silent years.” After Malachi’s prophecy, God would not communicate by means of inspired prophetic utterance until Mary, Elizabeth, and Zechariah were empowered by the Holy Spirit to declare what God was doing in this first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. Just as Zechariah’s inability to speak for many months finally came to an end so God’s long silence was likewise ended by these revelations of God’s plans for his chosen people through the coming of the one who would be introduced by Zechariah’s son, John.
We likewise live in hope of promises that have long awaited fulfillment. The Second Coming of Christ was eagerly anticipated by those who had witnessed the events of his death and resurrection. The early church never dreamed that his return might be delayed by hundreds, even thousands of years. Peter addressed this concern in the third chapter of his second epistle. He encouraged those who were waiting not to be disheartened by skeptics who ask, “Where is the promise of his coming” (2 Pet. 3:4)? Peter then assured his readers: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). As in the days of Zechariah, we await the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises which he made many generations ago. Just as Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his son born after a considerable delay, so we will see God’s Word come to fruition when the time is right.