December 10th - Zechariah's Prophecy : Benedictus

 

Passage: Zechariah’s Prophecy: Benedictus

⁶⁷ Then Zechariah was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit and he prophesied, saying: ⁶⁸ “Praise be to the exalted Lord God of Israel, for he has seen us through eyes of grace and he comes as our Hero-God to set us free!

⁶⁹ He appears to us as a mighty Saviour, a trumpet of redemption from the house of David, his servant,

⁷⁰ Just as he promised long ago by the words of his holy prophets.

⁷¹ They prophesied he would come one day and save us from every one of our enemies and from the power of those who hate us. 

⁷² Now he has shown us the mercy promised to our ancestors, for he has remembered his holy covenant. 

^73–75 He has rescued us from the power of our enemies! This fulfils the sacred oath he made with our father Abraham (Gen 12:1-3). Now we can boldly worship God with holy lives, living in purity as priests in his presence every day!

⁷⁶ And to you I prophesy, my little son, you will be known as the prophet of the glorious God. For you will be a forerunner, going before the face of the Master, Yahweh, to prepare hearts to embrace his ways. 

⁷⁷ You will preach to his people the revelation of salvation life the cancellation of all our sins, to bring us back to God.

⁷⁸ The splendour light of heaven’s glorious sunrise is about to break upon us in holy visitation, all because the merciful heart of our God is so very tender.

⁷⁹ The word from heaven will come to us with dazzling light to shine upon those who live in darkness, near death’s dark shadow. And he will illuminate the path that leads to the way of peace.” ⁸⁰ Afterward, their son grew up and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit and he grew in his love for God. John chose to live in the lonely wilderness until the day came when he was to be displayed publicly to Israel (Luke 1:67-80).

Prophecies about John the Baptist

³ A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:3-5).

 

3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty (Malachi 3:1). 

Ponder:

Zechariah prophesies about Jesus’ purpose, as a mighty Saviour, a trumpet of redemption, how he would come one day and save us.  He also prophesies about John as a prophet and forerunner bringing people back to God.

“Here two great promises of God – one to Abraham (v73) and one to David (v69-70) -are alluded to as being realized in the events surrounding these two new-borns.”**

 21.09.07BC -15.01.06BC

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord for revealing Jesus as our mighty Saviour, a trumpet of redemption, how he came to save us.  Thank you for John, sent as a prophet and forerunner in bringing people back to God. Lord, find us to be like John, willing to signpost people to Jesus this day and forever. Amen.

*(The Jesus Diary – The Most Comprehensive Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God)

** Luke: The NIV Application commentary from Biblical Text to Contemporary Life: Darrell L. Brock – Quotations (moving forward) will be from this source and The Matthew Commentary Collection by Wilkins, Osborne and McKnight.