You can imagine how exciting this day would have been for this little community. Zechariah had been a faithful priest serving on behalf of the people, but his wife, Elizabeth, had borne reproach for years as everyone knew she was barren. But about four months prior to this day Elizabeth decided to keep herself hidden no longer and word began to spread that she was five months pregnant. They had already known of Zechariah seeing a vision in the temple one day, and maybe now they were putting two and two together. Either way, they were excited as news got out that Elizabeth had actually given birth to a son and now they were bringing their newborn “miracle” child to be circumcised. It was a great day of great celebration.
But there was also some additional drama that took place in addition to these improbable parents having a child, and it revolved around the event of naming the child. Apparently the child had not yet been named until the eighth day as they were bringing him to be circumcised. So as the excited crowd gathered around they wanted him to be called “Zechariah” after his father. Elizabeth, however, refused, saying that he shall be called, “John.” Then they reasoned with Elizabeth, pointing out that no relatives were named John, and when they saw there was no use they spoke with Zechariah. After all, they might be thinking that somehow Zechariah was missing what was going on since he was unable to speak (and apparently unable to hear as well). Therefore, they began making signs to Zechariah, wondering what he wanted to name the child.
Understanding their signs, Zechariah took a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” It’s interesting that he didn’t write, “His name shall be John” but “His name is John.” He knew that God had already named the child, and this was a big deal. To name something means that you have authority over something. That’s why parents name their children; it’s why God calls the stars out by name; it’s why Adam was given the privilege of naming the animals. All of these things demonstrate one’s authority. And Zechariah knew that was the case here. John was God’s child in a special way. God exercised his obvious authority over this child in naming him. John was to be used for God’s purposes. Therefore, Zechariah declares that the decision has already been made; his name is John.
Immediately when Zechariah wrote this, he could all of the sudden speak and hear again. Therefore he spoke, blessing God, the content of which is probably in verses 67-80, which we will look at more in a bit. And fear came upon all the neighbors there.
Now at first we might think that odd. But I think it makes more sense if we consider all that had happened. They knew Zechariah had seen a vision in the temple at least nine months ago and became mute and deaf. Then his old and barren wife became pregnant. Now they were agreeing on this interesting name. And then Zechariah was able to speak, praising God. All those in that moment knew they were witnessing a unique work of God, and God’s unique works are fearful. When you know a miracle of God has taken place in your midst, it’s frightening. It’s a clear reminder that there is someone greater than you out there. That, it seems, is what was taking place here.
Then all these things began to be talked about throughout Judea, and those who heard of these stories wondered aloud about what kind of child John would be. For not only was his conception miraculous and naming unusual, but it was obvious that God’s anointing hand was upon John.
But it is here that Luke takes us back to the content of Zechariah’s praise to God as he is able to speak. It seems Luke wants our focus to be primarily on Zechariah’s words. Therefore that is what we’re going to spend a majority of our time looking at this morning. For this is not simply Zechariah bursting forth with everything he has been thinking over the past nine months as he has been unable to speak (though it is no less than that). It is Zechariah prophesying, as he is filled with the Holy Spirit. And his words tell us what God is doing through the Messiah (who has been conceived in Mary’s womb) and even though Zechariah’s son, John, as he has just been born. Therefore, let’s see what Zechariah’s prophecy tells us about the work of God.
As Zechariah begins to prophesy, he declares in verses 68-71, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.”
The one who had struggled to believe he would have a son is now so confident in the work of the Messiah that Zechariah speaks of God’s work as if it has been completed already. He says that he has visited and redeemed his people. That is, what’s going on with God sending his Son, the Messiah, into the world is that God is visiting his people and redeeming them.
Over and over we read in the Old Testament of God telling his people that he will come to them. In Ezekiel 34 specifically God says both that he will come to his sheep as their servant and that he will send his servant David to them. In the Messiah, God is doing both. God is visiting his people through his son who is of the house of his servant David, even as God had spoken through the holy prophets from of old. After all the waiting and years of anticipation, God is coming to his people through this one who was to be born of Mary.
But why is he coming? Is God coming simply to make sure all is well? Of course not. God knows his people are under the rule of another and in captivity to their sins, so he is coming to redeem them and deliver them.
Zechariah declares that God has visited and redeemed his people and has “raised up a horn of salvation.” A “horn of salvation” is a symbol for power. Zechariah is picturing God coming to his people in the form of a mighty warrior who will redeem his people and save them from the hand of their enemies. That is what salvation is.
Throughout the Scripture salvation is pictured as the deliverance of God’s people through the judgment of their enemies. That’s what we see in the Exodus. It’s what we see throughout the book of Judges. It’s even what we see with David and Goliath. And that’s what Zechariah is picturing here. Zechariah knows that if God’s people are going to be redeemed and delivered, their enemies must be crushed. This had been the promise from the beginning as God had spoken of the serpent having his head crushed. Zechariah is declaring that God was coming to save his people through his Messiah.
Now here we might be tempted to think that Zechariah was off-base, confusing spiritual salvation with the Messiah coming to crush the Romans. And no doubt Zechariah did probably have in mind the Romans as he said this. However, Zechariah was not off-base. Keep in mind, he is prophesying as he is filled with the Spirit. Yes, those who oppose God, his enemies, will not be crushed until the end of the age. Zechariah probably did not understand that. But Zechariah was right; God’s enemies will be judged and God’s people will be saved.
There will come a day when our chief enemies who hold people captive – Satan, sin, and death – will be conquered. They will be crushed by the Messiah. And on that day all of those who have persecuted God’s people and opposed his Son will be crushed by the Son. Zechariah’s words are true. So for all of us who hate the reality of Satan, sin, and death and are aware that our brothers and sisters all over the world are being murdered because of their allegiance to Christ, Zechariah’s prophecy is that salvation is coming. It is sure because the Messiah, the mighty Warrior, the Horn of David has come to visit, redeem, and deliver his people from their enemies.
What then does such a violent picture of God crushing his enemies show us? Interestingly, for those who want to dismiss violence and picture God solely as loving, this violent deliverance displays God’s mercy and faithfulness.
Zechariah continues: “To show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham” (72-73). God’s violent deliverance through his Messiah shows God’s mercy that he promised to Abraham and shows his faithfulness to the covenant.
When we talk about God redeeming his people we must not forget that we too were once his enemies. We made ourselves his enemies, and God decided to show us mercy. We need only think of Hosea and Gomer to get a picture of the redemption we needed. Gomer was unfaithful to her husband, going and sleeping with other men so that she became their possession, one who stood as a mockery to her husband. You can imagine all over town people saying, “Could there be a bigger fool than Hosea. His wife makes a mockery of him.” Yet Hosea went to her and purchased back his unfaithful wife to himself. He did not owe it to her. He showed her mercy.
So with us, God decided that he would show his people mercy, but he didn’t simply decide to show mercy, he made a covenant with Abraham, swearing an oath toward his people that he would show them mercy.
When you’re the one acting mercifully toward another you should not have to swear and oath to that other person. The person should be thankful that you’re simply not giving them their due. But God did swear an oath by himself so that we might know that his mercy to us is sure and constant. Therefore, when Zechariah pictures the Messiah crushing the enemies of God’s people that they might be redeemed, delivered, and saved, he realizes that that violent deliverance is a display of the mercy of God toward us who deserved nothing less than to be crushed ourselves as God’s enemies.
So why then does God show mercy and save us through such a violent act, even crushing the serpent’s head through the agonizing death of his own Son? Zechariah answers that question in verses 74-75.
Zechariah declares: “To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” God redeems us who were his enemies, displaying his mercy promised to Abraham and his offspring so that we might serve him without fear and in holiness and righteousness all our days.
God sent his Son to redeem you and me so that we might serve him. He purchased us for himself. He purchased us so that we might not have to fear God as our dreadful judge any longer but might serve him. And not just serve him, but serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days. Our salvation is a means to the goal of serving God.
What then shall we do who have been redeemed by Christ? For one, we should stop looking at God as one whom we dread in judgment. He has redeemed us so that we might not have to fear his condemnation but can feel free to serve him. So then we serve him all our days, focusing on living a life of purity, obeying the commands of God. That’s what someone who has been converted does. To be converted means that we serve God in holiness and righteousness all our days. It can mean no less, for that’s why God saves someone.
Therefore, we must serve God in this way. Rid ourselves of those things which so easily entangle and distract us and serve him. Feel the freedom to live holy and serve God. You no longer have to worry about the world’s perception of you, for you have been redeemed, indeed purchased, by Christ to serve him all your days. That’s the goal of our salvation.
Then Zechariah’s prophecy turns its focus a bit. He know addresses his own son, John. And as he does this he reminds us of a crucial detail regarding our redemption. After all, with what Mary sang about God judging his enemies and what Zechariah declares here we might think that salvation is simply about God crushing those who hold us captive. We might think our salvation is simply about crushing Satan. But Zechariah reminds us that salvation is chiefly about the forgiveness of sins. In fact, he tells us that this is what John will teach the people as he prepares the way for the coming of the Lord.
Zechariah now speaks to his son, saying, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins” (76-77). John will prepare the way for the coming of the Lord by giving the knowledge of salvation to God’s people. And this salvation will involve the forgiveness of their sins. See, it is true that salvation involves the destruction of Satan, death, and even God’s enemies who despise his Son. That is true. However, we are only held captive to Satan and death because of our sin. And God’s enemies exist only because of sin. Therefore, the chief aspect of our redemption will involve the forgiveness of our sins. Were God to crush Satan and Rome we would still need our sins addressed. This is what God is going to teach the people.
He will come with the message that does not have its primary focus as a call to overthrow Rome, but it will be a call to repentance. He will teach God’s people that they need forgiveness of sins.
This is a good lesson for us. So many times we want to make our chief problems the president, or who’s in congress, or all kinds of things out there. And we think to ourselves that if all those things were changed then life would be good. In fact, the church has done a great job on railing against all those “out there” who need to be judged. But our salvation is not chiefly about those “out there” it’s about our sins. And the church needs to judge itself, looking at our own sins.
What a tragedy it would be if we spent so much of our time focusing on the “Rome” or “Egypt” of our own day without addressing our own sins. We might think we were on our way to gaining the world when we would be on our way to losing our souls.
Salvation is about forgiveness of sins, and we need to be most thankful today not for any ruler in this world but for the fact that Christ has paid for our sins, and because of that we need not fear Satan, death, or the condemnation of God.
Finally, Zechariah shows us that the Messiah will give us hope and show us the way of peace.
Zechariah concludes saying, “Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (78-79).
No doubt Zechariah had in mind the prophecy of the one called “mighty God” coming to those in darkness in Isaiah 9 as well as Malachi’s prophecy of the sun rising with healing in his wings. And he declares that this promised one is coming to show us the way. No rather to be the way, guiding our feet to the way of peace.
Jesus came so that we might have peace with God. He came to reconcile us to God. So not only do we cease to be God’s enemies but become those who are at peace with God. What did God do with the sending of the Messiah, he came to reconcile us to God, by redeeming us from our enemies, paying for our sins, as a demonstration of his promised mercy so that we might serve him without fear and in holiness and righteousness all our days. And next week we will turn to looking at his birth in Luke 2.
However, before we go there let us ponder our response to this text. Let us realize what God has done in Christ and may we praise God for forgiveness of sins, our redemption, and our reconciliation to God. Let that affect you to the point that you are moved by it. Think of the reality of your sin and the judgment that you deserve, and then rejoice in God’s redemption, our reconciliation, and the forgiveness of our sins. Then realize that God will constantly show that mercy to you because he promised to do so and sealed that covenant with the blood of his Son. And finally, realize that you have been saved to serve him. Therefore, may you throw yourself into his serve, serving his church, and knowing that one day you will be able to stand before him and hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” May we declare all of that as we come to the table. Amen.