Zechariah’s Prophecy and Praise

There are times when we have been shut down and forced to draw within ourselves and draw closer to God. I have been there where God put me in time out and my only response was to seek Him for my release. Zechariah found himself silenced because of his lack of faith in what God told him that He was about to do. When Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth was pregnant after years of not being able to have a child, Zechariah didn’t believe that word from God. God silenced Zechariah for his lack of faith. During that period of silence, Zechariah saw God fulfilling His promise. Zechariah responded in faith by naming his son John, in obedience to what God instructed him to do. From this act of faith and obedience, Zechariah was released from his silence by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 67-80), and immediately uttered praise unto God. The Holy Spirit also enabled Zechariah to speak prophetically about the impending arrival of Jesus. I pray that God opens us up during this season of Advent to see and praise His faithfulness to His promises and to confidently proclaim the arrival of Christ. Amen


His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. (Luke 1:67-75)

God made Zechariah unable to speak (Luke 1:19-20) during his wife’s (Elizabeth) pregnancy.  But now that the child, John, was born, Zechariah was released from his silence. Zechariah’s first words were spoken in praise of God. His lack of faith had caused God to silence him. But now as God released him from his silence, the Holy Spirit caused him to offer up praise unto God.  And Zechariah’s praise was prophetic. It looked ahead and praised God for the impending arrival of Jesus, our savior.   Jesus, the one that the prophets had spoken of and the one who God promised to Abraham (Gen. 22:15-18) that would rescue Israel and bless all people.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79)

Having praised God for sending a savior, now Zechariah spoke prophetically about the calling that God placed on his son’s (John) life.  John’s life’s calling from God was to prepare the hearts and minds of Israel to be responsive spiritually to the ministry of salvation offered by Jesus.

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1:80)

John, grew up and became strong in the spirit. The scripture in Luke 1 closes with the indication that John began taking steps to fulfill his calling. And God’s promise and Zechariah’s prophetic words began to come to fruition.

Zechariah praised God’s faithfulness and faithfully proclaimed God’s calling on his son John’s life. He believed the word from God that John would prepare the hearts and minds of Israel for Jesus’ ministry of salvation. In the process, Zechariah also prophetically praised God for the arrival of Jesus, the one God promised to Abraham who would rescue Israel from her enemies and bless all people. During this time of Advent, we have a choice whether we believe God and His promises. Whether we will be silent or whether we will proclaim the promises of God. Jesus promised that He would return. And we who are followers of Christ, should be proclaiming Jesus’ salvation and anticipating His arrival again on earth. During this Advent season, let the praise of Zechariah, become our praise to God for Jesus…. and let us rejoice in anticipation of Jesus’ arrival again! Amen

Blessings, Rev. Glenn

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