67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with
the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for
us In the house of His servant David, 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy
prophets, Who have been since the world began, 71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us, 72 To perform the mercy promised to
our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to our father
Abraham: 74 To
grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him
without fear, 75 In
holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 “And you, child, will be called the
prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare
His ways, 77 To give
knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With
which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” 80 So the child grew and became strong in
spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
With Zacharias’ tongue loosed, he now being filled with the Holy Spirit of God praises Him, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people…,” vs. 67 Zacharias’ then is seeing into the future well beyond John’s yet to be ministry and right into time of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Visitation and Redemptive Ministry and Work. For it is through Jesus and through Him alone that God has both visited and redeemed His people. Now the visitation has already happened (but then was still to occur) and so the Redemption is now an ongoing occurrence to us all who believe in Him, and will be completed for all of Israel at the end of the Tribulation Period before Christ’s Return. Zachariah’s Spiritual vision and clarity of thought and faith is astounding, for he is now praising God for things that were yet to occur as though they already had!
Vs. 69 "And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,"
Now the expression that God has raised up a “horn of salvation for us” is
like saying God has raised up a for us a Strong Savior and Anointed One in the
house of David; that is God in accordance with His Word through the lineage of
David has raised up for us His salvation to save not only Israel but also all
of us who believe in Him. Zacharias then is not referring to John his new born son,
but only Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Vs. 70 "As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,"
God throughout history has spoken of these days through His holy prophets, prophets who have been since the world began, thus Zacharias is praising God for having in every generation of mankind his prophets who both believe and declare His Word and His Truth.
Vs. 71 "That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,"
All of God’s elect, in every generation, have always been and will always be the objects of this world’s wrath, ridicule, and scorn (see Heb. 11; Rev. 16:6, 17:6). Zacharias then clearly seeing into the future sees another aspect of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Redemption and Salvation and that is both our and Israel’s permanent deliverance from all those who hate us (see Jude 14; Rev. 19:11-21- 20:4-15).
Zacharias now declares Johns purpose, to be the prophet of the Highest (that is Elijah who is to come, who must first declare the Lords Arrival to His people before His Revealing to them (see Matt. 11:14); just as the angel first prophesied of him (Luke 1:17), thus to be the one to go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways before Him (Malachi 3:1; Matt. 3:3).
Vs. 77-79 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
John’s purpose, life, and ministry then was focused and rooted in preparing God’s people for the Lord Jesus Christ’s Arrival (vs. 77-78). For it is through Jesus Christ and Him alone that the tender mercies of our God come to us, through His salvation purchased for us all, by His own shed blood and death on the Cross, by which we now have remission of all our sins the moment we believe in Him (Eph. 1:13-14). Therefore, Zachariah foretells that John is: “To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;” vs. 77-78
The Dayspring from on high then is God Himself in the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ who brings light and life to every person and soul who believes in Him, freeing them from the shackles and chains of their sins and Satan and all the evil powers of darkness which hold the whole world under their sway and influence. Verse seventy-nine then shifts from John’s purpose to fully Christ’s who alone is: “To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Matt. 4:16). The Lord Jesus Christ then came to penetrate the darkest recesses of our souls and shine His glorious light where once there was nothing but hopelessness and despair, bringing with Him everlasting life and light, filling us with God’s love, joy, peace, and hope for you and me and all who believe and receive Him as their own!
Vs. 80 “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
After Zacharias prophesy John the Baptist grew from a child into man and the Scripture says he became strong in spirit (that is he became strong in his convictions) and was in the deserts (similar to Elijah who likewise dwelt in the remote regions or wilderness) till the day of his manifestation to Israel. John’s manifestation then being when God commanded him to go and begin baptizing people to prepare them for the Lord Jesus Christ’s Arrival (John 1:29-34).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
Commentary
Vs. 67-68 67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with
the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people, With Zacharias’ tongue loosed, he now being filled with the Holy Spirit of God praises Him, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people…,” vs. 67 Zacharias’ then is seeing into the future well beyond John’s yet to be ministry and right into time of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Visitation and Redemptive Ministry and Work. For it is through Jesus and through Him alone that God has both visited and redeemed His people. Now the visitation has already happened (but then was still to occur) and so the Redemption is now an ongoing occurrence to us all who believe in Him, and will be completed for all of Israel at the end of the Tribulation Period before Christ’s Return. Zachariah’s Spiritual vision and clarity of thought and faith is astounding, for he is now praising God for things that were yet to occur as though they already had!
Vs. 69 "And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,"
Vs. 70 "As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,"
God throughout history has spoken of these days through His holy prophets, prophets who have been since the world began, thus Zacharias is praising God for having in every generation of mankind his prophets who both believe and declare His Word and His Truth.
Vs. 71 "That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,"
All of God’s elect, in every generation, have always been and will always be the objects of this world’s wrath, ridicule, and scorn (see Heb. 11; Rev. 16:6, 17:6). Zacharias then clearly seeing into the future sees another aspect of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Redemption and Salvation and that is both our and Israel’s permanent deliverance from all those who hate us (see Jude 14; Rev. 19:11-21- 20:4-15).
Vs.
72-75 72 To
perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The
oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from
the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him
all the days of our life.
Zacharias now recalls God’s mercy promised
to Israel’s fathers (vs. 72-73), that is too Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (whose name is Israel) and thus
His holy covenant to his descendants, the oath which he swore to Abraham (see
Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-6; 17:1-27; 22:15-19; then too Isaac, Gen. 26:3-5; then too
Jacob, Gen. 28:10-17; Jer. 33:22 etc.) That God would both save and establish Israel
forever (Isaiah 54:1-17; Jer. 31:35-37; 33:19-22; Ezekiel 37:21-28 etc.). And
so, it is in being delivered from their enemies that they might serve Him
without fear, “In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days
of our life.” (consider Genesis 18:19). Something which every Godly person likewise desires to do, to be able to serve God without fear
and in peace, in all manner of righteousness and holiness. No longer oppressed,
hounded, and harassed by the ungodly and unbelieving (2 Tim. 3:12).
Vs. 76 “And
you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before
the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
Zacharias now declares Johns purpose, to be the prophet of the Highest (that is Elijah who is to come, who must first declare the Lords Arrival to His people before His Revealing to them (see Matt. 11:14); just as the angel first prophesied of him (Luke 1:17), thus to be the one to go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways before Him (Malachi 3:1; Matt. 3:3).
Vs. 77-79 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
John’s purpose, life, and ministry then was focused and rooted in preparing God’s people for the Lord Jesus Christ’s Arrival (vs. 77-78). For it is through Jesus Christ and Him alone that the tender mercies of our God come to us, through His salvation purchased for us all, by His own shed blood and death on the Cross, by which we now have remission of all our sins the moment we believe in Him (Eph. 1:13-14). Therefore, Zachariah foretells that John is: “To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;” vs. 77-78
The Dayspring from on high then is God Himself in the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ who brings light and life to every person and soul who believes in Him, freeing them from the shackles and chains of their sins and Satan and all the evil powers of darkness which hold the whole world under their sway and influence. Verse seventy-nine then shifts from John’s purpose to fully Christ’s who alone is: “To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Matt. 4:16). The Lord Jesus Christ then came to penetrate the darkest recesses of our souls and shine His glorious light where once there was nothing but hopelessness and despair, bringing with Him everlasting life and light, filling us with God’s love, joy, peace, and hope for you and me and all who believe and receive Him as their own!
Vs. 80 “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
After Zacharias prophesy John the Baptist grew from a child into man and the Scripture says he became strong in spirit (that is he became strong in his convictions) and was in the deserts (similar to Elijah who likewise dwelt in the remote regions or wilderness) till the day of his manifestation to Israel. John’s manifestation then being when God commanded him to go and begin baptizing people to prepare them for the Lord Jesus Christ’s Arrival (John 1:29-34).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
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