Bible Studies
“Blessed Be the Lord God of Israel” (Lk. 1:67-79)
Series: Additional StudiesIntroduction:
1. Reading Lk. 1:5-17. 2. This passage defines who Zacharias and Elizabeth are and the place that their son, later to be named John, will occupy in the plan of God. 3. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord. I believe that it was about the deliverance that God had promised that Zacharias was praying in the temple (1:13). 4. When John was born the people recognized that the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. 5. Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied. He praised God in profound language testifying that God had accomplished the promised redemption among His people. 6. I would like to review his prophecy with you, reflect upon the force of what he is saying and call upon you to accept the reality of God’s activity in the affairs of men.Discussion:
I. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people.”A. Thanksgiving, praise and worship flows from the mouth of Zacharias.
1. Note that this is his initial statement, his thesis, the premiere statement of all he has to say.
2. A similar statement is made by Paul in Eph. 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
3. When men are awed by the majesty of God’s activity in their affairs praise is the natural response.
B. That this is what is happening to Zacharias is evident in the next statement. “God has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people.”
1. I believe this is what Zacharias was praying for in the temple (Lk. 1:13).
a. Some might think he is praying for a son. You do not understand the Zacharias I see in this text. He is not focused on the blessing a son would be to him.
b. He is praying for God to act in behalf of the people of Israel to bring about the promised deliverance.
2. This is why God responded with an angel announcing God’s intervention. When we resign ourselves to God’s will we can expect immediate response.
3. What are you praying for? Cf. James 4:3. Are you praying for the accomplishment of God’s promises? Are you praying with selfish motives?
4. Note that his statements are in the past tense. “God has visited us. He has accomplished redemption.” But Jesus is still on the horizon. For John it is as good as done, so sure is his conviction in God’s word.
C. Others in Israel have an expectation of redemption.
1. Simeon was “looking for the consolation of Israel” (Lk. 2:25ff).
2. Anna also, along with others were “looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Lk. 2:38).
3. The people may have had different expectations about what this would mean, but they recognized it meant the coming of the Messiah and a new situation for Israel.
4. That brings us to the next statement in Zacharias’ discourse.
II. “God has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant” (69).A. The horn in Scripture is a symbol of strength and power (Psa. 18:2; cf. 1 Sam. 2:1, 10; Psa. 89:17).
1. In this case, as in every case where God raises up a horn, it is an invincible power.
2. It is a horn of salvation.
a. National physical deliverance from the oppression of Rome? Some may have had such an expectation (cf. Matt. 2:16ff).
b. But such is not the nature of this salvation (cf. Jn. 18:36).
B. That the horn of salvation is raised up in the house of David harks back to the promises of the O.T. (v. 70) Ex. 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Psa. 132:10-12, 17; 89:3-4, 35-36.
1. Luke takes great pains to trace the lineage of Jesus through David (Lk. 3:31).
2. In Acts he places Jesus on the throne of David (Acts 2:30; 13:23).
C. Zacharias interprets the message of the prophets as a message of “salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us” (71).
1. Is he referring to a specific passage?
2. Perhaps not, but to the overall thrust of what the prophets said.
3. Does he refer to a nationalistic physical deliverance? Evidently Zacharias does no see it that way. In the rest of his statement he refers to
a. God showing mercy (v. 72).
b. God remembering His covenant, the covenant of Abraham (vs. 72-73).
c. God giving His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins (v. 77).
4. Evidently the message of salvation involves a personal deliverance from sin, a spiritual deliverance, not a nationalistic military deliverance.
5. This is the interpretation given by the apostles to the Abrahamic promise (Cf. Acts 3:25; Gal. 3:8, 16ff).
6. It is a deliverance that involves “serving Him without fear” (74).
a. Not just about our personal deliverance from sin.
b. It is about being delivered to serve Him.
c. Some are clear on their desires for personal deliverance, but not so clear on the results of that deliverance. Cf. Eph. 2:10. We are not just forgiven, but forgiven to serve. Service is the natural result springing from thanksgiving for forgiveness. Too many think “I will be forgiven because of my service.” We do not serve in order to be forgiven. We are forgiven and then serve.
III. “You child (John), will be called the prophet of the Most High” (76).A. The identification of the Most High is made clear in Lk. 1:32.
1. “But there seems to be some confusion.” Is the Most High God as Lk. 1:32 suggests or is the Most High Jesus?
2. If we make the Most High God, John then is the prophet of God and Mal. 3:1 has God saying, “I am going to send My messenger.”
3. Seems simple enough. But then Mal. 3:1 adds, “He will clear the way before Me.”
4. No real separation can be made. John will go on “before the Lord to prepare His ways.” The ways of Jesus? Yes. But the ways of “God with us,” the ways of the Most High.
B. Zacharias makes three observations about His coming (77-79).
1. He is coming to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins (77)
a. Observe the place of knowledge and therefore communication in the work of the Messiah. Thus, He is our Teacher and we His disciples (cf. Matt. 28:19-20).
b. Prophecied in Dan. 2:3.
2. He is coming because of the tender mercy of our God (78a).
a. It is the very nature of God that prompted the coming of the Lord.
b. Without His disposition of extending mercy there would have been no visitation to accomplish redemption (Lk. 1:68).
3. He is coming to shine upon us as the Sun to guide our feet in the way of peace (78b-79).
a. His coming was a day of wrath upon every evildoer (Mal. 4:1).
b. But for those who fear Him His day is the rising of the sun (Mal. 4:2).
c. And if you think these passages in Malachi have no bearing note Mal. 4:5-6.
d. Zacharias then seems to allude to a passage like Isa. 9:2, Messianic in nature (note 9:6-7), regarding a light shining upon those in darkness.
III. There are many challenging things in Zacharias’ statement.A. It is his testimony that God has visited us. Some deny His existence and that He has visited us.
B. That He has accomplished redemption for His people. Some would scoff at this.
C. That He has raised a horn of salvation. Some deny the need of salvation denying such a thing as sin.
D. That this was foretold by the prophets. Some find the prediction of the future impossible.
E. That it involves the covenant with Abraham.
F. That we are responsible to serve Him. Some deny responsibility to God.
G. That John was sent to prepare the way for the Most High God.
H. That Jesus brought the knowledge of salvation.
I. That it occurred because of the tender mercy of God.
J. That what He has revealed is to guide us into the way of peace.
Conclusion:
1. Do you accept the testimony of Zacharias as true? 2. Do you see the witness of Luke as true? 3. Do you discredit and dismiss them as superstitious, uninformed and naive? Or do you dismiss them as deliberate deceivers?
