Advent Day 19: Zechariah’s Hymn

Today, we light the Green, Black, Blue and Gold Candles. The Green Candle represents life and all that Father God created in Christ, Good and Whole. The Black Candle represents the Evil and Corruption of Sin that entered our World through our rebellion. The Blue candle represents the Hope that comes from the Promises of a future Savior and King. The Gold candle represents the birth of the long expected King and Savior.

Luke 1:76-79
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,
because of the compassionate 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.”

For nine months Zechariah has been silent, unable to talk. Surely during this time he has been pondering all that has happened, thinking about The Lord’s plans and promises now being fulfilled. No doubt Elizabeth has told him all that has happened to Mary. Perhaps he has now heard Mary’s hymn and praise.

Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son is born and when asked what he would be named, Elizabeth says “John.” But the people question her because none of their family had that name. Surely they would have named him “Zechariah” after his father. Zechariah then writes on a tablet, “His name is John!” Zechariah has learned his lesson.

Immediately, Zechariah is able to speak again:

Luke 1:67–79
1:67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for He has visited and redeemed his people
1:69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
1:70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
1:71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
1:72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
1:73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
1:74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve Him without fear,
1:75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
1:76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,
1:77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
1:78 because of the compassionate mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 Zechariah’s son John would be the one to prepare the way for the Lord. John would work in the spirit and power of Elijah just as Gabriel had announced, in fulfillment of the prophecies of Malachi.

Zechariah now realizes that his son John would play a major role in the fulfillment of the Lord’s plans and purposes. And now Zechariah himself prophesies about what is to come: The Lord had visited His people and redeemed them. Although this has not taken place in full yet, Zechariah – like Mary – states it as if has already happened – faithful hope.

Zechariah touches on several major themes that have been developing in the Lord’s plans: The promises to David, the promises to Abraham, the giving of light to those who sit in darkness… The time of fulfillment had come.

The Lord has raised up a “horn of salvation from the house of David.” The “horn” – like the horns of a bull – is a symbol of power and strength. The Lord was sending the Son, the Seed of David to bring salvation to Israel. Just as he had promised David and just as the prophets had foretold, a day would come when Israel would be set free from its enemies and all that hate them.

And just as He had promised to Abraham and made an oath and covenant with him, The Lord was now sending the One who would allow Israel to serve God without fear in holiness and righteousness forever. The Lord had promised the Land to Abraham and his “seed.” He had promised David that one day the people of Israel would live in true peace, free from all their enemies. Zechariah remembered the Lord’s promises. The day would come when all these things would be fulfilled.

John would be the Prophet of the Most High, preparing His way. John would be the last prophet of the “old age” who prepared the way for The Prophet like Moses – Jesus – who would lead the people in truth and righteousness. All that the Lord has promised was now beginning to be fulfilled.

Zechariah also realizes why the Lord had done and would do these marvelous things: to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,… because of the compassionate mercy of our God…” Because of the Lord’s great, compassionate mercy, His promises would be fulfilled. Like Mary, Zechariah looks forward to this new age that the Savior and King would usher in – an age in which the Lord God’s grace and mercy rule.

In the days to come, Zechariah’s son John would preach to the crowds about repentance and forgiveness of sins. He would call Israel to reorient all their thinking to understand that the Lord was doing a new work in their midst. He would call the people to be baptized, identifying themselves with the Lord’s new family.

John would come before and prepare the way for The Lord.

And not long after the birth of John, The Lord would be born.