Zacharias’ Song
In the larger biblical account of the birth of Jesus we read also about the birth of John the Baptist, after which another song of Christmas was voiced, by John’s father.
The occasion was the formal naming of the son born to Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth in the twilight of their lives. While performing his priestly duties, Zacharias was visited by an angel who announced the forthcoming conception and birth of a son. The aged priest was instructed by the angel to give him the name John. When Zacharias requested proof of the miraculous promise of a son in his old age — unwilling to simply accept the angel’s message — Zacharias was rendered unable to speak until the day when he officially named his son John.
When the infant was presented for the official naming ceremony, apparently everyone presumed he would be named after his father. In careful obedience to his instructions from the angel of the Lord, Zacharias, though still unable to speak, wrote emphatically on a tablet that his son would be called John.
In that act of obedience, the ability to speak was restored to the aged priest, and his first words were praise: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel” (Luke 1:68). “Blessed” in the Latin translation has served to give the title “Benedictus” to Zacharias’ song. As with Mary’s song last week, so this week we seek to identify some theological truths suggested by Zacharias.
Praise and prophecy
His song was in two parts. The first was praise, while the second was prophecy. Like all true Christian praise, that voiced by Zacharias was enabled by the Holy Spirit (v. 67). Expressed in poetic language and filled with figures of speech, the praise portion has to do with what God was about to do in sending the promised Messiah (vv. 68–75). Being so sure that what God promises He is faithful to do, Zacharias praised God in the past tense for what was at the time still in the future — the birth of Jesus.
The second part of the song was prophecy, directed toward his infant son (vv. 76–79) who was to be the forerunner of the Messiah, announcing salvation and the forgiveness of sins through God’s mercy. That salvation would guide people’s feet “into the way of peace” (v. 79).
Grateful songs of praise often follow great acts of God. Such was the case with Mary’s song and then with Zacharias’. Will this holy season find us lifting songs of praise to God for His gracious and mighty works?
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