Anchor My Faith

Title: God Has Visited and Redeemed His People (Luke 1:67-68)

With this lesson we begin the next section, which covers Zechariah’s Prophecy. In the previous lesson we learned that at the time Zechariah wrote out the name of John to be the name of their son, he was again able to talk. We also learned that the hand of the Lord was with John and now we find that: “. . . his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, (Luke 1:67 ESV). Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, enabling him to speak words of prophecy. In Luke 1:41, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and he enabled her to discern that Mary was pregnant with a baby boy who would become Jesus, the Son of God in flesh.

What is the meaning of “prophesied” as used in the New Testament? The word “prophesied” is not limited to just the prediction of future events, as many might think. Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV): “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” In relationship to Zechariah, this would be the meaning. Let us begin our study of what Zechariah prophesied.

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68 ESV). Zechariah begins by praising God for two very great and special benefits which he granted to his people: he visited them and he redeemed them. The word “visited” means “to look upon” in order to know their state of condition and then to visit them for the purpose of providing for their need. God looked upon the world and saw the miserable condition of the people, but he so loved the world that he sent his only Son as a sacrifice to purchase our salvation and thus provide a means of relieving our condition.

In God’s mind redemption has been provided for and is now to come about through the appearance of the Messiah, “the Redeemer.” This redeemer would be sacrificed on the cross in payment for our sin. He would thus be a “ransom” paid. We have sinned and deserve death according to the Law. The Messiah comes and lives a sinless life, and dies in our place as a ransom. God gave his Son, the Messiah, a “ransom” to show his love, his regard for justice, and his willingness to save people. His Son, in his death, was a ransom.

We must not forget that in redeeming us he lifted us out of our miserable condition of lawlessness, to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:12). We are his possession, his servants, to be zealous in our obedience to do good works. Many in the western church seem to think that he purchased us and set us free to enjoy the pleasures of the world with little concern about good works. Let us not forget what follows Ephesians 2:8 – 9 (ESV): “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” I don’t think our walk is very good! What do you think?

Prayer

Father, what a tremendous reason you have given us to bless you; You looked upon us and saw our miserable condition as sinners and out of your love for us, you sent your Son, Jesus, as a ransom to redeem us from our condition. In the process we became your possession, your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. You worked in providing payment for our salvation and in exchange we are to work in obedience, doing that work which you have prepared for us to do. I don’t believe this is taught very clearly in the western church. At least is doesn’t seem to be taken to heart. Father, have mercy on us in judgment.