WEDNESDAY December 18, 2024

A Priest of Praise and Prophecy

Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us….”
Luke 1:67-71

Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit, not only praised the Lord God of Israel, but he also prophesied. He spoke of God’s visitation among His people. Their Messiah, the Horn of Salvation, is a reference to Christ who will be born through the royal lineage of David: There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon Himself His crown shall flourish (Psalm 132:17-18).

Zacharias praised God for Israel’s redemption and salvation. God would rescue them from their enemies. God’s promises were well known among Israel because God had spoken His promises to them through the prophets since the world began.

God, in His mercy, would bring all His promises to pass. God does not lie. He had given His Word to His servant Abraham. Therefore, for Israel, there was a perpetual hope. One day, they would be delivered from the hands of their enemies. Luke 1:72-75 NIV, describes how God’s people look forward to a bright day when they could serve the Lord without fear:

...to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Israel is still surrounded by enemies who hate her. On November 25, Hezbollah fired 250 rockets into Israel. As Christians, it is our duty to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God’s promises are sure. Christ was born; Christ died for our sin; and when Christ returns, He shall save Israel from her enemies and bring everlasting peace.

It is a merry Christmas all the year round to a soul that has an unstaggering faith in the promises of the blessed God.
~Charles Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!