Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Luke 1:67-75 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us."
CHRIST JESUS, OUR HORN OF SALVATION
Notice the picturesque way that Zechariah portrays the glory of the coming Savior. He says: "[The Lord] has raised up a HORN OF SALVATION for us in the house of His servant David."
The expression "horn of salvation" may sound strange in our ears. What does that mean? The word "horn" (as used in the Benedictus) has nothing to do with those musical instruments made of brass we hear playing in orchestras. It has nothing to do with the horn of plenty baskets we see at Thanksgiving time (symbols of the goodness of our God who provides us with daily bread). Rather, the underlying figure employed here by Zechariah in the Benedictus are the horns that various creatures of the animal kingdom possess, such as rams, oxen, and bulls.
But why would Zechariah use animal horns to describe what God will do for us through Jesus? In Bible times animal horns were used as symbols of superior strength. So the thought Zechariah is conveying to us is this: Just like oxen and rams use their horns to protect themselves from would-be predators, to fight them off, and even to destroy them, so God will raise up for us from the family line of David a super-powerful Savior who will use His might as God's Son to defeat and destroy His enemies and ours. He'll win a resounding and decisive victory for us over the devil, death, and hell by His great work of redemption.
What a sweet thought! How majestic! How comforting! What reason to lift our voices to God, with Zechariah, in a glad song of praise:
Hail to the Lord's anointed, Great David's greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free,
To take away transgression And rule in equity.
He comes with rescue speedy To those who suffer wrong,
To help the poor and needy And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying, Were precious in His sight.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 59:1-2)
