Monday, December 15, 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-- to show mercy to our fathers 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."
PRAISE GOD FOR KEEPING HIS GOSPEL PROMISE!
This passage (known as "The Benedictus") is one of the loveliest songs in the Bible. It was spoken under inspiration of the Spirit by Zechariah, a priest of God, the father of John the Baptist. It's a true Advent song for it speaks of the redemption to be accomplished by the Savior whose birth we are preparing to celebrate.
The word "Benedictus" is a Latin word meaning "to praise." Zechariah begins his song by doing just that. He praises "the Lord, the God of Israel." He feels constrained to praise Him because he sees a new era approaching in the history of God's people. He sees the blessings which the Savior will bestow on him and all believers. He's sure of it! He knows it beyond a doubt! God won't forget His people but give them His loving attention and tender care. He will come to redeem them. He will rescue them from their enemies and from the hand of all who hate them. An especially marvelous thing when we consider he wasn't talking about a rescue from mere human foes. He wasn’t speaking about the oppression which citizens of Israel were suffering at the hands of Rome. No, the deliverance Zechariah was referring to was more wonderful than that! He was talking about the spiritual deliverance God would work for His people, rescue from Satan and all his evil hosts. He would save them from their sins and the last great enemy, death.
No wonder Zechariah was was filled with joy as he turned over these truths in his mind. No wonder he was moved to break forth in a jubilant song of praise. As those who share the faith of Zechariah we want to add our voices to his. We want to join him in singing to our Redeemer our happy songs during Advent and throughout the church year just begun.
