December 15 – Luke 1:67-80. The Child – A Prophet.

December 15 – Luke 1:67-80. The Child – A Prophet.

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 


 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 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 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. 


And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 


And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

I read these words and can barely get through them without emotion. To know that the Lord is coming to earth, that this small boy will proclaim His coming, to understand that John will call the people of Israel to repentance in preparation for the Lord and to believe that these signs will bring peace.

Zechariah was given a prophecy that would be fulfilled in his son’s lifetime – by that very son.

I know that many of you, as parents, pray for your children. While I know my parents prayed for me, I remember a specific time when I was in the hospital and they expected me to die and if I lived, to have such a weakened heart, I wouldn’t be able to function.  They spent a great deal of time beside my hospital bed in prayer.

Zechariah and Elizabeth had a charge for their son from God.  Their prayers were constant and they brought him up to understand the will of God and how he fit within it.  It began with a message from an angel and now … a prophecy from God.  John grew in the spirit from the moment he was conceived.  Zechariah and Elizabeth dedicated themselves to the Lord’s will, for themselves and for their son.  This boy would proclaim the coming of the Lord!