I. Birth and naming of John (vv. 57~65)
Finally, when Elizabeth’s days to give birth were fulfilled, she gave birth to a son (v. 57). At that time, many neighbors and relatives heard it and rejoiced together (v. 58). Jews circumcise their sons eight days after birth, and at that time, relatives came and suggested that the child be named Zachariah after his father (v. 59). In modern terms, he would be Zechariah II. However, Elizabeth said that the baby should be named John (v. 60). So the relatives objected, saying that there is no one among her relatives named John (v. 61). Perhaps John's family was a priest's family and their descendants were valuable. So, the relatives were happy that a son was born who would carry on the priest's family line, and they said that of course he should be named Zachariah, which is the name that carries on the priest's family line.
However, Elizabeth insisted that his name be John, as the angel had taught her husband Zechariah. Nevertheless, the relatives did not give in and gestured to the child's father, Zechariah, and asked him what he wanted to name him (v. 62). As we all know, Zachariah went into the temple and offered incense, and when the angel told him that Elizabeth would bear him a son, Zechariah responded in disbelief, asking how he could be sure whether she would have a child since both he and his wife were old and well along in years. So he was punished by not being able to speak or hear until his son was born.
When the relatives asked Zechariah, Zechariah had not even heard Elizabeth say John, but when Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote the name correctly as John, everyone was astonished (v. 63). Perhaps, if Zachariah had chosen to follow his family's tradition, he might have had to continue living as a disabled person. Zachariah was unable to speak because he did not believe the angel's words that he would have a son, but when the second time he obeyed God's will and was named John, his tongue was loosed and he began to speak and praised God (v. 64).
When everyone around them saw this, they were all filled with awe (v. 65). Because people at that time believed in God, but did not actually believe in God's power. However, they thought he was simply unable to speak, but after learning that Zechariah's inability to speak was due to the power of God, they realized that God is alive and working. And they were filled with awe, thinking that if they disobeyed the word of God and were stubborn, they too might become mute like Zechariah. This is how the Holy Spirit moves people's hearts. A person with a heart that is too hard becomes afraid of God when he sees a normal person become unable to speak or see.
II. Expectations for the child (v. 66)
Everyone who heard that Zechariah's child was not named Zachariah but John, and that Zechariah's mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed to speak and praise God took those words to heart. And a feeling of anticipation arose, “What then is this child going to be?” (v. 66). Through baby John, people gained hope that God would do something great. The reason is because “the Lord's hand was with him.” ‘The Lord's hand’ represents the power of God.
Why does God give abilities to young children? He wants to give us hope for the future. Until John was born, the voice of God did not come to Israel for nearly 400 years after the prophet Malachi. Therefore, at the time of John, people were so depressed that they had no hope for the future. However, when people saw the Lord's hand being with young John, they began to have expectations that something amazing would happen in the future.
III. Zechariah’s song (vv. 67~80)
Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy (v. 67). Being filled with the Holy Spirit means that one's personality is filled with the Holy Spirit and governed by the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our faces will be filled with joy, our mouths will praise God, and we will testify the Word of God. Zachariah, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, began to prophesy. ‘Prophesy’ in the Bible does not mean predicting future events. It means speaking and proclaiming the word of God. However, when the prophets of the Old Testament received the word of God and prophesied, there were many words about the Messiah who would come in the future, so it naturally became something that would happen in the future, and people came to understand it only as speaking in advance about future events.
Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and praised “the Lord, God of Israel.” The reason he praised God was not because God gave him a son when he was old. It was because God “has come and has redeemed his people” (v. 68). The original meaning of the word “redemption” refers to purchasing a person who had been sold as a slave and setting them free by paying a ransom. Zechariah spoke about God caring for the Israelites and redeeming them from slavery to sin.
A. First, Zechariah praised God for raising up a horn of salvation in the house of David (vv. 69~71).
Look at verses 69~71. “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.” Zechariah was well aware of the prophecies prophesied throughout the Old Testament that the Messiah would come and save them from the hand of their enemy Satan and all their enemies who hated them, and establish God's kingdom and throne forever. Also, Zachariah heard directly from the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would give birth to a son who would be great in the sight of the Lord and bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God.
Then, when his wife Elizabeth was about six months pregnant, Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, came to greet her. At that time he saw Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, singing, ‘The mother of my Lord should come to me and greeted me, and the child leaped for joy in her womb.’ He also saw Mary praising God and the Savior, the Son of God. And through Mary staying in his house for three months, Zachariah would have learned that Mary conceived a baby by the Holy Spirit and that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Savior, would be born from her body.
That is why Zachariah confidently praised, ‘He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.’ The horn of salvation points to Christ the Savior. And the horn symbolizes strength and authority. Once God saves a person from sin, his power and authority will not be taken away by any force. Those who have been forgiven of their sins and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ can never miss salvation. Amen?
B. Second, Zechariah praised God for the fulfillment of the oath he swore to Abraham, that is, the holy covenant (vv. 72-75).
Look at verses 72~73. “To show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham.” God spoke of giving Abraham an heir born from his body and promised that Abraham's descendants would be as numerous as the stars at the heavens. Abraham believed God's words, and God credited Abraham righteous. Then, God made a covenant with Abraham to confirm his oath. The covenant ceremony appears in Genesis 15. This is the so-called torch covenant. God told Abraham to cut the animals in two and arranged the halves opposite each other. Originally, Abraham and God had to pass between the pieces of animals together, but that night, God made a covenant with Abraham by passing only a smoking fire pot with a blazing torch symbolizing God through the pieces of animals. This meant that if the parties to the covenant did not observe the covenant, they would be cut in two like animals. God knew that Abraham would not be able to observe the covenant.
Not long after Abraham made a covenant with God, he slept with Hagar and gave birth to Ishmael. If Abraham had passed between the pieces of animals, he would have died. However, God had mercy on Abraham, and as he had promised, he granted Isaac through Sarah and Christ, the horn of salvation, to the house of David. And Christ, the Son of God, the Savior, died on the cross in place of Abraham, who broke the covenant.
God made a promise with Christ, the Son of God. When His Son died in obedience to His Father's will, the Father not only promised but also took an oath to save all who believe in His Son's name. That is why Christ suffered death because of this oath of God.
C. Zechariah spoke of God's purpose in saving sinners (vv. 74~75).
Look at verses 74 and 75. “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.” The reason God saved sinners was not so that they could live according to their desires. This is so that we can serve in holiness and righteousness before God forever. We must live our lives serving God with holiness and righteousness throughout our lives. To service can also be translated as worship. This is consistent with offering our bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, making it a form of spiritual act of worship. We serve God through worship. We must live a life of worship serving God through our changed lives.
What is God’s purpose in creating man? Isaiah 43:7 says, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made,” and in Isaiah 43:21, “The people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Therefore, the chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever (Shorter Catechism Q and A. 1). Our greatest blessing is to serve God in the closest place to Him.
D. Zechariah told what his son John's mission was (vv. 76~79).
Look at verse 76. “An 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.” John's mission was to prepare the way for Christ the Savior. In ancient times, before the king came, his servants were sent to prepare everything in advance. It was John's job to first meet people, introduce the Son of God to them, and prepare them to receive the Son of God.
Also look at verse 77. John the Baptist had “to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” Everyone's problem is ultimately a problem of sin. If the problem of sin is not resolved, people have no hope. The problem of sin must be resolved in their relationship with God. Only then will they be saved. This is good news that must be announced to the whole world. Salvation through the forgiveness of sins can only be given by Christ the Savior, the Son of God.
Look at verses 78 and 79. “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.” God has shown mercy to those who cannot solve their sin problems on their own. It was not because we had any merit or qualifications. Salvation through the forgiveness of sins was entirely the grace of God. Because of God's mercy, the rising sun has come to us from heaven. As John 8:12 says, God sent Jesus to this earth as the light of a dark world. Jesus, the light, shined the light of life brightly on those who living in darkness and in the shadow of death. Those who accept the light the Savior Jesus Christ will be guided to the path of peace. Everyone who believes in the Savior Jesus Christ will receive forgiveness of sins and peace will overflow in their hearts.
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Conclusion
John grew physically and spiritually and developed a strong spirit. John grew both spiritually and physically. Before John began his ministry, he lived in the desert. The desert refers to the wilderness west of the Dead Sea in the southern region of Judea. The wilderness makes people's minds simple, away from the world, and deepens their thoughts.
John's father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and praised that the coming of the Savior Christ was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and that God had mercy on sinners and granted them the horn of salvation. And God's purpose of saving sinners and John's mission were clearly stated.
What should be the purpose of our lives? What is our mission? Shouldn’t we serve God and please Him? A person whose hope, reason for life, and ultimate purpose of life is Jesus Christ, who saved us, will never change his hope and joy even if he gets sick, falls, grows old, or even dies. I pray that our lives will be filled with such joy, hope, and love every day.
