Luke 1 Meditations (Pt 9)

Luke 1:67-68 (ESV)

[67] And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

[68] “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people

These verse begin Zechariah’s prophecy in Luke 1. This prophecy takes place immediately after Zechariah indicates what John’s name should be at his circumcision. He had been mute for almost a year, from the time the angel Gabriel met him in the temple until the time of John’s circumcision. His first recorded words were this prophecy that starts, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.” It ends, “because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us  from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk 1:78-79).

Zechariah’s prophecy is presented in chiastic form. A chiasm is a literary tool used to bring attention to a particular thought, concept, or idea. Chiasms are used throughout the Scriptures. Chiasms start and end with the same idea. They work to the middle, which is usually the main idea, and then work out to the end paralleling the earlier part of the chiasm. A chiasm might look like this: A B C C B A. Zechariah’s prophecy develops like this:

 

A-Visitation – 68

B-Salvation – 69

C-Prophets – 70

D-Enemies – 71

E-Covenant – 72

E’-Oath – 73

D’-Enemies – 74-75

C’-Prophet – 76

B’-Salvation – 77

A’-Visitation – 78-79

 

At the heart of the chiasm is God’s covenant or oath which he gave to the people of Israel. Which oath or covenant? God made a covenant with David that one of his descendants would sit on his throne forever. He made a covenant with Israel under Moses that he would bless them if they kept his law and curse them if they neglected his law. But it is the covenant with Abraham that Zechariah goes back to. The covenant that promised three things. First, Abraham’s descendants would inherit that land. Second, he would have a great many descendants. But it is the third promise the is especially important. He promised that he would bless all the families, tribes, or clans of the world through Abraham. “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:3). That is the covenant that Zechariah is referring to.

So what does the birth of John the Baptist have to do with that covenant? He is the one who will introduce Messiah. Many Jews believed that Messiah would come simply to give Israel freedom from foreign oversight. They would have a king that would rule over them and lead them to victory against their enemies. They failed to understand how God’s blessing would flow out to all the families of the earth. They failed to look beyond themselves. It is through the gospel of salvation by grace through faith on the basis of the death and resurrection of Messiah that blessing would flow to all the world. But they didn’t see it.

It makes me wonder how often we have been so focused on our own little world that we fail to see what God is up to. How often are we so concerned about church budgets and church growth that we fail to see the bigger picture of God at work in the world. We are so concerned with our own safety and comfort that we fail to look out and see God’s bigger plan. God is the covenant keeper. He will keep his word. He kept his covenant to Israel by sending his Son. He is fulfilling that covenant by taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.

This Christmas season are we more concerned about our own comfort more than the hurts and needs of a broken world? Are we more concerned about the fact that we can’t have our normal Christmas parties and Christmas activities than about the fact that there are people around us who need the hope of Christ? God will keep his covenant. We have the choice of whether we will be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. With Zechariah, may we too say, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. . . . to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”(Lk 1:68, 79).