Glimpse of Things to Come
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
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.”
Luke 1: 67-79
Zechariah was filled with Holy Spirit. We have already seen his wife, Elizabeth filled with Holy Spirit, now Zechariah was filled, and he prophesied as well! This is a picture of a glimpse of things to happen within the church, and through the salvific and abundant life-giving ministry of Jesus Christ.
Zechariah was mute for a season, but now he was poised with the Spirit of God inside of Him prophesying over his son. In the book of Acts we see people become filled with Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. From that point on, we see people who are saved by Jesus walking in a relationship and talking and responding to Holy Spirit.
There are many truths in this prophetical passage of Zechariah, but before we get to that, it is important that we acknowledge that God was opening the mouth of His mute people. He was beginning to give them a voice once again, for His glory.
Being able to see Zechariah go from mute to momentous is encouraging for us. Because the one he was prophesying that his son would make a way for, is living inside us. Jesus, has given us Holy Spirit. We walk and talk with God all the time. We can speak life married with truth into one another. We are not a mute and powerless people. We are children of God, filled with His Spirit.
We see only but a glimpse of what we can walk in everyday with the Spirit in this passage. God is so faithful, that He did not leave this earth with His children wandering. He left this earth with His Spirit in ministry and in fellowship with all who call upon the name of Jesus. Respond to your faithful Father today. He has given you the hope of new life in Jesus. And Jesus, has given you the power and promise for today, through His Spirit. Take and enjoy immeasurable, for that is how He gives of Himself. Do not walk or talk on your own power and faithfulness. Rest in His faithful and completed work.
Nate Staton 