“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days."
Luke 1:68-75 is part of what is called “The Benedictus,” also known as “The Song of Zechariah.” A little background might be helpful. Zechariah was a priest who was married to Elizabeth, a descendent of Aaron and relative of Mary. They were quite old and childless. One day while Zechariah was serving in the Temple, the angel Gabriel appeared before him and told him that Elizabeth would give birth to a son, who was to be named John. John would be a great man who would bring people back to God. Zechariah would not believe this since he and Elizabeth were just too old for this to be true. Gabriel didn’t like that reaction and literally “muted” Zechariah until the day of John’s birth. When Elizabeth gave birth to a son, Zechariah was then able to speak again and spoke the words we have in Luke 1: 68-79 – “The Song of Zechariah.”
In verses 68 through 75, Zechariah reminds us of what God has done in the past. God remembered the covenant God made to Abraham and has redeemed the people and saved them from their enemies. Being rescued from our enemies, we might serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness in all our days. I like how Carolyn Winfrey Gillette puts it in her hymn: “When Old Zechariah Saw What God Had Done”:
You keep what you promise and so we are blest;
In mercy you saved us when we were oppressed.
As Abraham heard you, we’ve heard your call too;
We’re saved, so we’ll serve you in all that we do.
The last eighteen months have been very difficult for all of us. As we approach this Christmas season with its message of “Good News to all the people,” we may feel a little like Zechariah felt when he first heard the news of his wife giving birth: “Are you sure, God?” However, as Zechariah finally realized and proclaimed: God has not forgotten us. We are blest and redeemed. Because of God’s love for us, we can prepare for the coming of the Christ Child with courage, love, and hope. Good News, indeed!
Loving and Gracious God, as we await your coming to us as the Christ Child, help us remember your promise to us that you will never leave us or forsake us. Enable us to live our lives with expectation, love, and gratitude. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. Amen.
Rev. Bill Samford
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