The angel Gabriel had come to announce the work the Lord would do. It came first as an answer to the personal prayer of Zechariah and Elizabeth and then as a promise to Mary in Luke 1:35 “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you”. As this word from heaven came into their lives, there was also a tangible presence, the Holy Spirit. There was power to fulfill the word and as Zechariah burst forth with prophetic word, his message confirms what we as Christians know about God, in Luke 1:68 “the Lord … has visited to help”.
The Son of the Most High
There Will be a Fulfillment
Luke 1:39–45
The angel Gabriel that had appeared to Zechariah had said in
Luke 1:15–16 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he must never drink wine or beer, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while he is still in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.
But it wasn’t until Mary entered and greeted Elizabeth that “the baby in her womb leaped” in Luke 1:41. When that happened, “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit”. And it is here that we find one of the greatest principles of the kingdom of God. As the will of God is spoken among men, the Holy Spirit begins to move and as the fulfillment of God’s word is confirmed. There are those that would quench the spirit by their unbelief, but the Holy Spirit wants to move among us as we believe and act on Gods plan. You can catch the anointing by contact as Elizabeth did with her child, and by action as Zechariah did when he named his son John. Are you ready? There will be a fulfillment!
The Mighty One Has Done Great Things For Me
He Began to Speak Praising God
Luke 1:57–66
It is nine months later, in Luke 1:57 “the time came for Elizabeth that she should give birth”. As her son is born, in Luke 1:58 “her neighbors and relatives … rejoiced with her”. Then “they came to circumcise the child” in Luke 1:59 and by their tradition, this was the time the child was named. Since Zechariah was not able to speak, Elizabeth said in Luke 1:60 “he will be named John” and everyone was shocked because this was not a family name. Zechariah wrote on a tablet, in Luke 1:63 “John is his name” and as soon as he had confirmed what the Lord had said, in Luke 1:64 “he began to speak praising God”. Everyone around knew these two and had seen Zechariah unable to speak so questioned in Luke 1:66 “What will this child be? For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him!”
The Lord Has Visited to Help
Luke 1:67-80
As Zechariah begins to speak, in Luke 1:67 “Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied”. He had come from a place of routine obedience and a life that was unfulfilled to a moment of visitation by an angel. He stood by and watched as Gods word was fulfilled in front of him, and now, his faith renewed, prophetic words roll out in Luke 1:68 “the Lord … has visited to help and has redeemed his people”. He goes on to say that the Lord has, in Luke 1:69-75 “raised up a horn of salvation … spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets … salvation from our enemies … mercy to our fathers … that we … could serve him without fear”.
This is all so that in Luke 1:76 “And so you, child (John), will be called the prophet of the Most High” and in Luke 1:77 “to give knowledge of salvation”. And in
Luke 1:79 “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace.”
Everyone Went to be Registered
Luke 2:1–7
A Multitude of the Heavenly Army, Praising God
Luke 2:8
Study Verses
- Luke 1:39–45 There Will be a Fulfillment
- Luke 1:57–66 He Began to Speak Praising God
- Luke 1:67-80 The Lord Has Visited to Help
Today’s Reading
- Luke 1:27-80
- Luke 2:1-20