THE REVELATION OF SALVATION’S HOPE

Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is 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, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which 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 the days of our life.”  (Luke 1:67-75) 

Salvation is a result of the gracious activity of God.  He must take the initiative. Look at the verbs here: “visited” and “redeemed” (v.68); “raised up” (v.69); “spoke” (v.70); “saved” (v.71); “perform” and “remember” (v.72); “swore” (v.73); “delivered” (v.74).  God revealed the path of hope.  Had He not done so, we would have been blind—groping in the darkness, each step taking us nearer to the Abyss.

In Zacharias’ song, we hear THE SOURCE THAT IS REVEALED, “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,” (v.68).   Remember that Zacharias is prophesying.  He is speaking of future events—yet speaking of them in past tense!  Such is the certainty of their fulfillment.  That surety is grounded in the unchanging character of God.  His Word cannot fail and His will cannot be thwarted.  Zacharias blesses the Lord for only the Lord can save us.  Without His grace we have no hope.  But, with that grace we have utter confidence in God’s power to preserve us.

Another great Gospel truth contained in these lyrics of life is THE STRENGTH THAT IS REVEALED.

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, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear… (Luke 1:69-74). 

In the ancient world, the horns of an animal symbolized its strength.  God raised up a horn of salvation when He raised up His Son on the cross.  He manifested that further when He raised Him up from the grave.  All that the prophets foretold was fulfilled in Him.  The enemy was too strong for us (v.74),  but he is no match for God!  The King of Terror is beaten!

The Spirit of God had more to say in this song about THE SERVICE THAT IS REVEALED, “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 the days of our life.” (v.74-75)  God didn’t save us to put us in a trophy case and make us ornamental; He saved us to put us in His tool chest and make us instrumental!  There is a freedom from fear when we serve Him with abandon!  Our life testifies to the reality of God’s saving work in us, “holiness and righteousness before Him.”  Grace alone accomplishes this in us and through us.

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,

The Light of the world is Jesus! 

Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in;

The Light of the world is Jesus! 

Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;

Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;

Once I was blind, but now I can see:

The Light of the world is Jesus!” (P.P. Bliss)