Zechariah's Song of Faith
November 30
Looking for a good study on Advent, I came across a Bible study, which could be downloaded for $20, on various songs that were sung related to the awaiting of the Savior. The four chapters titles themselves were free food for thought, so I wanted to pass these titles and their scripture references along this week for you to feed upon as you await the day we celebrate our Savior's birth.
Theme One
Zechariah's Song of Faith in Luke 1-"Even in silence God is at work."
Giddy up horsie! We do not like to wait and when God is silent we initiate thoughts which bring his character and existence into question. Yesterday, I share a magnificent answer to prayer with a new believer...I left out the timetable...it was 5 years before that prayer was answered. Also, quite often we do not like to be silent ourselves and activate the instructions in James 1:19. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
The temple priest, Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) didn't have much of a choice with that one. Literally struck dumb, he had to wait in silence during his wife's pregnancy. Disbelief that he and his wife could have a child, due to his age, brought about a request for a sign to uphold the prophecy he had heard from an angel. Here's your sign! God was still up to good in Zechariah's speechless life and influencing the lives of those around him and even us today.
Luke 1:67-79
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
The Old Testament prophet, Zechariah, prophesied about the coming of the Savior.
Zechariah means, "God has remembered."
