Numbers 24:1-25; Luke 1:67-80; Psalms 59:14-17; Proverbs 16:10-11
NT: “Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times; salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us. He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant — the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant that we, having been rescued from the hand of our enemies, would serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:67-79 CSB)
When the angel Gabriel announced that Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son, Zechariah didn’t know if he could believe the angel; and because of that, Zechariah was struck speechless. For nine months, Zechariah watched as his wife conceived and his promised son grew in her womb… and he couldn’t say a word. His son was born, and still Zechariah couldn’t express his joy. It wasn’t until 8 days later, when his son was circumcised and dedicated to the Lord. As soon as Zechariah wrote that his son was to be named John, suddenly his tongue was loosed, he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and out of the depths of his heart… after 9 months of watching God do the miraculous, he proclaimed this prophetic song of praise. He was there when Mary visited them and lived with them for 3 months. He heard Mary’s story of the same angel visiting her. Not only had he seen his wife’s pregnancy – he had witnessed the first trimester of Mary’s pregnancy, and couldn’t say a word until now. The first words that he uttered were praise for the miracle child growing in Mary’s womb – the promised Messiah who would redeem God’s people and bring a victorious salvation from their enemies. His son, John would prepare God’s people to receive the coming Messiah by reminding them of God’s mercy and forgiveness and announcing the dawning of a new day that would bring light to a people lost in darkness. That is what Jesus does. He redeems us (pays our debt with His blood), He saves us through defeating the enemy of our soul, He shows us mercy and forgives us, and He shines light into our darkness and leads us to peace. What the world needs now is a new day. What the world needs now is Jesus.
Psalms: “But I will sing of your strength and will joyfully proclaim your faithful love in the morning. For you have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble. To you, my strength, I sing praises, because God is my stronghold — my faithful God.” (Psalms 59:16-17 CSB)
While David sat in his home at night, with Saul’s men watching his house waiting for the opportune time to kill him, David proclaimed these praises. He was not afraid and he knew that he would see the dawning of a new day… and when the day dawned and God had saved him once again, he would joyfully proclaim God’s mercy and faithfulness to anyone who would hear. This is the same David who also wrote that weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning. Through Jesus, darkness has ended for those who place their faith and their trust in Him. For those who surrender their lives and accept what Christ has provided, light has come… it’s a new day! In His light, we can be led to peace. To walk in the Light of a new day is so wonderful… and I will sing His praises.
Jamie Hicks 