For nine months, Zechariah lived in silence. His speaking and hearing loss was due to the disciplinary hand of God. Zechariah failed to believe that God would give him a son. But silence was only part of the sign. The other part would be that when Zechariah's son is born, that God will break the silence, and Zechariah will once again be able to speak! When he does, his mouth is filled with praise to God and with a prophecy from God! As a prophet, he both proclaims a message from God and predicts future events. He breaks the news of the coming Redeemer, the horn of salvation that God will raise up. The coming redeemer will deliver Israel not only from their political bondage, but from spiritual bondage too. This two-fold deliverance is in line with the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah. The Messiah will completely save. Zechariah also speaks of the roles that his son, and God's son would have. His son, John, would prepare the way for the Messiah by preaching a message of repentance and faith. God's Son, the Messiah, would displace the spiritual darkness and show us the way home! He would be the way, the truth, and the life! |
