Advent: Zacharias’ Prophetic Song (Luke 1:67-79)

What did Zechariah do? He had an answer that sounded like Natalie Wood's character before she believed: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years?"

The Angel said, in effect, "I just came from God! That is how you know!" So, as a result of his unbelief, which is named as such by the Angel, Zechariah is made mute until the Word of the Lord is accomplished.

Mute. The sound turned off in his life. The judgment of God for his sin of unbelief matched the character of the sin: emotionless, expressionless, stilled, and lifeless.

But Freedom Came Through Scribbling out a Name in Faith to Shouting for Joy

Every aspect of the Word of the Lord was being brought about. Elizabeth was with child. She was filled, we are told, with the Holy Spirit as was the child within her. Unbelieving Dad is in quiet judgment, but by this time quite aware that God's Word is coming true.

In a dramatic scene, the last part of the prophecy of the Angel is unveiled. At the circumcision of the child, where the "Naming Ceremony" occurs, the priest asked, like I have at infant baptisms: 

"What name is given this child?" Zechariah couldn't speak, so Elizabeth did. Everyone expected that his name would be Zach, Jr. (v. 59), but Elizabeth surprised everybody and said, "No, he shall be called John."

Names were important to the Hebrew people. There was no name in their family like that. They questioned her about it. While the debate was going on, old Zechariah interrupted, with some scribbling on a tablet: "His name is John."

I love that! The scribbling was an act of faith by a man under judgment. From there, we see in verse 67 that the Holy Spirit came upon him and he preached like he had never preached before.

"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people."

Some of you have seen what God has been doing in your lives. Faith for you today may be a little scribbling as you name what God has done for you. You're not ready yet to give a great testimony, but you can scribble out, "Jesus Saves Sinners!" You're not ready to preach any sermons, but you ought to be able to scribble out and name what happened to you, "God was in it! God did this! God is on my side! Praise His Name!"

This Song of Zechariah, then, is: The Song of a Heart Set Free.

Socrates taught for 40 years, but his life and teaching have made no songs. Plato taught for 50 years, but he did nothing to cause the human soul to blossom with life. Yet, Jesus came and lived for only 33 years on this earth and taught only three years. His teachings, as well as His Person, His Promises, and His Power have inspired the souls of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo de Vinci to paint glorious scenes; the hearts of Dante and Milton and Donne to erupt in poetic verse; and the Songs—O the greatest music and Songs of the Ages came from those whose lives were touched by Christ: Haydn, Handel, Bach, and Mendelssohn. All of these men composed to the praise of Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is said that Jesus Christ changed Mendelssohn's music from a minor key to a major key.