And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
After the birth of John his father's speech was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and broke forth in inspired prophecy and praise to God. He confirmed the angel's prediction by declaring that his child would be a prophet and herald sent to go before the Lord and prepare His way. He praised God for visiting and redeeming His people, presenting Christ as the Dayspring and gracious Instructor of those lying in gross darkness. His prophesying marked the return of the gift of prophecy after it had nearly disappeared for centuries, to usher in the Messiah as the Jewish dispensation was closing and the era of Christ's incarnation began. Through him God opened the great things of the future, both Christ's first advent to suffer for sinners and His second appearing in glory to destroy His enemies and complete the redemption of His people.
Context and Background
The verse concerns Zacharias, the aged priest and father of Christ's forerunner, who lived in the hill country of Judea and went up to Jerusalem to minister for one week in the temple twice a year in the order of his course, whose lot according to the custom of the priest's office was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. It belongs to the account of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who were righteous and faithful while Israel awaited the Messiah, and whose promised son was to go before the Lord and prepare His ways. Zacharias spoke after long years of praying for the coming of the Redeemer.
He had stood before the golden altar in the holy place of the sanctuary while the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel ascended before God, and had become conscious of a divine presence. He saw an angel standing on the right side of the altar, a position indicating favor, though he took no note of it. Though heaven had sent its messenger to announce that those prayers were about to be answered, the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit, and he was filled with fear and self-condemnation. After John's birth his tongue was loosed and his speech returned, and after praising God he was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. His words in that praise confirmed the angel's prediction about John, blessing God for visiting and redeeming His people and declaring that John would be the prophet who went before the Lord to prepare His way.
Content of the Prophecy
After his speech returned and his tongue was loosed at John's birth, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. His words praised God for visiting and redeeming His people and confirmed the angel's prediction concerning John. Filled with the Holy Spirit he prophesied as a prophet sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, declaring that John would be the prophet and herald who would go before the Lord to prepare His way.
Speaking by the Holy Spirit about Christ's coming into the world, he presents Christ in the gracious character of the Instructor of those lying in gross darkness and as the Dayspring, to call forth the highest exaltation of Christ. His prophecy that his child would be the Messiah's herald, together with the revelation given to him in the temple, was remembered by some in the Sanhedrim. During thirty years of tumult and change it had largely been lost sight of, but the excitement over John's ministry called it to mind and pressed the Sanhedrim to investigate John's work.
Gift of Prophecy Restored
Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied as the Jewish dispensation was drawing to a close and the Messiah was about to come, when the era of Christ's incarnation began. His being filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesying marks the return and reappearance of the gift and Spirit of prophecy to usher in the Messiah, after it had nearly disappeared for a few centuries because of corruptions in the Jewish church. His experience is an example of the Spirit of prophecy appearing at a major turning point in the church's history.
Through him God opened the great things of the future, especially prophecy concerning Christ's first advent to suffer for sinners and His second appearing in glory to destroy His enemies and complete the redemption of His people.
After the birth of John his father's speech was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and broke forth in inspired prophecy and praise to God. He confirmed the angel's prediction by declaring that his child would be a prophet and herald sent to go before the Lord and prepare His way. He praised God for visiting and redeeming His people, presenting Christ as the Dayspring and gracious Instructor of those lying in gross darkness. His prophesying marked the return of the gift of prophecy after it had nearly disappeared for centuries, to usher in the Messiah as the Jewish dispensation was closing and the era of Christ's incarnation began. Through him God opened the great things of the future, both Christ's first advent to suffer for sinners and His second appearing in glory to destroy His enemies and complete the redemption of His people.
Context and Background
The verse concerns Zacharias, the aged priest and father of Christ's forerunner, who lived in the hill country of Judea and went up to Jerusalem to minister for one week in the temple twice a year in the order of his course, whose lot according to the custom of the priest's office was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. It belongs to the account of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who were righteous and faithful while Israel awaited the Messiah, and whose promised son was to go before the Lord and prepare His ways. Zacharias spoke after long years of praying for the coming of the Redeemer.
He had stood before the golden altar in the holy place of the sanctuary while the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel ascended before God, and had become conscious of a divine presence. He saw an angel standing on the right side of the altar, a position indicating favor, though he took no note of it. Though heaven had sent its messenger to announce that those prayers were about to be answered, the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit, and he was filled with fear and self-condemnation. After John's birth his tongue was loosed and his speech returned, and after praising God he was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. His words in that praise confirmed the angel's prediction about John, blessing God for visiting and redeeming His people and declaring that John would be the prophet who went before the Lord to prepare His way.
Content of the Prophecy
After his speech returned and his tongue was loosed at John's birth, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. His words praised God for visiting and redeeming His people and confirmed the angel's prediction concerning John. Filled with the Holy Spirit he prophesied as a prophet sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, declaring that John would be the prophet and herald who would go before the Lord to prepare His way.
Speaking by the Holy Spirit about Christ's coming into the world, he presents Christ in the gracious character of the Instructor of those lying in gross darkness and as the Dayspring, to call forth the highest exaltation of Christ. His prophecy that his child would be the Messiah's herald, together with the revelation given to him in the temple, was remembered by some in the Sanhedrim. During thirty years of tumult and change it had largely been lost sight of, but the excitement over John's ministry called it to mind and pressed the Sanhedrim to investigate John's work.
Gift of Prophecy Restored
Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied as the Jewish dispensation was drawing to a close and the Messiah was about to come, when the era of Christ's incarnation began. His being filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesying marks the return and reappearance of the gift and Spirit of prophecy to usher in the Messiah, after it had nearly disappeared for a few centuries because of corruptions in the Jewish church. His experience is an example of the Spirit of prophecy appearing at a major turning point in the church's history.
Through him God opened the great things of the future, especially prophecy concerning Christ's first advent to suffer for sinners and His second appearing in glory to destroy His enemies and complete the redemption of His people.