That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
Zacharias, the aged priest made mute in the temple and then filled with the Holy Spirit after John's birth, prophesied that God had visited and redeemed His people and that his own son would go before the Lord to prepare His ways. His promise is God's covenant mercy in giving His only Son, that He would grant His people rescue from their enemies so they might serve Him without fear. That rescue is deliverance from Satan's bondage and the bonds of sin, from evil angels and evil men, with liberty found in looking to Jesus. The fearless service it opens is a life in holiness and righteousness before God all our days, not slavery or irksome constraint but service of choice from the heart. It is precious, sanctified love going forth in praise and thanksgiving, purifying and uplifting the life and keeping the soul from turning from the warnings and drawing of the Holy Spirit, while John himself took the promised deliverance as a King freeing Israel from her national foes.
Setting and Prophecy
The promise belongs to the prophecy of the aged priest Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth, both righteous before God. They dwelt in the hill country of Judea, and Zacharias had gone up to Jerusalem to execute the priest's office before God in the order of his course. That course required a week of temple service twice a year from the priests of each course, and according to the custom of the priest's office his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Zacharias had prayed for the coming Savior who was expected to redeem God's people. After John's birth, when his speech was restored, he praised God and prophesied by the Holy Spirit, full of the Holy Ghost.
The utterance is part of the prophecy that God had visited and redeemed His people and tells what the Messiah would do. It promises rescue from enemies so that God's people can serve Him without fear. At the same time it pointed to the child John as the Messiah's herald, who should go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and was appointed to go before the Lord and prepare His ways.
It speaks of Christ's advent into the world in the gracious character of the Instructor of those lying in gross darkness. Viewing Him as the Dayspring calls forth the highest exaltation of Christ.
John expected this promise to be fulfilled by the coming of a King in righteousness who would free Israel from her national foes and establish Israel as a holy nation. He took the promised deliverance as national liberation. That expectation shows he did not fully understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom.
Deliverance for Holy Service
The verse promises that God grants deliverance out of the hand of enemies so that His people may serve Him without fear. This grant is God's covenant promise, and the fearless service it makes possible is a life lived in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of life. Verse 75 joins this service inseparably to that holy and righteous life.
The promise expresses God's merciful plan in giving His only Son, so that those who accept the grace offered are delivered from their enemies to serve Him without fear. That deliverance is release from Satan's bondage and from the bonds of sin and Satan, including freedom from the devices of evil people and angels. Looking to Jesus, Christ gives liberty that leads to holiness and enables faithful service to God in righteousness and true holiness.
Serving without fear means no slavery and no irksome constraint, but a service of choice from the heart by those who understand the will of the Lord and press forward in the blessed hope. This fearless service is precious, sanctified, elevated love that enables and uplifts and purifies, going forth in love and praise and thanksgiving from heart and lips for His goodness and manifestations of great grace. It distinguishes a person's words, spirit, and walk with God from those under Satan's leading and teachings. It keeps the soul from departing from God's expressed will and from turning from the warnings, entreaties, and drawing of the Holy Spirit, and it gives strength of purpose with comfort, hope, faith, and assurance known only to the true child of God.
Zacharias, the aged priest made mute in the temple and then filled with the Holy Spirit after John's birth, prophesied that God had visited and redeemed His people and that his own son would go before the Lord to prepare His ways. His promise is God's covenant mercy in giving His only Son, that He would grant His people rescue from their enemies so they might serve Him without fear. That rescue is deliverance from Satan's bondage and the bonds of sin, from evil angels and evil men, with liberty found in looking to Jesus. The fearless service it opens is a life in holiness and righteousness before God all our days, not slavery or irksome constraint but service of choice from the heart. It is precious, sanctified love going forth in praise and thanksgiving, purifying and uplifting the life and keeping the soul from turning from the warnings and drawing of the Holy Spirit, while John himself took the promised deliverance as a King freeing Israel from her national foes.
Setting and Prophecy
The promise belongs to the prophecy of the aged priest Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth, both righteous before God. They dwelt in the hill country of Judea, and Zacharias had gone up to Jerusalem to execute the priest's office before God in the order of his course. That course required a week of temple service twice a year from the priests of each course, and according to the custom of the priest's office his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Zacharias had prayed for the coming Savior who was expected to redeem God's people. After John's birth, when his speech was restored, he praised God and prophesied by the Holy Spirit, full of the Holy Ghost.
The utterance is part of the prophecy that God had visited and redeemed His people and tells what the Messiah would do. It promises rescue from enemies so that God's people can serve Him without fear. At the same time it pointed to the child John as the Messiah's herald, who should go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and was appointed to go before the Lord and prepare His ways.
It speaks of Christ's advent into the world in the gracious character of the Instructor of those lying in gross darkness. Viewing Him as the Dayspring calls forth the highest exaltation of Christ.
John expected this promise to be fulfilled by the coming of a King in righteousness who would free Israel from her national foes and establish Israel as a holy nation. He took the promised deliverance as national liberation. That expectation shows he did not fully understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom.
Deliverance for Holy Service
The verse promises that God grants deliverance out of the hand of enemies so that His people may serve Him without fear. This grant is God's covenant promise, and the fearless service it makes possible is a life lived in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of life. Verse 75 joins this service inseparably to that holy and righteous life.
The promise expresses God's merciful plan in giving His only Son, so that those who accept the grace offered are delivered from their enemies to serve Him without fear. That deliverance is release from Satan's bondage and from the bonds of sin and Satan, including freedom from the devices of evil people and angels. Looking to Jesus, Christ gives liberty that leads to holiness and enables faithful service to God in righteousness and true holiness.
Serving without fear means no slavery and no irksome constraint, but a service of choice from the heart by those who understand the will of the Lord and press forward in the blessed hope. This fearless service is precious, sanctified, elevated love that enables and uplifts and purifies, going forth in love and praise and thanksgiving from heart and lips for His goodness and manifestations of great grace. It distinguishes a person's words, spirit, and walk with God from those under Satan's leading and teachings. It keeps the soul from departing from God's expressed will and from turning from the warnings, entreaties, and drawing of the Holy Spirit, and it gives strength of purpose with comfort, hope, faith, and assurance known only to the true child of God.