Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
Spoken by Zacharias when filled with the Holy Spirit after John's birth and the restoring of his speech, the verse praises God for answering long-offered prayers by sending the promised Savior and Redeemer. The dayspring from on high is Jesus Christ, the Light of the world and Day-star from heaven who comes from on high. The tender mercy moving Him to come is God's pardoning love and exceeding grace, by which the gospel brings forgiveness of unrighteousness to repentant sinners. Through that mercy He visits humanity to bring light and salvation to those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet into the way of peace. That visit gives the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, so that those who turn from evil and come to Christ in faith receive pardon and power to live in harmony with God's law.
Setting and Meaning
The verse belongs to the prophecy uttered by Zacharias, the father of John, after John's birth when, filled with the Holy Spirit, his speech was restored and he praised God. That praise celebrated God's mercy and the coming Savior and Redeemer as the answer to prayers long offered for His coming. The gospel set forth in that prophecy is salvation by pardon through the tender mercy of God, by which the dayspring from on high visits His people to give the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins.
Zacharias was a priest who dwelt in the hill country of Judea but went up to Jerusalem to minister in the temple for one week twice a year in the order of his course. His lot, according to the custom of the priest's office, was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
The verse stands where God is proclaimed to have visited His people in mercy and redemption. In that same setting the promised child John is appointed as prophet to go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. His work is to give knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet into the way of peace. By that preparation he makes ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ as the Son of God at His coming, as faithful people in Israel waited for the Messiah, though the Son of God so heralded would later be rejected.
The words spoken to Zacharias about John were often repeated to John by his parents, keeping his God-given mission before him from childhood. The dayspring from on high in the verse is Jesus Christ, the Day-spring and Day-star from heaven. He is the Light of the world and the Angel of the covenant, who comes from on high and from the east. The tender mercy of God is His pardoning love, His exceeding grace and mercy and love. By that mercy the gospel gives salvation through pardon, so that repentant sinners under the new covenant receive pardon and forgiveness of unrighteousness.
Salvation Through Mercy
Through God's tender mercy the Dayspring from on high has visited humanity and His people, and that visit brings light and salvation to those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death and guides their feet into the way of peace. The Dayspring is Christ, the Day-spring from on high who reveals God's character and brings light and peace. His coming gives salvation to His people and shines light for those in darkness and the shadow of death to guide them into peace.
The visit gives the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, through which salvation comes by the forgiveness of sins. John goes before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give God's people that knowledge through the forgiveness of their sins, and to make ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ as the Son of God at His coming. Those who turn from evil and come to Christ in faith receive pardon and forgiveness, with power to live in harmony with God's law. Through the remission of sins Jesus has thus visited humanity as the source of salvation, bringing light to those in darkness and in the shadow of death and guiding their feet into the way of peace.
His coming displays the same kindness by which God treats even the unthankful and evil with mercy. God's mercy is also seen in prolonging the lives of people who misuse their abilities and serve Satan, giving them opportunity to be freed through Christ's ransom and to become children of God and heirs to an immortal inheritance. As Redeemer and Restorer, both divine and human, He brings life and light to humanity, brings gracious instruction to people lying in gross darkness, restrains the forces of judgment, protects His people, and holds back judgment until God's servants can be sealed. He is the Angel of the covenant and the Light of the world, who comes from on high and from the east.
This mercy does not set aside God's justice or lessen the need for obedience. Seeing Him as the Dayspring who comes through God's tender mercy calls for the highest exaltation of Christ.
Experience and Application
The Day-star from on high visits through God's tender mercy, and that visit belongs to the afflicted believer's experience when Jesus draws near. His nearness brings light in place of darkness, comfort in affliction, and rejoicing of heart. The visit is made evident when the Lord is present among His people and the Holy Spirit moves within them. Where that moving is felt there are glory and joy and open testimonies of faith.
The same mercy that brings the dayspring to those in darkness and the shadow of death to guide their feet into peace joins the remission of sins with the knowledge of salvation. In that setting John's growth in spirit stands alongside Christ's growth as a pattern that may be repeated in the life of every child and youth. Salvation comes through the tender mercy of God, which is His pardoning love and the exceeding grace and mercy and love of Christ. When the Spirit is received He molds and fashions the character after the divine similitude, and then this mercy becomes fruit borne in the life. That fruit is revealed in all that is done and said, and the truth advocated is thereby exalted.
The Day Star has visited God's people, and this visit brings great gladness. That gladness is known when the message of the Sabbath and the coming of the Lord is preached under the Holy Spirit and heard with deepest interest. Such preaching leads to diligent labor in nightly public meetings and in personal visiting of families. In that work a word is spoken in season to help perplexed minds, and souls are watched for as by those who must give an account.
Spoken by Zacharias when filled with the Holy Spirit after John's birth and the restoring of his speech, the verse praises God for answering long-offered prayers by sending the promised Savior and Redeemer. The dayspring from on high is Jesus Christ, the Light of the world and Day-star from heaven who comes from on high. The tender mercy moving Him to come is God's pardoning love and exceeding grace, by which the gospel brings forgiveness of unrighteousness to repentant sinners. Through that mercy He visits humanity to bring light and salvation to those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet into the way of peace. That visit gives the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, so that those who turn from evil and come to Christ in faith receive pardon and power to live in harmony with God's law.
Setting and Meaning
The verse belongs to the prophecy uttered by Zacharias, the father of John, after John's birth when, filled with the Holy Spirit, his speech was restored and he praised God. That praise celebrated God's mercy and the coming Savior and Redeemer as the answer to prayers long offered for His coming. The gospel set forth in that prophecy is salvation by pardon through the tender mercy of God, by which the dayspring from on high visits His people to give the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins.
Zacharias was a priest who dwelt in the hill country of Judea but went up to Jerusalem to minister in the temple for one week twice a year in the order of his course. His lot, according to the custom of the priest's office, was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
The verse stands where God is proclaimed to have visited His people in mercy and redemption. In that same setting the promised child John is appointed as prophet to go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. His work is to give knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet into the way of peace. By that preparation he makes ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ as the Son of God at His coming, as faithful people in Israel waited for the Messiah, though the Son of God so heralded would later be rejected.
The words spoken to Zacharias about John were often repeated to John by his parents, keeping his God-given mission before him from childhood. The dayspring from on high in the verse is Jesus Christ, the Day-spring and Day-star from heaven. He is the Light of the world and the Angel of the covenant, who comes from on high and from the east. The tender mercy of God is His pardoning love, His exceeding grace and mercy and love. By that mercy the gospel gives salvation through pardon, so that repentant sinners under the new covenant receive pardon and forgiveness of unrighteousness.
Salvation Through Mercy
Through God's tender mercy the Dayspring from on high has visited humanity and His people, and that visit brings light and salvation to those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death and guides their feet into the way of peace. The Dayspring is Christ, the Day-spring from on high who reveals God's character and brings light and peace. His coming gives salvation to His people and shines light for those in darkness and the shadow of death to guide them into peace.
The visit gives the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, through which salvation comes by the forgiveness of sins. John goes before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give God's people that knowledge through the forgiveness of their sins, and to make ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ as the Son of God at His coming. Those who turn from evil and come to Christ in faith receive pardon and forgiveness, with power to live in harmony with God's law. Through the remission of sins Jesus has thus visited humanity as the source of salvation, bringing light to those in darkness and in the shadow of death and guiding their feet into the way of peace.
His coming displays the same kindness by which God treats even the unthankful and evil with mercy. God's mercy is also seen in prolonging the lives of people who misuse their abilities and serve Satan, giving them opportunity to be freed through Christ's ransom and to become children of God and heirs to an immortal inheritance. As Redeemer and Restorer, both divine and human, He brings life and light to humanity, brings gracious instruction to people lying in gross darkness, restrains the forces of judgment, protects His people, and holds back judgment until God's servants can be sealed. He is the Angel of the covenant and the Light of the world, who comes from on high and from the east.
This mercy does not set aside God's justice or lessen the need for obedience. Seeing Him as the Dayspring who comes through God's tender mercy calls for the highest exaltation of Christ.
Experience and Application
The Day-star from on high visits through God's tender mercy, and that visit belongs to the afflicted believer's experience when Jesus draws near. His nearness brings light in place of darkness, comfort in affliction, and rejoicing of heart. The visit is made evident when the Lord is present among His people and the Holy Spirit moves within them. Where that moving is felt there are glory and joy and open testimonies of faith.
The same mercy that brings the dayspring to those in darkness and the shadow of death to guide their feet into peace joins the remission of sins with the knowledge of salvation. In that setting John's growth in spirit stands alongside Christ's growth as a pattern that may be repeated in the life of every child and youth. Salvation comes through the tender mercy of God, which is His pardoning love and the exceeding grace and mercy and love of Christ. When the Spirit is received He molds and fashions the character after the divine similitude, and then this mercy becomes fruit borne in the life. That fruit is revealed in all that is done and said, and the truth advocated is thereby exalted.
The Day Star has visited God's people, and this visit brings great gladness. That gladness is known when the message of the Sabbath and the coming of the Lord is preached under the Holy Spirit and heard with deepest interest. Such preaching leads to diligent labor in nightly public meetings and in personal visiting of families. In that work a word is spoken in season to help perplexed minds, and souls are watched for as by those who must give an account.