Characters at the Cradle: Zechariah's Prophecy, Speech Restored

by David Chadwick

This week, we cover Zechariah's prophecy found in Luke 1:67-79. This passage is powerful and full of revelation and insight. If you remember where we have been, Zechariah's words come on the heels of Elizabeth's prophetic exclamation in verse 42, Mary's song of praise in verses 46-56, and the birth of John in verses 57-66.

Zechariah is coming off his nine months of silence. Because he expressed words of doubt and unbelief when the angel Gabriel had told him that he would finally have a son named John, Zechariah was rendered mute and deaf.

By the time John arrived, everyone thought the name of the boy would be "Zechariah," after his father. You can imagine everyone's surprise when he wrote "John" on the tablet. At that very moment, his speech and hearing were restored. Immediately. Miraculously.

These verses lay out Zechariah's words after nine long months of listening, observing, thinking, and praying. Not to mention all he had just seen through the miraculous birth of his son. Imagine what you would say after such a long time of silence!

When his speech and hearing were restored, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel." His silence was broken with praise to God. Pent up praise exploded from his mouth.  Zechariah was a front-row witness to an answered prayer and to God's will being accomplished and knew the only proper response was to give him all the glory.

Why praise? Because God was visiting his people after 400 years of silence! The Lord had redeemed his people. What started through the angel Gabriel's appearance to Zechariah in the temple continued through the birth of John, who would be a forerunner to the Messiah, and then finally to the birth of Jesus, placed in Mary's womb as the Savior of the world.

In verse 69, Zechariah talks about how God has raised up "the horn," which is always a symbol of strength and power. Picture a horn on a rhinoceros, full of brute force. This is what salvation through Jesus would mean for God's people. As prophesied in the Old Testament, Jesus would come through the house of David and bring salvation to the world.

How great is our God!