Believe the Words of God and Praise Him (Luke 1:57-80)

“He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John.’ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.” (Luke 1:63-64)

Why did God treat Zechariah so severely, making him silent until his son John was born? He was righteous in the sight of God, observing all the commands and decrees blamelessly. However, when he was told by the angel that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son, he did not believe the words which would be fulfilled at their appointed time. Although he had been praying for a son, he couldn’t be sure of the words because he was old and his wife was well along in years. That is what’s happen all the time. He bumped at his own strength instead of fixing his eyes on God. Paul warns, saying “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:11-12)

Here God reveals a truth that He never makes any compromise with anything and anyone. No matter who cannot escape the experience of the wrath of God if found wanting in the Lord’s scale. Yet, His wrath manifested is not the act of outrageous temper and uncontrollable anger but that of unfailing love. God is love and never bends by any degree no matter what. He acts on the same basis of love now and forevermore. “And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.’” (Hebrews 12:5)

It is not true that we can make ourselves righteous in the sight of God. We cannot do it. It is not true from the beginning and it will not be true forever. If true, then Christ did not need to be crucified at all. What is true is that we have been made righteous by the blood of the Son Jesus Christ the Lord. There is no other basis for anyone to come to God other than the cross of Christ Jesus. Life is a school master for us to learn how to live in full if we take seriously His words. How can we be sure of that we ever believe in the words of God? We can be sure of continual believing in the words of God because He is faithful and trustworthy forever. Apostle Paul says pertinently regarding the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God. “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3-6)

Zechariah probably ever reminded of the words uttered by the angel during the pregnancy of his wife. When his son was born he named him John after the words delivered by the angel. Immediately, his mouth was open and began to speak, praising God. That’s what we ought to do, praising God!

“His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1:67-79)