Saturday, June 13, 2020

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 1:67- 80 comments: Zacharias prophecies about John



Luke 1:67 ¶  And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69  And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70  As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71  That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72  To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73  The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74  That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75  In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76  And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77  To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78  Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

Filled with the Holy Ghost, the mind of God as Christ is the body of God, Zacharias prophesies. Remember how Saul prophesied under that condition.

1Samuel 10:10  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11  And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

We know that prophesying is preaching, either of what is to come or of what God has already declared.

Nehemiah 6:7a  And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying… 

Here, Zacharias is given John’s mission to the Jews. But first he also prophecies about Christ’s upcoming and ultimate authority and His kingdom on earth, of which there will be no end. Verse 74 shows that there was an expectation that Christ the Messiah would restore Israel and deliver it from Roman occupation. This expectation persisted even after Christ’s resurrection.

Acts 1:6 ¶  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

This shows how the Fundamentalist doctrine that in the Old Testament the Jews were looking forward to the Cross is wrong. Actually, they did not understand Isaiah 53. Their confusion persisted until an eleventh century rabbi nicknamed Rashi developed the idea that rather than being about a singular man the chapters in Isaiah about the Messiah were actually about the suffering Jewish people as a group thereby totally confusing the Jews with regard to Christ.

Jesus’ Jewish followers literally had no clue what He was talking about when He referred to His impending agony on the Cross or understood anything about His Resurrection.

Matthew 16:21 ¶  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Mark 9:9  And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. 10  And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean…31  For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 
But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Luke 18:31 ¶  Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32  For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33  And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34  And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

John 20:9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

John the Baptist will be the prophet who declares Christ. He will teach the Jewish people as a nation to repent of their sins and be baptized as symbol of their repentance. John’s baptism had no saving power but was an outward expression of a commitment to righteousness in preparation for the Messiah to come.

The dayspring is a reference to dawn as light takes over the darkness. This word is also used in Job.

Job 38:12  Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

The metaphor is also used by Peter with day star as the phrase likening Christ to the dawn.

2Peter 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

In all of these metaphors it is about Christ giving light to a dying world not saying that He literally is Venus or the Sun.

Revelation 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

What is about to happen physically is that there will be a brief period of daylight for humanity and then a long night followed by Christ’s return to assume control of the kingdoms of the world and a new day that goes on forever.

John 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Paul, like we are supposed to be, expected Christ’s return soon.

Romans 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

During this nighttime of mankind, waiting for the Messiah to return, we have the Sun, the Son of God, in our hearts, expectantly awaiting.

Titus 2:11 ¶  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

There are many Old Testament verses linked to this first chapter of Luke. A cross-reference will show that these verses have an Old Testament prophetic context. For instance, verse 71 and Psalm 106:10 and verse 79 with Isaiah 9:2. Always keep in mind the prophecies of Christ’s coming kingdom. Note that Christ is God in the flesh, the body of God. They are the same in essence.

John 10:30  I and my Father are one.

John 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

…and then the kingdom to come.

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

John is growing strong in preparation in his spirit in the desert until he begins his ministry, coming in the spirit and power of Elijah.

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