Sermon Tone Analysis

*Intro* – A famous picture of WWII shows General Douglas MacArthur wading ashore on the Philippines on October 20, 1944.

He was returning to the post he had left 2-1/2 years earlier on March 12, 1942 when, with Japanese forces rapidly closing in President Roosevelt order him to remove to Australia where he continued to command American forces in the Pacific.

As he left the Philippines, MacArthur famously promised, “I shall return.”

A month later 70,000 US soldiers surrendered.

Then came the Bataan death march and 2-1/2 years of hell for the 7,000,000 people left behind.

But in the end, MacArthur did return in one of the war’s most glorious events.

In a much more significant way, God returns to Israel after a 400 year silence.

The nation of Israel was in a similar state of despair in the latter days of Herod the Great.

Their history had reached its heyday during the time of David and Solomon1,000 years before.

But what followed was Civil War, division, rebellion, idolatry and finally captivity.

The glory had gone.

They were under constant bondage, first to the Persians, then the Greeks, and now, worst of all, the hated Romans.

It had been 400 years of silence from God. Spiritually bankrupt, in bondage to Rome and a corrupt priesthood, few saw any reason for hope.

And then – God called.

And after the faithful country priest, Zechariah, got his voice back after the birth of his son, he wasted no time blessing God.

His first words: Luke 1:68, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.”

Translation: God has returned!

He’s back, and Zechariah blesses God in a benediction filled with OT references and allusions.

God is back, but this visitation isn’t just a prophet, but 2 special people – a forerunner and the Messiah himself.

Zechariah’s message addresses both the basis for and purpose of God’s visit.

*I.

Basis for God’s Visit (God’s mercy and God’s promises)*

*A.

God’s Mercy*

Notice Lu 1:72, “to show the mercy promised to our fathers.”

Now, Lu 1:78, “because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high.”

It’s sunrise in Israel.

Messiah is coming, lighting the darkness.

This describes anyone who invites Christ to set up rule in their heart.

And all based on the tender mercy of God.

God did not have to come; He chose to come.

He did not have to love us; He chose to love us.

Salvation reflects His tender mercies.

Israel did nothing to merit His coming.

Quite the opposite.

The sought only political relief.

Yet He comes, not grudgingly, not by compulsion, but because of His mercy.

Eph 2:4-5 reminds us, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”

Salvation is always based in His great mercy.

*B.

God’s Promises*

God is a covenant God.

He makes and keeps promises.

Among hundreds of OT promises, six are specifically referred to as covenants – personal promises by which God binds Himself.

They are the Noahic, Mosaic, Priestly, Abrahamic, Davidic and the New Covenant of Ezek 36 and Jer 31 given to Israel and promising forgiveness and cleansing – a promise of Christ.

Three of these covenants are referenced in this passage.

Notice Lu 1:67-71, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.”

Bigger news the nation of Israel could not have received.

After 400 years of silence salvation is coming through the house of David.

The Jewish people would immediately have recognized God’s covenant with David found in II Sam 7 and Psa 89 and 110 promising the throne to David’s line forever.

Any Jewish person hearing this would have been rubbing his hands together, anticipating David’s greater son coming to rescue them from Rome – one to rule with power and justice and mercy.

God may have been slow, but He is keeping covenant at last.

But Zechariah isn’t done yet.

He goes on in Lu 1:72-73, “to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham.”

Now he’s referencing Abe’s covenant, found in Gen 12, 13, 15, 17, 21 and 22. Promises to make him a great nation, to bless those who bless him and to curse those who curse him, to make his seed as numerous as the dust of the earth, to give him the land of Canaan forever, and to bless all the nations of the earth through him.

The Israelite would have been delirious with joy at this message.

Thru Christ God is keeping covenant with Abe.

In Lu 1:76-77, Zechariah addresses the role of his own son and of Messiah.

He glances at little John sleeping in the cradle he says, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins.”

This is the new covenant of Ezekiel 36 and Jer 31:31, “31Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.

33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.

And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD.

For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

God is saying, “You, Israel, as a nation have failed me.

But I’m making a new covenant.

I will give you a new heart, that will long to obey my law.

And, I will forgive your iniquity, and I will remember your sin no more.”

You’d have thought our Israeli friend would revel in such a glorious spiritual revival.

Zechariah did.

But the nation as a whole did not, with tragic results.

But God keeps His Word.

Christ’s coming set in motion the fulfillment of all these promises.

Despite national failure, Christ is the guarantee God will keep every promise.

The basis of the Lord’s visit is His mercy and promise.

*II.

Purpose for God’s Visit*

*A.

Political Deliverance*

This is the Messianic hope of the Jews -- their constant prayer – political deliverance.

Christ is the answer.

Lu 1:71, “that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.”

Physical deliverance is part of the big picture.

This reference extends beyond mere political enemies, but it certainly includes them.

In Lu 1:74 he foresees that Israel will be “delivered from the hand of our enemies.”

Such deliverance has always been part of the covenant plan of God.

Zechariah 14 describes this in detail.

Zech 14:16 summarizes, “16 Then everyone who survives (after the last battle) of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths.”

A harvest celebration will go on every year when Jesus rules world from Jerusalem.

Deliverance is coming.

Christ will reign.

God promised David one of his descendants on that throne forever.

That descendant was born six months after Zechariah issued this great prophecy.

God keeps covenant.

*B.

Spiritual Deliverance*

But, back up to Lu 1:68-69, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.”

Question: is the redemption and salvation that Zechariah mentions political – or is it spiritual?

Are the enemies of Lu 1:71 and 74 physical or spiritual?