The Song of Zechariah

 

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:5-6 ESV).

 

The last book of the Old Testament is the source of our reading today. In fact these verses are the last of the book. After the writing of Malachi, which details the rebellion, repentance, and restoration that God would bring to Israel and the Gentiles, there is no direct word from the Lord for 400 years. God had not forgotten His promises; nor had He unduly delayed. At the precise time as the world saw the convergence of all the right things politically, culturally, and spiritually a word from God came to a priest, Zechariah. His name means “God remembers.”

 

Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were devoted followers of God. They were old and childless, and Elizabeth was a relative of Mary, who became the mother of Jesus (cf. Luke 1:30-31, 36). One day Zechariah had a rare opportunity to burn incense at the time of prayer in the temple. And while he was doing that, an angel of God came with startling news: Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son! He was to be named John, and he would become a prophet like Elijah, bringing many people back to the Lord, just as prophesized in our reading today. This child became John the Baptist, who prepared people for the coming of Jesus, the promised Savior (cf. Luke 3). When John was born, Zechariah sang a hymn of praise because he knew salvation was coming. God had not forgotten his people.

 

My dear friends, if you are struggling with disappointments and God seems far away, take heart. God has not forgotten you. He wants to give you his peace today. In his mercy and love God remembers each one of us. That’s the good news of Christmas: Jesus, who forgives our sins and brings us new life, has come! So let’s join with Zechariah and sing God’s praises today.