He Has Raised Up a Horn of Salvation

Luke 1:57-80

Key Verses: 69

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David."

Introduction)

As an old couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth could have been hopeless because they had no child. However they must have experienced God’s mercy as well as the power of God’s word through the birth of their son. Today Zechariah is filled with the Spirit and prophesied about God’s redemptive plan. May the Lord help us to see God’s mighty work in our generation.

1. Read verses 57-66. What did it mean to Zechariah and Elizabeth to have a child? (57-58) How does the child come to be named ‘John’? (59-63) What happens to Zechariah? (64) What was everyone who heard about this wondering? (65-66)

1-1, Read verses 57-66.

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

1-2, What did it mean to Zechariah and Elizabeth to have a child? (57-58)

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Especially Zechariah must have learned that God fulfilled his promise without fail. Their faith must have been deepened through this event.

1-3, How does the child come to be named ‘John’? (59-63)

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

Zechariah did not lose the second chance to obey God by faith.

1-4, What happens to Zechariah? (64)

64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

1-5, What was everyone who heard about this wondering? (65-66)

65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

2. Read verses 67-71. What happens after John was named? (67) Why does Zechariah praise the Lord? (68) Who is ‘the horn of salvation’? (69a, 2 Samuel 22:3; Rev 12:3, 9) What has God done? (69-71, 2 Samuel 7:11-16; Isaiah 9:6,7)

2-1, Read verses 67-71.

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn[c] of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us—

2-2, What happens after John was named? (67)

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

2-3, Why does Zechariah praise the Lord? (68)

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

As a Jewish man or a priest, he must have know what he was talking about. He was talking about the God of Israel who is the God of the entire Old Testament.

He could envision God’s whole plan unfolding from the Old Testament promise to God’s chosen nation Israel to send a savior.

Jesus says in John 4:22, “Salvation is from the Jews.”

He must have known the whole story from the beginning. Genesis 3:15,
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Isaiah 9:6,
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 40:3-5(prophecy about John the baptist), A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Also Malachi 4:5-6 read,

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

During 400 years, God’s people suffered under foreign nations such as Persia, Greece, and Rome.

They must have been impatient and unbelieving, thinking that God forgot them. But God did not.
“He has come”
He has come with a clear purpose to redeem them.

The word, “redeem” means to set a slave free by the payment of a ransom.”

Zechariah foresaw that the Savior whom God was sending to this world would be the very one who redeems us from eternal death and condemnation by paying a ransom for us!

2-4, Who is ‘the horn of salvation’? (69a, 2 Samuel 22:3; Rev 12:3, 9)

69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us, A horn is “power and strength.” The horn of salvation is Jesus Christ who can overcome Satan’s horns.

Just as the horn of the bull focuses all of his power at his horns, so Jesus was the focus of God’s anger against sin and his mercy toward sinners.

None other was ever so strong to save as was the Lord Jesus Christ when he died on the cross by shedding his precious blood.

This is the one and only way for us, though we are sinful, to be justified by God. We can approach God the Father only through Jesus Christ.
He is the high Priest who has made the ultimate sacrifice once and for all.
In short horn is an ultimate symbol of victory against our enemy.

2 Samuel 22:3(David mentioned about the horn of salvation) - my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.

He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.

Revelation 12:3, 9(Satan’ ten horns) -

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads-

The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

2-5, What has God done? (69-71, 2 Samuel 7:11-16; Isaiah 9:6,7)

in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—

2 Samuel 7:11-16,

and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul,whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b]; your throne will be established forever.’”

Isaiah 9:6-7,

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

3. Read verses 72-75. Why has God done this? (72-75, Genesis 22:18 ) What do you think it means to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days?

3-1, Read verses 72-75.

72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,

73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

3-2, Why has God done this? (72-75, Genesis 22:18 )

72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,

73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Genesis 22:18,

18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

3-3, What do you think it means to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days?

1 Corinthians 1:30 reads, “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

God created Adam to be right and holy according to God’s image.
But he lost because of his sins.
God had mercifully sent his Son, Jesus Christ who is the very horn of salvation for us. As a result now we have a perfect way to serve our God.

May the Lord help us to serve our God without fear in righteousness and holiness before him all our days.

4. Read verses 76-80. What will Zechariah’s son do? (76, 77) What else does God do because of his tender mercy? (78, 79) How does the child grow until he appears to the public? (80)

4-1, Read verses 76-80.

76 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,

77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit;and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

4-2, What will Zechariah’s son do? (76, 77)

76 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,

77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, Nothing is more important than having the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins.

There were so many passionate movements(Maccabeus or Hasidim) those days. However God answered the prayer of a couple(Zechariah and Elizabeth) sincerely and granted a son(John the baptist) to share the knowledge of salvation.

4-3, What else does God do because of his tender mercy? (78, 79)

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Just as the sun powerfully dispels the darkness of the night and sheds his light to all creatures, so Jesus dispels darkness from our hearts and lives and shines God’s hope and love into our hearts, guiding our feet into the path of peace.

Praise our God who shows his tender mercy through Jesus Christ.

4-4, How does the child grow until he appears to the public? (80)

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit;and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Zechariah was refined (Malachi 3:3) and at God’s time he begot a man of the Holy Spirit to focus on serving God.

Conclusion)

God has faithfully come to redeem us through Jesus Christ, the horn of Salvation. Often times we are helpless and hopeless due to our sins and the sinful conditions of our generation. May the Lord help us to be filled with the Spirit like Zechariah and have faith always so that we may serve him without fear.

One Word: The Horn of Salvation.

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