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THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS
CONSIDERING the depth of humiliation to which the Son of God was about to submit, in taking upon him our nature, it was necessary that his birth should be attended with such circumstances, as were calculated to impress the minds of men with a conviction of his real character. Accordingly we find, that, previous to his birth, there was ample testimony given to him as a most extraordinary personage, such as the world had never before seen. A person was sent “to prepare his way before him:” and this forerunner was himself distinguished by a preternatural birth. The father of this messenger was informed by an angel, that his aged, and hitherto barren, wife should conceive a son, who should be called John. On his expressing some doubt of the angel’s veracity, he was struck dumb for his unbelief; and continued so till the birth and naming of the promised child: and then, on his confirming the appointment of his wife respecting the name of the child, his tongue was loosed, and he brake forth into this prophetic hymn of praise: in which he blesses God for the advent of the Messiah,
I. As an accomplishment of prophecy—
The incarnation of the Son of God had been foretold from the beginning of the world—
[It was announced to Adam immediately after his fall [Note: Gen_3:15.]. To Abraham it had been promised with an oath [Note: Gen_22:16-18.]. To David, from whose loins the Messiah was to spring, it had been confirmed by an everlasting covenant [Note: Psa_89:3-4; Psa_89:34-36; Psa_132:11; Psa_132:17-18.].
In a more particular manner it had been foretold that Christ should “visit and redeem” his people. The state of the Israelites in Egypt, and their redemption from thence, had been foreordained from the beginning, in order to typify this great event. Abraham was warned of the afflictions which his posterity should endure there, and of the wonderful deliverance which at a remote period they should experience [Note: Gen_15:13-14. with Act_7:6-7.]. Joseph in his dying hour assured his brethren, that God would “visit them,” and bring them thence [Note: Gen_50:24-25.]. And Moses was in due time sent upon this errand, and commissioned to inform his wretched countrymen, that God was come at last to visit and deliver them [Note: Exo_3:16-17.]. Now in the text, there is, as in the sequel will more fully appear, a reference, not to the event merely, but to the very terms in which that event was predicted: from which circumstance, the typical application of that history to the incarnation of Christ, is clearly warranted and confirmed.]
For the accomplishment of this great event, this holy man blessed and adored his God—
[The prospect of this event had excited a lively joy in the breast of Abraham, at the distance of two thousand years [Note: Joh_8:56.]: and all who, in the intermediate space, had successively believed the promises, had lived and died in the pleasing expectation, that the happiness denied to them should be granted to their posterity [Note: Heb_11:13.]. When the time for the Messiah’s advent drew nigh, the expectation of him became more general [Note: Joh_4:25.], more joyful, more assured. Many there were who “looked for redemption in Jerusalem [Note: Luk_2:38.],” and “waited for Jesus as the Consolation of Israel [Note: Luk_2:25.].” What wonder then that, on the sight of his forerunner, Zacharias burst forth in these triumphant strains? What wonder that, in the confidence of faith, he spake of the Saviour as already arrived, yea, and the work of redemption as already effected by him, though there were yet several months to elapse before he would be born into the world? It was surely the fittest use of his newly-recovered speech; and had he forborne to use it thus, “the very stones would have cried out against him.”]
But the incarnation of Christ was a ground of joy to him:
II. As a mean of spiritual blessings—
Here the reference to the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt is yet more manifest than before. The requisition made by Moses to Pharaoh was, that Israel should go into the wilderness to serve the Lord. This was the ground of contest between them [Note: Exo_5:1-3]; till at last God, by his terrible judgments on the Egyptians, decided the point. But, after that the Israelites were brought forth to the very borders of the Red Sea, they were menaced with utter destruction by Pharaoh and all his host. The overwhelming of that army in the sea completed the deliverance of his people, so that they could from that moment serve the Lord without any fear of their ancient oppressors.
The redemption wrought out by Christ is in perfect correspondence with this. By his advent we obtain,
1. Deliverance from our spiritual enemies—
[We are in the hand of enemies more cruel and tyrannical than those of Egypt; we are in bondage to sin and Satan, death and hell. From these our blessed Lord delivers us [Note: This is twice mentioned in the text.]. By the blood of his cross he expiates sin, overcomes Satan, destroys death, and liberates from the jaws of hell. He is “an horn of salvation” to his people, a mighty and irresistible Saviour, who will push down all his enemies. None can detain us any longer in bondage, when he comes to set us free: “if he make us free, then are we free indeed [Note: Joh_8:36.].”]
2. Liberty to serve our God—
[Deliverance from the punishment of sin would be unworthy the name of a deliverance, if it were not accompanied with a restoration to the Divine favour, and a thorough renovation of heart and life. As long as we were destitute of holiness, we must of necessity be strangers to happiness. Heaven itself would be no heaven to an unholy soul. But Jesus “redeems us from all iniquity, and purifies us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works [Note: Tit_2:14.].” He causes us to delight ourselves in God; and to “serve him without fear.” In this respect we far exceed all who lived under the Jewish dispensation: for they were kept at a distance from God; and the very services which they rendered to him, tended to generate in them a servile fear [Note: Heb_12:18-21.]? But we “have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father [Note: Heb_12:22-24. with Rom_8:15.]!”
Can it be doubted whether these things deserve our grateful acknowledgments? If the state to which the Israelites were brought in the Wilderness or in Canaan, was a just ground of praise and thanksgiving, is not ours much rather?]
Application—
1. Let us bless God for the event we this day commemorate [Note: This Sermon was preached on Christmas-day.]—
[The Saviour’s birth was proclaimed by angels as “glad tidings of great joy to all people;” and the heavenly hosts themselves began a new song in heaven, “Glory to God in the highest!” The virgin who bare him, the patriarch who took him in his arms, the prophetess who beheld him, together with many others, rejoiced exceedingly in his advent, notwithstanding they had such imperfect views of his character. Shall not we then; we who have had his nature and office so fully revealed to us; we who have seen him dying, rising, ascending, and enthroned; we who have beheld him sending down the Holy Ghost from heaven, and saving myriads of sinners like ourselves; yea, we who have experienced his power to save, (if we have indeed experienced it,) shall not we praise him? Yes; blessed, “blessed be his name for visiting and redeeming” our souls! “blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen, and Amen [Note: Psa_72:18-19.].”]
2. Let us seek to participate the blessings accruing from it—
[Though we are not properly affected with our spiritual bondage, because we are in love with our chains, yet is it far more terrible than any to which our bodies can be subject. Now we are well assured, that if heavy tasks were daily imposed on us, and we were constantly beaten for not executing what it was not in our power to perform, we should not unfrequently pour out our complaints before God, and cry to him to avenge our cause [Note: Exo_5:14-16.]. What stupor then has seized us, that, in a situation incomparably more lamentable, we do not embrace deliverance when it is offered? Let us not be satisfied with captivity, when Christ is “proclaiming liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound [Note: Isa_61:1.].” Let us not “thrust him away from us [Note: Act_7:27; Act_7:39.],” when he is come to visit us: but let us welcome him into our hearts, as well as into the world, and never rest till “we know him in the power of his resurrection, in the fellowship of his sufferings, and in a conformity to him” both in holiness and in glory [Note: Php_3:10.].]