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,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God…
Luke 1:76-78 NIV
Zechariah’s Prophecy
Back in 1904, Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier told this to a crowd at Massey Hall in Toronto: “Let me tell you, my fellow countrymen, that all the signs point this way, that the 20th century shall be the century of Canada and Canadian development…For the next 100 years, Canada shall be the star towards which all men who love progress and freedom shall come.” It was a claim Laurier made more than once that year, and when he said those words, Laurier was in his 60s, frail in health but sure in his views.
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For some months, John the Baptist’s father Zechariah was mute. He had doubted what the angel Gabriel had told him – that his wife Elizabeth, who was beyond the age of child-bearing, would bear a child who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Being unable to speak, Zechariah had time to ponder all that was happening in his life, and it isn’t surprising that when he is able to speak again, praise and prophecy pours out. We often focus on Mary’s song of praise, the Magnificat, but Zechariah’s song of praise deserves the same amount of consideration. It’s found in Luke 1:67-80 and in verses 76-78, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he speaks to his son John’s calling: “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, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God…” God’s tender mercy – still for you.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley