After Zacharias had been mute for nine months, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and uttered a wonderful prophecy about Jesus and John the Baptist.

He prophesied about Jesus being God’s “horn of salvation,” and then explained God’s love for His people by His covenant. This covenant is the one He made with Abraham several thousands of years previously. It is this covenant that we will look at a little more in depth today.

Zacharias’ Prophecy – Part IV: God’s Covenant

“The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear.” –Luke 1:73-74.

In the next two verses of Zacharias’ prophecy–as outlined in Luke 1:67-79–He reaches way back, over 2,000 years previously, to a covenant that God made with Abraham, his forefather. The covenant is recorded in Genesis:

“By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” –Genesis 22:16-18.

A couple things to note about this passage in Genesis:

• First, the one speaking this to Abraham is “the angel of the Lord.” In the Old Testament, this is a Theophany: an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. In other words, this is Jesus speaking this oath to Abraham!
• The “thing” that Abraham had done was to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice at the command of God. This is recorded in Genesis 22:2. What is remarkable about Genesis 22:2 is that it is the first time in the entire Bible that the word “love” is used. And in what way is the word used? Imagine you are an old man without children. God promises you that you will be a father of many nations but you have no son. Then miraculously, God gives you a son. Then, God tests you by commanding you to sacrifice that child as an act of love and obedience toward God. Abraham does just that but God stops him and spares Isaac. Some 2,000 years later, God will offer up His own son–on the same, exact spot that Abraham offers his son–as an act of love to the entire world! This is what Christmas is all about, my friends.
• Lastly, when God says that “all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” through Abraham’s seed, He is specifically indicating that all nations will be blessed because of Jesus.

And so what is the purpose behind all of this? Zacharias says that we “might serve Him without fear.” He will continue this thought that we will look at next time. But for now, we can serve God without fear of what? Sin and death!

You see, God sent His son–humbly born in a manger–to take away the sins of the entire world, setting us free of the penalty of sin which is spiritual death. Jesus came to save us from being eternally separated from Him and spending eternity in hell! The greatest gift you will ever receive is the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers to each of us. It cannot be bought or sold. It’s worth more than anything else you can imagine. It is priceless. But it cost God everything and yet, He willing, graciously, lovingly gives it to each of us if we will only accept it.

Won’t you accept His free gift of salvation today?

May He Increase!