NATIVITY By Mike Herron

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. 67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: Long ago King David had prayed, ‘Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.’ (Ps 51:15) Upon seeing his promised baby boy, faith is awakened in Zecharias and praise begins flowing from his liberated heart. The remarkable circumstances surrounding this very elderly couple and their newborn child cause the entire region to wonder and question; What then is this child going to be? ‘Luke is reporting what the people said long after the day of circumcision.’ 3 Zecharias now joins Mary, Elizabeth and John in the new Spirit-filled humanity and begins singing and speaking in the manner of Old Testament prophecy.

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 of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

Zecharias’ song is filled with scriptures and is not as structured as Mary’s. The first half 68-75, is historically known as the 'Benedictus;' the Blessing, and the second half 76-79 is a prophecy. It is in the style of ‘Hebrew poetry, which is not rhymed but rhythmic in the beauty of thought combined with the beauty of balanced expression.’ 4 God himself has come to visit his people as a friend; ‘Christ redeems them by price out of the hands of God’s justice, and redeems them by power out of the hands of Satan’s tyranny...’ 5 The horn is the symbol of God’s delivering strength yet His Messiah has come to Israel through Mary, a humble descendant of King David.