Luke 1: 57-80

(Luke 1: 57-80) Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

 On the eighth day after the child was born, relatives came to circumcise the child and tried to name him Zacharias after his father's name. At that time, when the family was good or influential, the name of the grandfather or father was used for the child. Elizabeth said, "No, I will call it John." The relatives considered it strange. So he asked his father Zacharias for his opinion. Zacharias asked for a tablet and wrote the name John on the tablet. At the decision of his father, Zacharias, the child's name was finally confirmed as John. 

Why did the Elizabethan couple name their child John? He did what God said. The angel tells the vision that this child will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will bring the children of Israel to their God with Elijah's spirit and power. Zacharias accepted that this child was raised as a servant of the Lord who was used in the work of God's redemption, not a person who continued the family tradition. 

『So his mouth immediately opened, his tongue loosened, and he spoke to praise God.』 The first thing Zacharias did as soon as his tongue was loosened was to praise God. His father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, "Blessed, O Lord God of Israel, you have cared for and redeemed your people, and raised up the horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David."

 The hymn of Zacharias has a total of twelve verses. However, two verses were devoted to the story of his son John, and the remaining ten verses were all about God and Jesus. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel”. He is speaking of the God of Israel. God chose Israel among all the people of the world. Through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God promised a promised land with all the people. Israel does not mean one nation, Israel, but contains the promise that all the people of the world will be saved. 

The God of Israel is a redeeming God. Redemption refers to paying and liberating a person in slavery. All people are slaves to Satan. So, God pays the price and lives slaves from Satan. Why Are All Humans Become Satan's Servant? Why is Satan the King of the World? If you ask the question, "Is there no God in this world?" People say that because God created it, of course God exists, controls, and operates. By the way, the Bible tells us not to love this world. 

In 1 John 2:15, 『Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. And, when Jesus spoke with Pontius Pilate, in John 18:36, ``Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 'And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; in Luke 4:6, when he was tempted by the devil in the wilderness; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 』