Luk 1:78-79 | KingComments | STEP | In these verses Zacharias addresses the child John. While the old man has the boy in his arms and looks him in the face, he speaks these words to him. These are the first words we have from Zacharias to him in Scripture. He speaks to John about the great privilege of being a prophet of the Most High. John may prepare the ways of the Lord Who will be born ( ). This “Most High”, that is the LORD, Yahweh , is the Lord Jesus. The “Most High” is the name of God in the realm of peace, where He is above all, and everything is subjected to Him. Zacharias tells his son how he will be the forerunner of the Messiah. He will be so by preparing the way in the hearts of people. He knows that the only way to help “His people”, that is the people of the Most High, will be to teach them how to receive forgiveness of their sins and thereby become partaker of the salvation offered by God. For this he will preach the baptism of repentance. His preaching is based on “the tender mercy” of God, that is the “mercy of God’s intestines”, as it literally says, which becomes so very tangible in the coming of Christ. “The Sunrise from on high” is a special description for Christ. His coming is truly the morning light of a new day. Every earthly sunrise happens before the human eye from downward to upward, but the rise of Christ is from upward to downward. Zacharias describes the coming of the Sunrise as the shining of light in the darkness and the shadow of death ( ; ). The people are in darkness, without light, and the only view they have is death. That is the misery of the people. The coming of the Lord Jesus offers light and sight in that state. Where light comes, a way becomes clear. That way is the way of peace, of peace with God and with one another. First they did not know the way of peace ( ). Through Christ and through the blood of the cross they can get peace with God and then put their feet on the way of peace. It is the way of life, where the shadow of death is gone. On that way their feet can be ‘guided’, that is, God determines the direction of their lives. Anyone who is at peace with God can go that way, while the feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace ( ). This peace is heavenly, it is the peace of God ( ). If we have this peace, it will be visible in our walk that we live from this peace. Then we bring all that is in our heart to God. Then we can rest in every circumstance in which He brings us. In this, the Lord Jesus is our example ( ). The peace of God is characterized by the rest of God on His throne, unaffected by all the turmoil on earth. The devil will do everything to try to take away our peace. Just as with Job, he will use all kinds of (unpleasant) circumstances for this. In heaven there is nothing that makes us restless and lose our peace. The testimony of the heavenly reality will be seen on earth especially in the peace that we radiate amidst all the turmoil.

‏ Luke 1:78-79

Prophecy About John

In these verses Zacharias addresses the child John. While the old man has the boy in his arms and looks him in the face, he speaks these words to him. These are the first words we have from Zacharias to him in Scripture. He speaks to John about the great privilege of being a prophet of the Most High. John may prepare the ways of the Lord Who will be born (Isa 40:3). This “Most High”, that is the LORD, Yahweh, is the Lord Jesus. The “Most High” is the name of God in the realm of peace, where He is above all, and everything is subjected to Him.

Zacharias tells his son how he will be the forerunner of the Messiah. He will be so by preparing the way in the hearts of people. He knows that the only way to help “His people”, that is the people of the Most High, will be to teach them how to receive forgiveness of their sins and thereby become partaker of the salvation offered by God. For this he will preach the baptism of repentance. His preaching is based on “the tender mercy” of God, that is the “mercy of God’s intestines”, as it literally says, which becomes so very tangible in the coming of Christ.

“The Sunrise from on high” is a special description for Christ. His coming is truly the morning light of a new day. Every earthly sunrise happens before the human eye from downward to upward, but the rise of Christ is from upward to downward. Zacharias describes the coming of the Sunrise as the shining of light in the darkness and the shadow of death (Isa 9:2; Mt 4:16). The people are in darkness, without light, and the only view they have is death. That is the misery of the people. The coming of the Lord Jesus offers light and sight in that state.

Where light comes, a way becomes clear. That way is the way of peace, of peace with God and with one another. First they did not know the way of peace (Rom 3:17). Through Christ and through the blood of the cross they can get peace with God and then put their feet on the way of peace. It is the way of life, where the shadow of death is gone. On that way their feet can be ‘guided’, that is, God determines the direction of their lives.

Anyone who is at peace with God can go that way, while the feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15). This peace is heavenly, it is the peace of God (Phil 4:7). If we have this peace, it will be visible in our walk that we live from this peace. Then we bring all that is in our heart to God. Then we can rest in every circumstance in which He brings us. In this, the Lord Jesus is our example (Mt 11:25-30).

The peace of God is characterized by the rest of God on His throne, unaffected by all the turmoil on earth. The devil will do everything to try to take away our peace. Just as with Job, he will use all kinds of (unpleasant) circumstances for this. In heaven there is nothing that makes us restless and lose our peace. The testimony of the heavenly reality will be seen on earth especially in the peace that we radiate amidst all the turmoil.