Luke 1: 67-73 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people” (read the entire song).
These are the first words of prophecy to Israel after 450 years of silence! John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, proclaimed this prophecy on the day his son was circumcised and named. The last prophet who had spoken the word of the Lord to them was another Zechariah (Zech. 1:6), and since then the Gentiles had overrun their nation leaving them to wonder, “Where is our God? He has forgotten us.” With each succeeding generation, the people had lower expectations of what God would do for them. Many of them stopped hoping and turned away from their faith and indulged in the godless practices of foreign nations. Zechariah’s prophecy points back to the covenant promises of God. Maybe you have lived through a season in which God has been silent or come through a deep trial, and you feel emotionless and empty. God never forgets us. Christ has come “to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (verse 79). Jesus is your “rising sun” (verse 78) who has promised to renew hope when all hope is gone. Hear the words of truth piercing the darkest night: God has not forgotten you.
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