Nobody ever believes it until it is too late. Everyone has the same idea: that it could not happen to them.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Man From Skibbereen)
“I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have redeemed me.”
–Psalm 71:23 (NLT)
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Over the hill? In reading this psalm by Zechariah in Luke, I was reminded of that phrase. When is one over the hill? Zechariah, an elderly priest was ready to serve his time in the Temple. There were twenty thousand priests, so at his age he might have wondered what good was he? He and his wife, Elisabeth, had no children, none to celebrate with, none to enjoy, hmmm, what good was he? Perhaps he thought that no one would miss him if he were gone. (Petersen) This song is called the “Benedictus” which is Latin for “blessed” or “praised.” They are the first words in Zechariah’ song found in Luke chapter 1:
67 — Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 — Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 — And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 — As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,
71 — That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 — To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 — The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 — To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,
75 — In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 — And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 — To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,
78 — Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 — To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (NKJV)
Read the whole story of Zacharias and his wife. Old people, over the hill? Not quite for the Lord still had something for them to do. Our work is not through until that last breath is taken. Granted it may change through the years, but our obligation, our duty is to remain faithful in our service to the Lord. Think about it! The role of Zacharias and Elisabeth in the plan of God. John, would prepare the way of the Lord. No wonder Zacharias sang at his birth.
A forerunner, a preparer for the Lord. John would be that one and Zacharias sang praises unto the Lord. Many thought that it would be Elijah returning to announce the way of the Messiah, but no, Zacharias saw in his son the one who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus, the Lord and King. All his life Zacharias had done his duty, he worked in the Temple, performing the priestly office. His life was preparation, and the Lord was watching. As Barclay writes, “In life God is working all things together to bring us to Christ.” We perform our task, we sing praises unto the Lord, yes, sometimes because of duty, but mostly because of a love to the One who has redeemed us.
“Praise the Lord,” said a teenage Mary. “Praise the Lord,” said the senior citizen Zacharias. “No matter your age, God wants to use you to bring Him praise.” (Petersen) Take time to read these wonderful verses of Scripture. Dissect them, contemplate of all the truth that they hold, and praise the Lord.
“This is he whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word;
Now he shines, the long-expected;
Let all people praise the Lord.”
–Aurelius Clemens Prudentius
“I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have redeemed me.”
–Psalm 71:23 (NLT)
——————————
Over the hill? In reading this psalm by Zechariah in Luke, I was reminded of that phrase. When is one over the hill? Zechariah, an elderly priest was ready to serve his time in the Temple. There were twenty thousand priests, so at his age he might have wondered what good was he? He and his wife, Elisabeth, had no children, none to celebrate with, none to enjoy, hmmm, what good was he? Perhaps he thought that no one would miss him if he were gone. (Petersen) This song is called the “Benedictus” which is Latin for “blessed” or “praised.” They are the first words in Zechariah’ song found in Luke chapter 1:
67 — Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 — Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 — And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 — As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,
71 — That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 — To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 — The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 — To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,
75 — In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 — And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 — To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,
78 — Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 — To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (NKJV)
Read the whole story of Zacharias and his wife. Old people, over the hill? Not quite for the Lord still had something for them to do. Our work is not through until that last breath is taken. Granted it may change through the years, but our obligation, our duty is to remain faithful in our service to the Lord. Think about it! The role of Zacharias and Elisabeth in the plan of God. John, would prepare the way of the Lord. No wonder Zacharias sang at his birth.
A forerunner, a preparer for the Lord. John would be that one and Zacharias sang praises unto the Lord. Many thought that it would be Elijah returning to announce the way of the Messiah, but no, Zacharias saw in his son the one who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus, the Lord and King. All his life Zacharias had done his duty, he worked in the Temple, performing the priestly office. His life was preparation, and the Lord was watching. As Barclay writes, “In life God is working all things together to bring us to Christ.” We perform our task, we sing praises unto the Lord, yes, sometimes because of duty, but mostly because of a love to the One who has redeemed us.
“Praise the Lord,” said a teenage Mary. “Praise the Lord,” said the senior citizen Zacharias. “No matter your age, God wants to use you to bring Him praise.” (Petersen) Take time to read these wonderful verses of Scripture. Dissect them, contemplate of all the truth that they hold, and praise the Lord.
“This is he whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word;
Now he shines, the long-expected;
Let all people praise the Lord.”
–Aurelius Clemens Prudentius