✨ Summary

Context: Zechariah’s Silence and Prophecy

• Zechariah, a priest, is visited by an angel while serving in the temple.
• Angel announces that he and his wife, Elizabeth, will have a son (John the Baptist).
• Zechariah doubts, and as a result, is made mute for months.
• At John’s birth, his speech is restored, and his first words are a prophetic song, not about his son, but about God’s salvation plan.

Zechariah’s Prophetic Song (Luke 1:67-79)

• Zechariah’s words are the first recorded prophecy after 400 years of silence from God.
• He declares that God has "visited and redeemed" His people.
• Mentions the "horn of salvation" raised up in David’s house-referring to the coming Messiah.
• The song connects God’s promises to Abraham and David with the fulfillment happening in that very moment.

Covenant And God’s Promises

• Zechariah recalls how God made a covenant with Abraham, promising salvation and deliverance.
• Uses the word "redeemed," linking this event to the Exodus-where God freed Israel from Egypt.
• The word "visited" means "to oversee" or "to look after"-implying divine intervention in history.
• God’s promises were not casual, but contractual and legally binding (covenant format similar to ancient treaties).

Horn Of Salvation (Luke 1:68-75)

• "Horn" symbolizes strength, power, and victory.
• The Jewish people expected a warrior Messiah to defeat Rome-just as God once freed them from Egypt.
• Instead, Zechariah speaks of salvation through forgiveness of sins, not military conquest.

John The Baptist’s Role (Luke 1:76-79)

• Zechariah prophesies that John will prepare the way for the Lord.
• John’s mission: To give knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins.
• The coming Messiah will bring light to those in darkness and guide people into peace.
• Contrasts expectations-Israel expected a military king; instead, Jesus would bring spiritual salvation.

The New Covenant through Christ

• The Old Covenant (Law of Moses) was unbreakable, requiring perfect obedience.
• Israel failed repeatedly-righteousness could never be achieved through the law.
• The New Covenant fulfills the old-righteousness now comes through Jesus, not temple sacrifices.
• Jesus takes on the curse of the Old Covenant, becoming the sacrifice for all.

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

• God cannot break His own oath-He swore by Himself in Genesis 15.
• In ancient treaties, breaking the covenant required a blood sacrifice.
• God Himself takes the punishment for humanity’s failure.
• Christ’s death on the cross satisfies the requirements of the Old Covenant.
• The temple veil tears-signifying direct access to God for all.

Conclusion: Christ’s Birth and Purpose

• The Messiah didn’t come to overthrow Rome but to redeem all people from sin.
• Jesus’ birth, life, and sacrifice fulfilled God’s eternal promise to Abraham-blessing all nations.
• Zechariah’s song declares this truth: Salvation through Christ is for all.
• The story of Christmas isn’t just about a baby-it’s about God fulfilling His covenant, bringing redemption, light, and peace.

📝 Final Sermon Script

Luke 1

Christmas = 2 weeks!

Imagine this, you're at work, you get visited by an angel who takes away your ability to talk. Six months later, you're STILL silent!

• First thought, your husband comes home unable to speak? The house would be so quiet!
• Eventually, no way. An inability to communicate, your stuck with simply talking to yourself… and not even out loud like a normal person!
  That's the situation of Zechariah. Earlier on in the story, Zechariah's serving in the temple because he's a priest.
• An angle shows up and tells him that he and his wife, who have no kids, were going to have a baby.
• Zechariah, like many of us would, doubted the angel… Like, dude, I'm old, my wife's… "well advanced in years"
• So the angel goes "bro, I stand in the presence of God, and you doubt?! Just be quiet and think long and hard about your doubt"
• So Zechariah is SILENT for 6 months… His baby, John, who we know is John the Baptist, is born.
• At his child's birth Zechariah's voice returns.

What would be the first words out of your mouth after not being able to speak for 6 months?

• Freeeeedoooommm!
• What about something about your brand new baby… "he's so cute"… or a lullaby
• Or a song like "celebrate good times, comeon!"
• Zechariah does none of these, instead he prophesies an epic anthem of the ages.
• Imagine being silent for 6 months and then dropping the single greatest worship track of the century. This is the "Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman, of "Shout to the Lord" by Darlene Czech song of the first century. Zachariah's Slappin' Mixtape

This isn't a proud dad babbling about his kid, who obviously isn't as cute as he thinks and kinda looks like a potato… This is a priest-prophet speaking God's ancient promises into the present.

• Zechariah was the first person to receive a word from God in 400 years since the prophets Micah, Obadiah & Isaiah.
• He's also the last person to be filled with the Holy Spirit before the Spirit's outpouring Acts.

Luke 1

• The point is that what Zechariah has to say is important.
• Before the nativity scenes, before the manger, before the donkeys, and the shepherds, and the baby Jesus who always seems to be white instead of middle eastern.
• Before all these things, Luke, who tells us that he's considered all facts and is putting together an orderly account, records the song of Zechariah.
• And the words of the priest-prophet whom God spoke to and filled with His Spirit were…

Luke 1

WOW… What?

• Now we come across the age old problem of Bible reading… Zechariah is a Jewish priest, he knows the Old Testament, he knows the Torah.
• He knows what "God spoke by the mouths of his prophets" throughout the Old Testament.
• And so he begins by remembering the the Old.
• For any Jew hearing "the house of David" and "our fathers" they would remember the promises God made to Abraham and David.
• When Zechariah says that God "redeemed" his people, he purposefully used the same word the Greek Old testament used for the Exodus; where God led Israel out from the slavery of Egypt and made them His covenant people.
• Zechariah connects those same promises to the events of his very day.

Just looking at the word "visited" (episkeptesthai) - means "to oversee," "to inspect," "to look after"

• One derived word "episkopos" = means "overseer, bishop"
• Latin 'episcopus' is where we get the Episcopalian church (not pescatarian)
• Latin 'episcopus' also became 'bishop' in Old English
• Just as a bishop is to oversee the church, the running of it, the future of it… So God has overseen history.
• Zechariah sings "What God has promised all these years… here we are"

So, Zechariah's song isn't like a Taylor Swift song, explaining how God whispered sweet nothings in David's ears.

• These promises Zechariah remembers, and God made, were much more than that.
• They were more like contractual obligations - covenant terms.
• In fact, when Zechariah references Exodus by saying that God has "visited and redeemed his people", the imagery is not simply of God setting His people free, but visiting them on Mt Sinai where he makes a covenant with Moses.
• This covenant is God saying "you are my people, I am your God."

The Covenant

Now, time to zoom out a bit… When it comes to Scripture what we have to understand is that God chose to reveal Himself to a specific people, at a specific place, at a specific time in history for a specific reason.

• When God fashioned His Word, he used the format of a treaty; or a Covenant.
• And He did so using a form that everybody would have understood at that time.
• Archaeological records have shown that in the Middle Eastern World around the 2nd Millennium BC (time of Moses), conquering kings would use a clearly-defined treaty format/template to impose their will on a defeated people.
• King > Conquer > Treaty
• That was the way a people came into submission to a King.
• What's amazing is that the treaty/covenant God made with Moses & Israel at Mt Sinai exactly follows this format.
• So, in Exodus 19, God gives them the covenant… So God is the conquering king, Israel is the people He conquered.
• Now, He wasn't a conquering king in the sense of brutal submission… Rather, God entered into covenant for their benefit, not His own.

So God used a format for His revelation that would have been clearly understood by all the people.
At the heart of it is this idea of an ancient treaty that was a binding contract between two parties.

• Copies had to be supplied to two parties, which explains why Moses had two tablets when he came down from Mt Sinai.
• These are the two legal copies required for the covenant.
• One had to be kept in the presence of the conquering King & the other had to be kept in a secured and sacred location.
• This is why both copies ended up in the Ark of the Covenant, because the Ark of the covenant was both the Presence of the conquering King and also the most secure & sacred location of the Israelites.
• Another condition was that it had to be in written form, and that it cannot be altered or changed in any way, even the smallest detail.
• And these treaties would always have promises attached to them if you obey.

Exodus 20

• And they would always have curses attached to them if you disobey.

Exodus 20

That is the form of the ancient treaties, and that is the form that the covenant God made to Moses takes.

• This treaty, once given, constituted a permanent, unchangeable legal document which governs the relationship of the conquering King with the conquered people.
• So, the entire Old Testament is a permanent, legal document detailing the requirements that God placed on His people. AND…

Deuteronomy 4

Horn of Salvation

Luke 1

• Zechariah is doing more than remembering the old, he knows of a Messiah… a "horn of salvation"
• In ancient days, the horns of an animal were the symbols of their strength… think of an ox, with big horn… big horns, big strong.
• Here's a strong deliverer who will rescue Israel from our enemies!

Luke 1

• The Jewish people have known oppression and exile.
• Scripture is filled with their cries for deliverance, promises of a King who would crush their enemies.
• They expected a warrior Messiah to free them from Rome-just as God freed them from Egypt.
• I would imagine Zechariah would be silent… "he's going to free us from Rome, right? Zechariah?"
• JUST LET ME SING

Luke 1

Wait… so, our salvation is… forgiveness of sins?

• "Yup. just as Malachi prophesied"

Malachi 4

• "So, the sunrise that shall visit us from on high to give light in the shadow of death and to give peace"…. That's… righteousness?.. And salvation is… forgiveness from sin??
• Yup.
• That's disappointing… I wanted roman slaughter and blood as the giant Messiah stomps around swinging a sword… "the messiah's a baby" "WHAT?!"
• This would be so opposite what the Jewish people thought about the Messiah.

The New Covenant

• Remember the Covenant God made with Moses?
• Righteousness, or being RIGHT with God, was gained by perfect adherence to every clause of God's treaty.
  • No single person could achieve that as the terms were made by a perfect God. No one is perfect and Israel failed time and again.
• Zachariah comes on the scene and says, "Hey, righteousness is going to come from the Messiah instead. He will forgive your sins, He will bring light and peace… by the mercy of God Himself".

If you've been following along and not fallen asleep to the soothing sound of my voice, maybe you've noticed something.

• "Hey, isn't God's treaty with Moses UNBREAKABLE? Isn't there a curse associated with breaking this covenant?"

Hebrews 9

• Fundamentally, the New Covenant is a renewal of the Old
  • It's given by the same God
  • It's conditions are prophesied in the original covenant from Genesis to Malachi
  • Moses, Abraham, David, the Prophets, all spoke of the coming of the Messiah.
  • The Old Covenant is really a prophetic foretelling of the New Covenant
• See, many of us think: Old Covenant = Old rules, then Jesus shows up with New Covenant = Grace, end of story.
• But in reality, the New Covenant isn’t just a random grace upgrade. It’s the Old Covenant’s terms being re-visited, re-signed, and re-applied
• The New Testament renews the Old Testament covenant, but it alters it's conditions: forgiveness now comes by the Blood of Christ, not by temple sacrifices.

The thing with altering a covenant? It's unalterable… If you messed with a covenant treaty, what would the king do?

• Bring a hammer of curses down upon you.
• God Himself, recognising the utter failure of Israel to obey the covenant terms.
• God, who sees you an I struggling to even keep new years resolutions let alone His divine commandments.
• God Himself, in His absolute GRACE and MERCY changed his own covenant, invoking His own curses upon Himself

Galatians 3

• in Christ, God Himself absorbs those covenant penalties, fulfilling Israel’s obligations on their behalf.
• The curses that were due to covenant-breakers are poured out on the Messiah, the strong "horn of salvation"
• But He's the king right? Why did the curse have to be laid upon Jesus? Why even send Jesus?
• We celebrate the birth of Christ, but why?
• Because God is God, He cannot lie, He cannot walk back on an oath He made…
• And He made an oath to never break covenant… Zechariah talks about it

Luke 1

• One of the most bizarre scenes in the Bible is Genesis 15 where God makes a covenant with Abraham.
• In the Ancient Near East men would make a death pact by cutting animals in half and setting their pieces opposite each other, forming a path of blood. (METAL, hey)
• Normally, both parties would walk through together, signifying a joint responsibility: "If I fail, let me be like these animals."

Genesis 15

• God ALONE passes between the pieces.
• God, who cannot lie, is unable to break a promise, makes an oath on the only unchangeable, the only trustworthy things He could…. Himself
• He knows our weakness, He knew no one could keep His covenant.
• God takes the full responsibility on Himself.
• The covenant’s success doesn’t hinge on Abraham’s (or Israel’s or your) perfect obedience.
• God staked His own life on fulfilling His promise. "If I fail, let me become like these animals".
• That’s how seriously God takes His word.

Fast forward… Jesus Christ, the son of God, God Himself hangs on a cross.

• Every curse associated to the Old covenant is upon Him. The sin of humanity is laid upon Him.
• Why, because God has sent a Messiah to fulfil the Old Covenant
  • Relationship with God, which could only be achieved through perfect living, righteous obedience, rituals, and sacrifice….
  • Is now fulfilled in one sacrifice… and it by that ONE sacrifice we can know God and be RIGHT with God.
• The heavy veil in the Jewish Temple that separated the Holy of Holies… God's special dwelling place… The place where only once a year, the high priest would pass through to offer sacrifices for Israel's sins.
• At the moment of Christ's death, that veil was torn in two.
  • The barrier between God and humanity had been removed.
  • God, who made covenant with Abraham, in one sacrifice became like the very animals that were sacrificed… torn flesh and dead on a cross.
  • God's covenant commitment ultimately cost Him His own beloved Son.

And Zechariah would remember the commitments God made to Abraham..

Genesis 12

• All the families of the earth shall be blessed.
• At Christmas, we remember that Christ was born to die for the sins of all.
• What God did at Christmas was not exclusive for the Jews but He sent His Son for you.
• Christ was born for all, and He died for all.
  • He fulfilled God's perfect standard, His Old Covenant, because you and I could never be perfect enough for that.
  • He took the curse and all of our sin on His shoulders so that we wouldn't have to pay that penalty.
  • And by His blood God renewed His covenant to bless all nations.
  • That all who believe the Christ, who is God, died so that we may be made right with God and have everlasting life

Or, as Zechariah sings

Luke 1

🧠 Brain Dump

v.67. "visited" (episkeptesthai) - means "to oversee," "to inspect," "to look after"

• Gk. episkopos = overseer, bishop
• Latin 'episcopus' is where we get the Episcopalian church (not pescatarian)
• Latin 'episcopus' also became 'bishop' in Old English
• Just as a bishop is to oversee the church, the running of it, the future of it… So God has overseen history.
• God

"The torn veil of the Temple in Christ’s flesh."
This phrase references a profound theological image tied to Christ’s crucifixion and what it means for humanity’s access to God. In the Jewish temple, a heavy curtain (veil) separated the Holy of Holies-God’s special dwelling place-from the rest of the temple and the priests who served there. Only the high priest could pass behind this veil, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to offer sacrifices for Israel’s sins.

At the moment of Christ’s death on the cross, the Gospel accounts tell us that this temple veil was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This tearing signified that the barrier between God and humanity had been removed. No longer was access to God restricted to a single priest in a hidden chamber. Instead, through Jesus’ sacrificial death, symbolised by the "torn flesh" of His body on the cross, all who trust in Christ can approach God directly.

The New Testament letter to the Hebrews picks up on this symbolism, describing Jesus’ flesh as the "veil" through which we enter God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19-20). In other words, just as the physical veil in the temple once barred direct access to God, now Jesus’ crucified body has opened up a "new and living way" to Him. The phrase "passing through the torn veil of the Temple in Christ’s flesh" is a poetic way of saying that Christ’s sacrificial death grants us intimate, unrestricted access to the Father.

1. Usage of "Episkeptesthai" in Exodus 19
Exodus 19 is a pivotal chapter that describes God’s covenantal encounter with the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Here, God prepares His people to receive the Law, establishing the foundation of the covenant relationship.

• Exodus 19:11 (LXX):

  "And be ready for the third day: for upon the third day the Lord will visit you by fire on the mountain."

  • Greek Text (Septuagint):

    "Καὶ γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι τῇ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ὅτι τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ Κύριος ἐπισκέψει ὑμᾶς ἐν πυρί ἐπὶ τῆς ὄρους."

  • Analysis:
    • The verb ἐπισκέψει (episkepsē) is a form of episkeptesthai, meaning "will visit" or "will come upon."
    • Contextual Meaning: God announces His imminent visitation to Mount Sinai, signifying a direct and powerful intervention to establish the covenant. This visitation is marked by dramatic phenomena-fire, smoke, and thunder-underscoring the seriousness and holiness of the covenant being formed.
    • Theological Implication: Just as Zechariah speaks of God’s visitation to redeem His people, Exodus 19 portrays God’s active and purposeful engagement with Israel to initiate a binding covenant. This sets the stage for the giving of the Law in Exodus 20.

Exodus 19 vs. Luke 1:68

• Similarities:
  • Purposeful Divine Intervention: In both Exodus 19:11 and Luke 1:68, episkeptesthai underscores God’s intentional and purposeful action toward His people.
  • Covenantal Context: Both passages involve the fulfillment of covenant promises-Exodus 19 with the establishment of the Mosaic Covenant and Luke 1:68 with the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant through Jesus Christ.
• Differences:
  • Scope of Visitation: Exodus 19’s visitation is national and foundational, establishing Israel’s identity and laws. In contrast, Luke 1:68’s visitation is universal, encompassing all nations through the Messiah.
  • Nature of the Event: The Exodus visitation is marked by awe-inspiring natural phenomena, whereas Zechariah’s prophecy in Luke focuses on redemptive and salvific themes fulfilled in Christ.

"Episkeptesthai" in Covenantal Theology

• Old Covenant (Exodus 19):
  • Suzerain-Vassal Relationship: God, as the Suzerain (overlord), visits His vassal nation, Israel, to establish a binding covenant. This visitation is conditional, based on Israel’s obedience to the Law.
  • Conditional Blessings and Curses: The visitation signifies both the establishment of blessings for obedience and the warning of curses for disobedience (cf. Deuteronomy 28).