Benedictus, also called the Song of Zechariah, is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving sung by Zechariah, a Jewish priest of the line of Aaron, on the occasion of the circumcision and naming of his son, John the Baptist. Found in Luke 1:67-79, the canticle received its name from its first words in Latin (Benedictus Dominus Deus Israhel, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel”). The hymn is addressed to the Israelite people about their long-cherished messianic hopes and to John the Baptist as the prophet and forerunner of the Messiah whose kingdom of peace is about to begin.
The plumber said he’d be at your house between 9 and 11 am. It’s 12:30 now and there’s no plumber in sight.
Your old classmate said that she would call to make plans to get together this weekend. Oh well, she must be too busy.
Your position “has been eliminated” in a corporate restructuring plan—after you’ve given 18 years of faithful service.
In a world of broken promises, is it any wonder we have difficulty comprehending a faithful God? We’ve read and re-read His promises, and we believe them on one level, but yet, there’s that kernel of doubt, will God really come through?
Zechariah had the same struggle. As a priest, Zechariah was well-schooled in the Torah. He read the Old Testament prophets’ words about the coming of Messiah and the redemption of His people. But now, it was getting personal. The angel’s message was telling Zechariah that his own son—who would be born miraculously late in life—would be the forerunner of this long-awaited Messiah. Seriously, how can this be possible?
At some point during this silent stretch of months, Zechariah’s heart began to soften. Was it when he learned that Mary had a similar encounter with an angel? Was it when the baby first kicked in Elizabeth’s womb? Or, was it when he finally held Baby John in his arms? Whenever Zechariah’s heart changed, he learned that God’s promise-keeping is not like ours. God always remembers, never gets diverted from His plan, always fulfills His Word.
Because of his change of heart, Zechariah is able to turn to his infant son and prophesy over him (Luke 1:76-79). John would be the last of the old-school prophets, pointing the way to Jesus. And Jesus, like a rising sun, would extend the light of salvation to the whole world. We get to live in the fulfillment of that blessing! Our own transformed lives in Christ should be a constant reminder that God will keep His Word, and will finish what He has started—the perfection of our faith and the restoration of the world.
For Reflection:
- Why does faithfulness stand out in our culture? Are there obstacles to believing that God will do what He says He will do?
- Think about what it must have been like for Zechariah to slowly realize that God was keeping His promise of a baby born to Elizabeth. Describe his mix of emotions.
Nativity Building Activity: Scatter some sheep figures all around the room. Let them remind you of how people are lost without a shepherd, but God saw this and sent Jesus to be their Good Shepherd.
by Laure Herlinger
Week 3 Family Talk
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel
Because he has come and redeemed his people.
He raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of his servant David.”
When I was growing up, my mom would sing to me. She sang lullabies like “Frere Jacques” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” She rewrote the lyrics to Brahm’s lullaby for our family. Her longest piece was a medley of songs from her childhood and hymns. Every night as she tucked me into bed, she would sing over me the truths from God’s word with love.
Today’s song from Luke is like my mom’s medley. Zechariah, the singer, has just become a dad, and he’s excited. An angel of the Lord called Gabriel had told him over a year before that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a son, but he had a hard time believing it. He and Elizabeth hadn’t had any children, and they were old enough to be grandparents. But God is faithful to keep his promises and now the promised little boy has come!
Zechariah is also excited because another promised boy is on his way. Throughout the Old Testament of the Bible, God revealed his plan to the prophets to send a savior to rescue his people. The angel who told of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s baby, John, revealed that John would prepare the people for the long-awaited savior. Later, when Elizabeth met Mary who was pregnant with Jesus, baby John jumped in her womb, already excited to be near the savior.
When he gets news of his son’s birth and God’s promise fulfilled, Zechariah’s joy overflows. He remembers the songs of David and the prophets. Promises hundreds of years old come to mind. He remembers the words of Gabriel, the angel, about his son, John. He is filled with the Holy Spirit and creates a new medley of praise to God that he sings to his son.
I wonder how many times John heard that song growing up. He heard about the forgiveness of sins and God’s mercy. He heard about the strong king (called a horn in this song) who would bring salvation. He heard about Jesus.
Reflection Questions:
- What songs do you sing as a family to praise God and remember his promises?
- Read Luke 1:67-69. How is Jesus described? (Jesus is the Lord in this song.) What does Jesus do in this song?
by Colleen Mittag
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