A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
LUKE 1:57-80
Lesson #05
GOD PREPARES THE WAY
- Memory Verse: Luk 1:76
- Mary returned home after her visit with Elisabeth.
- Then Luke picks up the story when Elisabeth’s time to have her baby had arrived.
- Read Luk1:57-80 The birth of John the Baptist
- Elisabeth gave birth to a boy. The common practice was to name the baby after his father. That was what friends and relatives suggested.
- However, Gabriel had told Elisabeth to name the baby John. (Luk 1:13)
- Elisabeth had a choice:
- She could let her family and friends pressure her into doing something that did not seem that important.
- Or she could be firm in obedience to do what she knew was God’s will.
- As believers in Jesus Christ we often make these same types of little compromises. We rationalize that it is a small, unimportant thing.
- Why are the small points of obedience important?
- In our Christian walk, God starts with testing us in the small things of life.
- When we prove we can be trusted in the small points of obedience, He gives us greater challenges.
- These are the stepping stones to greater faith and greater challenges.
- We see this truth played out in the lives of Elisabeth and Zacharias.
- Why are the small points of obedience important?
- Besides being a personal test of faith for Elisabeth and for Zacharias, why was the name of John so important?
- Remember, we learned that the name Zacharias means = God remembers.
- We learned that the name John means = gracious gift of God.
- God had a special ministry in mind for John.
- He was to be the last Old Testament prophet.
- Elisabeth had a choice:
A true prophet of God was a special calling of total commitment of one’s life.
The Old Testament prophet’s life style and everything about his life was to be part of his message. This included his name and its meaning.
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- The eighth day
- The number 8 in the Bible is symbolic of a new beginning. In the Jewish culture, a child was circumcised on the eighth day. He was considered spiritually unclean until his circumcision.
- The eighth day is when the blood coagulates at the highest level. It is the best point in time for circumcision established by God on the eighth day. (Gen 17:12)
- John the Baptist was one of three men in the Bible that had a Nazarite vow from birth. The three lifetime Nazarites in the Bible were Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist.
- What was a Nazarite vow?
- Read Num 6:2-8
- The joy of the Nazarite was to be in service to God instead of in the joys of the world. (No wine)
- The Nazarite was not ashamed to be different even though he must bear the ridicule of man. (No hair cut.)
- The Nazarite was to be totally dedicated to the message of life. (No contact with anything dead.)
- John was God’s gracious gift to parents that were old and could not have children. In return, his parents dedicated John the Baptist as a gift to God by placing him under a Nazarite vow for his entire life on the eighth day.
- John was faithful to fulfill his vow to God.
- His life’s message was to prepare the world for God’s greatest gift, Jesus Christ. (Joh 3:16)
- Now we can see why the Bible tells us the details of the importance of Elisabeth’s obedience to John’s name that became a part of his message.
- The miracle for Zacharias
- Zacharias had been unable to speak for the nine months of Elisabeth’s pregnancy because of his unbelief.
- God removed the speech impediment when Zacharias passed the test of faith regarding the baby’s name.
- Now the testimony of God’s miracle became well known in that area. Zacharias’ faith spoke.
- Zacharias’ song of prophecy over his son: (67-80)
- His prophecy gives us the details of the ministry of John the Baptist and what he would accomplish.
- His prophecy also gives us details about Jesus’ ministry to come.
- =1= “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,” (68)
- God’s timing for a supernatural visitation of God had arrived. Remember God had been silent for 400 years after the book of Malachi.
- Now was the time for redemption. John would prepare the way for the coming redeemer, Jesus Christ.
- =2= “…hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;” (69)
- The horn of salvation is a title for Jesus Christ.
- =1= “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,” (68)
- The eighth day
A horn in the Bible is symbolic of power and authority.
Both the altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense in the Old Testament tabernacle and temple each had 4 horns. Someone accused of a crime could run into the courtyard of the tabernacle or temple and grab the horns of the altar to be assured of mercy.
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- Zacharias was not in the lineage of David. Therefore he could not be talking about his own son but that his son, John, would prepare the way for the Messiah who was to come in the lineage of David through Mary.
- =3= The Messiah would come to fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament in order to save God’s people. (70-71)
- =4= The Messiah would come to fulfill the promises of the covenant given to Abraham. (72-73)
- =5= “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” (74-75)
- God’s intention for the Jews from the beginning was that He would be their God and they would be His people in service to God.
- This part of the prophecy will not be fulfilled until the second coming of Jesus Christ as in the first coming they rejected Him.
- =6= “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;” (76)
- This verse refers to John the Baptist as the prophet of the Highest. The Highest is Jesus Christ, the Lord.
- John would prepare the way for Jesus Christ.
- =7= “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,” (77)
- Notice that this is to be John’s message:
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He is to give people the knowledge of how to be saved by first repenting of sin.
Salvation will come through Christ along with repentance of sin.
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- Salvation will come because of God’s mercy for His people. (78)
- =8= “…the dayspring from on high hath visited us,” (78)
- The dayspring from on high is another title for the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
- He will give light in darkness. (79)
- He will guide us to peace in death. (79)
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- Summary:
- From the beginning of Luke’s gospel, he has shown us the miraculous way God put everything in order in His perfect will and timing to bring the Messiah to this earth as a demonstration of God’s mercy and love.
- It was obviously important for God to prepare the way for Jesus’ first coming. Why?
- God does nothing without first revealing it to the prophets.
- John is the last Old Testament prophet. He was to prepare the hearts of the people by bringing them to repentance. Then through Jesus Christ they would recognize Him as their Messiah and be saved.
- Application:
- In this New Testament age in which we now live, the Holy Spirit prepares the way in the hearts of people to receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior.
- Think about your own life and how the Spirit led you to acknowledge Jesus Christ as your personal savior.
- God also prepares the way for you to fulfill His plan for your life by testing your faith in small ways so as to grow your faith to meet the big challenges ahead.
HOMEWORK
Luke 2:1-20
- Application of Luk 1:57-80
- Think about your life and the little tests of faith that have come your way.
- Write one example and how you reacted and failed the test.
- Write one example and how you reacted and passed the test.
- In this lesson we have seen the importance of obedience in little things.
- Pray and make a determination to be faithful like Elisabeth no matter what happens.
- Ask God to give you that strength and clear vision to be obedient even when you do not understand its importance.
- Think about your life and the little tests of faith that have come your way.
- Preparation for Luk 2:1-20
- Read Luk 2:1-20
- What do you think the memory verse means in relation to Jesus’ birth?
- Read Luk 2:1-20
- Memory Verse: Gal 4:4
