INTRODUCTION

1. The Place of the Scriptures

a) Of Paramount importance

b) Knowledge and understanding to be sought

c) The Word of God was meant to be in the heart and mind

2. The Perversity of Darkness

a) It affects the desire to know the Scriptures

b) It affects the determination to read the Lord’s word faithfully

c) No one is spared from the perversity of darkness

 

THE STRUGGLE OF ZACHARIAS

1. His inability to believe what the angel Gabriel had said to him

2. His deep problem of unbelief

3. He had to be chastened with Muteness till the birth of John

 

SPIRITUAL SIGHT HAD RETURNED

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 Luke 1:67-71

1. After the period of chastening

2. The Holy Spirit filled Zacharias

3. There was a remarkable difference!

a) Praise came from his lips

b) Prophecy was uttered

c) The prophetic Scriptures became clear

 

AS HE SPOKE BY THE MOUTH OF HIS HOLY PROPHETS

1. Recognizing God as the Source of prophecy

a) It was God who “spoke”

b) He may speak directly

c) He may speak through His servants, the prophets

2. Recognizing the role of the prophets

a) They were to be regarded as “holy prophets”

b) They had lives that were marked by holiness

c) They were acknowledged as the spokesmen for God

3. Regard for the prophetic word

a) There was unbelief

b) This was now displaced

c) The filling of the Holy Spirit made a huge difference

 

“WHO HAVE BEEN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN” Luke 1:70b

1. The Ministry of the Prophets of God

a) There were the Writing Prophets

b) There were non-writing Prophets

2. Tracing the Prophetic Ministry further Back

a) They were there since the world began

b) A clear example was Noah Hebrews 11:7

i) God forewarned the Global Flood

ii) Noah preached on this subject

 

THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION

That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us Luke 1:71

1. There was one consistent theme preached by the all the prophets

2. That God would grant Salvation

a) From enemies

b) From those who hate

3. This was the Message that all prophets continue to proclaim

a) The message of Salvation

b) The message of Deliverance

 

JOINING THE DOTS

15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.

He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’

and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:15-17

1. The message of Gabriel to Zacharias concerning John’s future ministry

2. The ministry of the holy prophets of God

3. John was destined to greatness because he would be a prophet too

4. He would be empowered as the prophet Elijah was!

 

OUR CHALLENGE

1. To give heed to the prophetic word

2. To respond positively to the call to salvation

3. To desire to serve the Lord in sharing Salvation’s Message