This chaplaincy article is by the Rev Grant Crowe, Amersfoort & Zwolle chaplain name of Zechariah’s Son John means – Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit is gracious’ in this canticle ‘Yahweh – and prophesied: be to the Lord, ‘Praise 68 Zechariah celebrates the grace of God. the God of Israel, God is praised because has come.” – “he because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a 69 horn of salvation for us in the house of his He praises the Lord for the fulfilment and servant David (as he said through his 70 culmination of the Old Testament which is holy prophets of long ago), salvation 71 occurring. As Anglican Bishop NT Wright from our enemies and from the hand of all reminded us in November’s session on who hate us to show mercy to our –72 and the New Testament’: the ‘Anglicanism ancestors and to remember his holy New Testament as a whole declares itself covenant,73 the oath he swore to our to be how the Old Testament reaches its father Abraham: to rescue us from the 74 goal and climax where the plans of God hand of our enemies, and to enable us to were going a single story focused on – serve him without fear in holiness and 75 Jesus Christ. The season of Advent righteousness before him all our therefore has a strong theme of adoration days.’(Luke 1:67-74). and praise even though Anglican – These are the opening words of the tradition is that we omit the Gloria in our biblical song called the Benedictus – Sunday worship! for the fulfilment of the – called that due to the first word of its Latin promises so far (that the Messiah has translation. The entire text up to v79 – – come), and as those promises have been has two halves. The first half as quoted – fulfilled, we look forward to the glorious above looks back to the promises of – return of our Lord. Advent has praise God now being fulfilled. The second half woven into its fabric and being. focuses on the prophetic role of his eight And two significant biblical characters are day old son. We focus on this first mentioned Abraham and David. Both – section. representing two major periods of Israel’s The section can be summed up in the
This chaplaincy article is by the Rev Grant Crowe, Amersfoort & Zwolle chaplain Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us –72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.’(Luke 1:67-74). These are the opening words of the biblical song called the Benedictus – called that due to the first word of its Latin translation. The entire text – up to v79 – has two halves. The first half – as quoted above – looks back to the promises of God now being fulfilled. The second half focuses on the prophetic role of his eight day old son. We focus on this first section. The section can be summed up in the name of Zechariah’s Son – John means ‘Yahweh is gracious’ – in this canticle Zechariah celebrates the grace of God. God is praised – because “he has come.” He praises the Lord for the fulfilment and culmination of the Old Testament which is occurring. As Anglican Bishop NT Wright reminded us in November’s session on ‘Anglicanism and the New Testament’: the New Testament as a whole declares itself to be how the Old Testament reaches its goal and climax where the plans of God were going – a single story focused on Jesus Christ. The season of Advent therefore has a strong theme of adoration and praise – even though Anglican tradition is that we omit the Gloria in our Sunday worship! – for the fulfilment of the promises so far (that the Messiah has come), and as those promises have been fulfilled, we look forward to the glorious return of our Lord. Advent has praise woven into its fabric and being. And two significant biblical characters are mentioned – Abraham and David. Both representing two major periods of Israel’s
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