Constant love
Campbell Dye
December 17, 2021
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Luke 1: 69-75 (NRSVA)
69 He has raised up a mighty saviour for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
How often have you heard it said that there are “two gods” in the Bible – one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament? The argument inevitably ends up in caricature, with the Old Testament “god” being vengeful, vindictive and mercurial and the New Testament version being gentle, loving and merciful. This mischaracterisation is often used as a “killer” argument as to why we can have no trust in the authority or authenticity of the Bible.
Yet here, in Luke’s eyewitness-based account of events, we find Zechariah continuing his song of amazement, gratitude and wonder. As we will find out tomorrow, he concludes his words with a prophecy of the role his son will play in God’s great plan but, in today’s verses, he celebrates God’s plan for humanity to date.
As Zechariah sees it, God’s story is one of His faithfulness to his people, despite His people’s rejection and misdoings. It’s also a story of commitment in the face of inconstancy – God never lets his people go. In fact, Zechariah recognises that God’s work is only part done, like the cliff-hanger at the end of a Netflix season, God has brought his people so far but Zechariah is craving for more.
Zechariah found himself at the crossroads of history. God’s justice and love is constant and, although Zechariah could see that consistency all the way back to Abraham, he also saw there was more to come. Not a different God, but the fulfilment of God’s eternal plan of salvation. That plan had been trailed by prophets over thousands of years and can be seen from the promises made to Abraham, through the royal line of King David. Zechariah saw that God’s rescue was at hand. It was to be radical and dramatic and human history would never be the same again. But, in Zechariah’s words, we clearly see all of this as the will of the one God, eternal and never changing.
PRAYER:
Thank you, father God, that we can see your constant love for us throughout history. Shower me with that love today, so that I may live my life in your service. AMEN
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