The proclaimer of the Messiah (2) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
Luke 1:14

The proclaimer of the Messiah (2)
Yesterday we saw that God had heard the prayers of Zacharias and Elizabeth and had given them a special child in their old age: John.

God is good and He gives us good things. He sees us and our situation. God does not always answer immediately when we ask Him for something, but He intervenes for our good when He sees fit.

How Zacharias and Elizabeth rejoiced! Not only they, but “many will rejoice at his birth”, his father Zacharias was told. We know the joy connected with the birth of a child, but this joy over John’s birth went beyond that, because it was related to the birth of Jesus Christ.

A little further on in Luke’s Gospel, we read how the angel spoke to the shepherds in the field, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11). This is about the joy of the Messiah, the Saviour of His people, announced many centuries before. God-fearing Jews had been waiting for Him. But they also knew that a messenger would prepare the way for the Messiah. The prophets had predicted as much (cf. Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3).

And this messenger was John the Baptist. His birth showed that the coming of the Messiah was imminent! Before the eyes of the people at that time, God’s plan of salvation was unfolding. John the Baptist died long ago, but Jesus Christ is risen and alive. He is the Saviour – a reason for us to rejoice with all our hearts.

(concluded)

Today’s reading: Zechariah 10:1-12 · Mark 14:27-42