T.R.A.S.H. TALK

Truly Redeemed and Sanctified In Him

A Prophet to the Highest is Born

In this T.R.A.S.H. Talk, we are going to look at the book of Luke, chapter 1, beginning with verse 67, where Zacharias prophecies of his newborn son, Yohanan (John) and his ministry (the predestined call upon John’s life). John would become known to man as John the Baptist but to Yahweh, he was a prophet to the Highest.

• Hebrew name: Yohanan, meaning “graced by God.” Aramaic name: Yochanan which means “Yahweh is gracious.” English Name: John, meaning God is gracious 

Yahweh made a promise to Himself and Abraham thousands of years earlier to always have a people called unto Him for His Name sake, and in Luke’s gospel we see His promise being fulfilled and about to unfold before the world’s very eyes through His son, Yeshua. Like any proud papa’s introduction and display of affection, Yahweh had a plan to introduce His only begotten Son, the world’s Redeemer in the perfect reveal. In His master plan and grace, He predestined John (Yeshua’s cousin) to be born six months prior for the sole purpose of going forth and preparing the Hebrew people for their Messiah (the very One they had been crying out for and awaiting for centuries). 

• Hebrew name: Yeshua, means “to deliver, to save, to rescue”. “Yahweh’s Salvation”
• Hebrew name: Yahweh, at its core means “to be, or I Am” – “He Brings into Existence Whatever Exists” (Yahweh-Asher-Yahweh).

“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17:7) 

Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.” (Genesis 17:19)

Brief Background:

At the time of both Yohanan (John) and Yeshua’s (Jesus) birth, the land of Israel had been occupied and was ruled by the Roman Empire with Herod Antipas ruling the regions of Galilee and Perea. Herod’s palace was located in Jerusalem. Like all emperors or people in power, Herod demanded the people’s honor, loyalty, and worship.

Yeshua was born to Mary and Joseph around 4 BCE (before the Christian Era or before the Common Era). For most of His life, Yeshua was raised in Nazareth, the lower part of Galilee where Herod reigned over the Israelite people. John was born to Elizabeth and Zacharias in the hill country in a city of Judah, just west of Jerusalem. Zacharias was a priest who served in the temple in Jerusalem.  Growing up such a distance from one another, it was likely they had never met, or at least very rarely.

John, the Prophet of the Highest is Born:

In Luke 1:67-79, Zacharias declares the name of his son as Yohanan (John) and immediately begins to prophecy over the child (emphasis mine throughout this post), saying:

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham:  To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give lightto those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The chapter ends with Luke writing, ‘So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.’ This is another indication he and Yeshua hadn’t met or hung out together in their youth.

John’s Calling With A Purpose:

It would be years in preparation for a short-term mission. Having no knowledge of how his ministry would end, he understood the assignment:

1) To go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways

2) To be God’s VOICE (Prophet of the Highest)

3) To give knowledge of salvation (Yeshua) to God’s people

4) To lead a people to repentance for the remission of their sins

5) To reveal Yeshua, the Light of the world who will guide us out of darkness and the shadow of death and guide our feet into the way of peace.

When we meditate on the ministry of John the baptist, we come to appreciate Yahweh’s plan for us. Not only was the nation of Israel in such spiritual bondage and oppression at that time, the entire world was steeped in bondage and oppression. Even when the Israelites thought they were serving Yahweh through their works and laws, they had left their first love and needed to repent and be reconciled back to Yahweh. Rather than Yahweh releasing the flood waters upon the earth once again, he kept His promise to Himself and sent the world a deliverer to stand in the gap for the people. The prophet, John, would be the one chosen to prepare the way for reconciliation back to Him. This young man must have been so close to Yahweh and filled with the Spirit, and I say this based on the fact that he spent years in the desert being trained and equipped for his calling. Can you imagine the boldness he had when he was made manifest to the Israelites, telling them they had to repent and be baptized–to be washed clean with the word of Yahweh because they had twisted His word so badly for centuries? Only the true Spirit of Yahweh could provide the faith, strength, courage, and boldness required for John’s mission.

The Proper Order

Notice how Zacharias begins to prophecy by first and foremost ministering to Yahweh with all praise, glory, and thanksgiving given unto Him. I love how this fits in alignment with the first commandment as well as the Lord’s Prayer of always putting Yahweh first. When we read the story of how Yahweh muted Zacharias for nine months, one might think Zacharias would not be so quick to give praise and glory to Yahweh but he doesn’t give it a second thought. He proclaims:

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham:  To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” (Luke 1:67-75)

Zacharias boldly announced our Redeemer as a ‘horn of salvation’ to all those who were present at John’s birth and to the heavenly hosts. A horn is a symbol of power. Yeshua was still in His mother’s womb at the time of John’s birth and yet, in His infinite mercy, Yahweh spoke through Zacharias spreading the good news of the One spoken of since the world began—the One who was to come to save us from our enemies. The Israelites would have to wait another 30 years to realize their Redeemer had been in their midst all along.

Also noteworthy is how King David prophesied a 1,000 years earlier of the coming King, the great Savior King in Psalm 132:13-18:

“For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place; This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.  There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon Himself His crown shall flourish.” (Psalm 132:13-18)

What’s even more amazing is the first prophecy we read announcing our Redeemer in the Bible came 4,000 years earlier and can be read in Genesis 3:15 when Adam and Eve were sent out of the ‘Garden” because of not only their disobedience to Yahweh by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but because of their unrepentant hearts. Eve was quick to accuse the serpent and Adam was quick to accuse Eve. Neither took responsibility for their disobedience to Yahweh. Not only did Yahweh deal with Adam and Eve by separating them from the Garden, He dealt with Satan, the deceiver. 

“So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

Not to digress, but take note of the fact that Satan clearly had access in the Garden and Adam and Eve had a choice as to whom they would listen to.  In the above scripture, God has acknowledged that there are and will be seed of the serpent (serpent being Satan) and the Seed (Yeshua) of the woman. The spiritual battle between good and evil is established and has been ongoing since the beginning of time. Hence the need for a Redeemer! 

Yahweh’s Timeline

Let’s look at the timeline here for a minute. Yahweh sends out the first announcement of Yeshua, our Redeemer, 4,000 years prior to His crucifixion on the cross. 3,000 years later (on the 3^rd Day with 1 day = 1,000 earth years) King David makes an announcement. Then 1,000 years later, Yeshua is announced and gives His life, dies, is placed in tomb, and rises back to life on the third day.  So much prophetic in scripture on the timeline but no time to address it here.

Our Redeemer Lives!

John the baptist was born, Yeshua was born, and another prophecy is about to come to fruition. This particular prophecy was from Yahweh through the Holy Spirit to a man named Simeon. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not see death before he has seen the Lord’s Christ.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple and when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:25-35)

Yeshua’s Ministry Begins with a Purpose:

John and Jesus both lived the first 30 years of their life in preparation for the manifestation of Yahweh’s plan of redemption for mankind. While John had a specific mission to fulfill, which was to prepare a the way for the Lord Yeshua. Yeshua had the ultimate mission. John knew he must decrease and Yeshua must increase

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham:  To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” (Luke 1:67-75)

Yeshua came:

1) To redeem His people from their sins

2) To save His people from their enemies

3) To perform the mercy promised to our fathers

4) To remember His holy covenant

5) To grant those delivered from the hand of their enemies to serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.

6) To reveal the thoughts of many hearts so that whosoever will believe in His will not perish, but will have everlasting life.

Remember the words spoken through Simeon: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

And Simeon’s heart cry when he beheld his salvation, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

Simeon was a just and devout man whom Yahweh allowed to see his salvation prior to his death. When Simeon met his Redeemer, he knew he could depart this earth in peace because he knew Yeshua to be that Peace. Just as Zacharias had prophesied approximately six months and eight days earlier that the Dayspring (the Messiah) would visit us to give light to those who sit in darkness, to guide our feet into the way of peace, here we see prophecy fulfilled to a man who came to know his redeemer, the promised Messiah chosen from before the foundation of the world to be a light to the Gentiles, and the glory of His own people, Israel.

We, too, have this same Redeemer who lives today and sits at the right hand of Yahweh, making intercession for us each and every day. He is the Light of the World to those who seek His face. He has prepared a way for us to come out of darkness and the shadow of death (eternal death that is). The Way is through us confessing He is our Redeemer, the One sent by Yahweh who was born of woman, conceived by Yahweh. He came, died, and rose from the grave so that we could repent for the remission of sins. His blood shed on the cross is our assurance that He stood accursed for our sins so that we could have a second chance. We just need to confess and believe with all our heart. It is Yeshua, our Redeemer, who lives for us and desires to live in us so as to bring us to that place where we can say and believe, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to me and who I am in You.” 

Knowing His purpose in life, John knew it was not about him but about the One who would redeem the world. Yeshua had such admiration and respect for John that He made it clear to multitudes by honoring the prophet saying, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matthew 11:7-15)

John the baptist was predestined to prepare the way for the coming Lord, our Salvation, and preached the message to turn from our old mindset and ways for the remission of sins (so that our debts would be canceled through the blood of Christ), but he was not the Way. His baptizing could not save the Israelites from their sins, only the redeeming Messiah could. John died prior to Yeshua’s crucifixion and resurrection but he knew the Messiah. While Yeshua honored John for his dedication to his calling, it’s important to note that He went on to speak another prophetic word to all of those who would come to know and believe that Yeshua is the Messiah.

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11)

Why do you suppose He spoke this? I believe Yeshua spoke this for those who would live to see the finished work on the cross. You and I live in such an extraordinary time that not only are we privileged to know and understand the finished work on the cross, we, who have seen the Light, are called to prepare the way for His second coming. We are to prepare for the day we depart this earth. Many depart this earth not knowing the love and peace of our Redeemer or think there is plenty of time and they can become lax in keeping their lamps lit (His word and our relationship with Him). Beloved, we do not want to depart absent of His peace. Remember, He was pierced so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 

May you be encouraged in knowing that Yeshua came for you, me, and all who seek Him. He is today and He is forever more. He will come again for all His people who are called by His name because we are truly redeemed and sanctified in Him. Blessings and love to all.

all scripture taken from NKJ