for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine, or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will 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 for the Lord a people prepared.”
Gabriel is telling Zechariah about his future son, John the Baptist, who he will be. He will be a man great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to drink wine or other fermented drink. This could be because of the Nazarite vow, an ancient vow of consecration to God (Numbers 6:1-8). From John’s birth, he was filled with the Holy Spirit to do God’s work, to guide and empower him. Let’s dig a little deeper!
John’s spirit – filled life and ministry:
His preaching exposes the sins of others and convince them to turn back. The greek word elencho means convict. This means to expose, refute, and convince. This was the main role of the Holy Spirit. John preaches in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah. Have you studied the man Elijah? You should!!! John would preach like Elijah. He would be obedient and speak truth. John would encourage the fathers to teach their children of God’s ways and commands. We should be praying for this today!!!!! The Holy Spirit helped John restore right relationships in families and leads many to do what is right by God’s standards. What can we learn about John the Baptist, Elijah, and the Holy Spirit? This Christmas season can we preach, teach, and share about God’s truth in Boldness?????
Dear God
I come before you to ask that you help us to live a life like Elijah and John. To speak your truth to the world around us.
amen
