Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. But most of the time when people
hear the word prophecy, they immediately think of a message
or declaration having to do with events that shall occur in the
future. It is true that prophecy can literally mean foretelling
or forecasting future events, but it also means telling forth
the divine counsels or announcing the truth of God. The purpose
of God in the world's creation was to manifest His glory in
the redemption of a people which He has loved with an everlasting
love. To this end, He gave prophecies to men in times past, describing
the various details of the manner in which He would accomplish
that purpose at a future time. Zacharias, the father of John
the Baptist, declared that the birth of his son was the precursor
to the actual unfolding of this blessed event, which was foretold
by these prophets of old, and the announcer of the very hope
of all those who waited for the redemption of Israel. Simeon
also prophesied of this same Christ when Mary and Joseph brought
the child Jesus to the temple. Then took he him up in his arms,
and blessed God, and said, Lord, now let us thy servant depart
in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light
to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. While Zacharias prophesied of
the imminence of his redemption, Simeon prophesied of the actual
redemption itself as he held the Redeemer in his hands. Can
any wonder exceed that moment when one of those whose chief
desire in life is to see the deliverance of Israel holds that
deliverance and champion in his own hands and gazes upon him
with his eyes? Christ is the salvation of which
all the prophets in every age had declared. Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people.
In the appointed time he has relieved his people. The Greek
word which is translated people means a particular people. And
hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant
David. A horn in the scriptures is indicative
of a seat of power or authority. Indeed Christ Jesus the Lord
has come in such power. Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end. He came to occupy the throne
of David as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is an
everlasting kingdom over which he presently and forever reigns. As he spake by the mouth of his
holy prophets, which have been since the world began, there
has never been an age in which his redemption has been untold.
Even from the beginning, as the Lord told Satan, the woman's
seed shall bruise thy head. that we should be saved from
our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us. His purpose
is to completely deliver his people from all condemnation
and to render useless all accusations brought against them. To perform
the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant
the oath which he swore to our father Abraham. This was a covenant
of promise which is established by his mercy, and not the works
of the flesh of Abraham, who could never have inherited any
blessing at all, had such depended upon his own power. This covenant
was not made to Abraham's carnal children, in their multitude,
but rather to his seed, that he would grant unto us that we,
being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him
without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all
the days of our life. The Lord has made perfect provision
for His people, not simply in the deliverance of them from
all enemies, but by imputing His righteousness to them and
indwelling them by His Spirit. For we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. They serve Him without fear of
rejection, rather than in a slavish manner. John, the baptizer, was
ordained to be the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Yet
John died without having seen the total work of Christ as the
Redeemer, though he surely went before him and declared who he
was to his own generation. The preaching of the gospel is
designed to give the knowledge of salvation unto his people
by declaring to them in no uncertain terms that Christ Jesus is the
only Redeemer of sinners. through the tender mercy of our
God, whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us, to give
light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to
guide our feet into the way of peace. God's mercy is sovereignly
dispensed, but it is dispensed with immeasurable kindness and
great compassion to those who are its objects. It has neither
bounds nor limits. It is this tender mercy that
has caused his people to behold this day spring from on high,
who is the light of the world, which dispels our darkness. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.