Is such guiding of
“feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79b) really a reference to the way in
which God intended His covenant people to interact with the world around
them? When Zechariah speaks of giving “light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death” (1:79a), is he really referencing what God had
charged Israel to be for the Gentiles, and by extension, what God charges to
all those that He brings into covenant with Himself through Christ? Let’s
see.
In the sixty-eighth
verse, Zechariah speaks of “Israel” and “His people.” In verse
sixty-nine, he uses the term “us.” In the seventy-first verse, we read of
“our enemies” and those who hate “us.” In verse seventy-two, we see “our
fathers.” The seventy-third verse presents “us” again. In verse
seventy-four, we find the use of “we” and “our,” with “our” used again in verse
seventy-five. The seventy-seventh verse presents “His people” yet again,
along with the use of “their” in conjunction with sins. Verse
seventy-eight again says “our” and “us,” and verse seventy-nine once again
posits an “our.” Clearly, these words are given a corporate
understanding, and are not to be taken primarily in a personal sense, with God
revealing Himself and His light to individuals, so as to speak of this in terms
of personal salvation and a personal relationship with God.
Through the One Who
was to come, of Whom John the Baptist was serving as His messenger---much like
a slave would go before the Caesar in proclamation of the king’s
greatness---God’s people would be brought into the way of peace, to be a light
for the revelation of the glory of God. As a follow-up to Zechariah’s
prophecy of this way of peace, Luke records the message of the angels that was
delivered to the shepherds of the field, as they exclaimed “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased” (2:14).
As we hear the words of the angelic host, something that should be remembered
here is that such words would not be uncommonly spoken or heard in those days.
That slave that went before the Caesar would make such a declaration, speaking
of the “glory” of the lord and god-man Caesar, and of the “peace” that he
brings to his subjects that are pleasing to him. In this case, however,
they were being spoken by “a multitude of the heavenly host” (2:13b), which
would tend to lend the message a greater degree of credibility.
As we keep things in
the context of a continuing narrative here in Luke, we can see that this
declaration by the angels seems to be connected with a guiding of feet into the
ways of peace. The announcement, and its ultimate connection to the
Gospel of the Christ, the declaration of the Lordship of Jesus, and the loyalty
inducing belief in that Lordship that is brought about by the Holy Spirit’s evidencing
exercise of faith as shown by the belief, is what brings peace. That is
what reconciles a man to his Creator God, and brings that man into renewal and
restoration through the sharing of the power of the age to come (Resurrection
power) that returned Jesus to life from out of the grave. In the power of
what was accomplished by Christ’s faithfulness to the long-standing covenant,
and by the open confession of allegiance to the claims of the Christ as a man
believes and proclaims the message that Jesus is Lord, that man has
victory over death and the grave, also sharing in the life of the age to come,
as both a repository and harbinger of that life. That is a battle that
has been fought and won. Could there be a greater peace? Should
this not elicit, from God’s covenant people, “Glory to God in the
highest”?
In attempting to
understand the implications of this time of God’s visitation, as it is referred
to by Zechariah, we are brought by Luke to the story of Simeon. Simeon is
said to be “righteous and devout” (2:25). When Jesus is brought to
Jerusalem, Simeon takes Jesus into his arms and says, “Lord, now you are
letting your servant depart in peace” (2:29a). There’s that use of the
word “peace” again. It seems to be a recurring theme in Luke and of God’s
visit to His people. Simeon says that, in seeing Jesus, “my eyes have
seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples”
(2:30-31). This was part of the hope of Israel in that day, that their
God would save them, redeem them finally from their ongoing exile from what He
had promised to them.
God’s purposes,
however, went far beyond that. The salvation of Israel, represented by
Jesus, Whose Name means salvation, was for the purpose of Israel (the Creator God’s
covenant people) being “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (2:32a).
This echoes what was said by Zechariah in the first chapter.
Additionally, this being the light of revelation was also “for glory to Your
people Israel” (2:32b). God’s covenant people truly attain to and reflect
His glory, not when they are saved and assured of heaven and are satisfied with
the hope of an escape route from hell at the end of life, but when they are
being a light for the revelation of the Gospel (Jesus is Lord). The
proclamation of the Gospel is what spreads God’s glory, restoring fallen men
and a fallen creation, as an allegiance to Jesus as the Christ brings a
glorification together with Him.
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