Zechariah now believed that God's Word was true.  He had moved from disbelief (Luke 1:19-20) to faith (Luke 1:62-63); from silence (Luke 1:22) to open confession (Luke 1:64).  He was filled with the Holy Spirit who put God's words into his mouth (Luke 1:67).  And so, the father of John the Baptist was privileged to start the prophetic ministry which John would continue.  Zechariah's prophecy remained in the family archives (and our Bible), and would have been a ministry model and encouragement to John through the tough times he was to face (Matthew 14:3-12).  Fathers: the best way to encourage your children in ministry is to do it yourself!

As Zechariah praised God, he prophetically described Jesus Christ as a ‘horn of salvation’ - one of the ways the Israelites talked about God.  It means, ‘invincibly strong to save’.  The words come from David’s praise of God in Psalm 18:2: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  Zechariah was thrilled that his son, John the Baptist, would serve God, introducing Him to the world (Luke 1:76-77).   

Christ’s (Messiah’s) salvation had been consistently prophesied through the Old Testament (1 Peter 1:10-12).  It is potent.  Firstly, it is powerful to rescue us from our enemies.  These include the enemy of a corrupting world (Galatians 1:3-5), the enemy of own corrupt natures (Romans 7:24-25), the fatal darkness of Satan’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13-14), and our greatest enemy, the devil himself (1 Peter 5:8).  Secondly, Christ’s salvation vindicates the faith of God's servants in the Old Testament (Hebrews 11:1-40) and is the active fulfilment of God's promises to redeem His people (Genesis 12:1-3). Thirdly, it takes away our terror of God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10).  Fourthly, salvation establishes repentant believers as God's holy people who live in His righteousness and learn to serve Him in a right way (1 Corinthians 1:30).  What an amazingly powerful salvation! (see www.crosscheck.org.uk to know more).

So, salvation through Christ not only provides release from the devilish magnet which is dragging the world to hell with him, it also commissions us to serve God in a way which pleases Him, and without dreading His wrath.  These are the believer's great privileges, but they are linked and must not be separated.  Rescue from Satan's slavery is also our commission to serve the Lord.  It was never His intention for us to escape the clutches of hell to serve our own interests. Alas for many, the church has become a playground for self-indulgence and power, rather than a training camp for the battleground of spiritual warfare.  Those who have misunderstood salvation or ignored its meaning should repent and start to serve the Lord.  And don't forget that He provides as many opportunities for service at work as in the church; so look out for them today!