In a moving portrayal of his eager anticipation of the coming of Jesus, Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist describes those trapped in sin as “sitting in darkness” (Luke 1:79), a spiritual blindness whose remedy is nothing short of redemption itself.
Blindness was not an uncommon ailment in the Ancient Near East where the sun, dust, dirt and other factors leading to the inflammation of the eyes could easily take away one’s sight. It is not surprising then that Scripture would speak frequently about blindness—either the literal physical disability or a metaphorical use.
The helplessness of the blind was proverbial: one would stumble about or grope in the darkness, like the blind. In ancient Israel the blind could contribute little of benefit, and they were noted for their powerlessness. Physical blindness excluded one from various aspects of cultic worship in Israel. One could not be blind and function as a priest, and blind animals were unacceptable as a sacrifice to the Lord. Among the weakest and most needy in society, the Law of God offered special protection, and pious believers like Job took unusual care in dealing with the blind.
Proper sight was understood as a gift from God—“Who makes a man mute, deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (Exodus 4:11). In biblical times, there was little hope for a cure to blindness, and such a cure was then seen as a hallmark of the coming Messianic Age. The LORD will give sight to the blind, and in the coming time their eyes will be opened (Isaiah 35:5; 42:16).
Metaphorically, the blind’s physical inability to see is compared to the inability of the Israelites to understand their sin and God’s work of redemption: “Israel’s leaders are blind, they all lack knowledge” and they “grope along the way, leading the people without eyes” (Isaiah 56:10 & 59:10). This metaphorical use of blindness continues in the New Testament where the self-righteous are dubbed “blind” in Christ’s judgment (Matthew 15:14).
On the other hand, Jesus welcomes into his fellowship those who are blind—purposely instructing others to go to the blind and the lame. His many healings include giving sight to the blind on at least seven occasions, and when John the Baptist questioned his work, Jesus pointed in part to the blind receiving sight as proof of his ministry (Matthew 11:5). With the coming of Jesus, the Messianic Age has broken into this sinful world, and we currently seek the final fulfillment of that Age when there will be no blindness—physical or metaphorical—but all will be light and life in Jesus Christ.
All this and more are captured by Zechariah in his prophecy recorded in Luke 1:67-79. In preparation for worship this week, meditate upon this prophecy, and I’ll see you on Sunday!
- Remember that Zechariah was John the Baptist’s father. Read Luke 1:57-66 for more background on Zechariah. How does Zechariah’s experience with John’s conception and birth shape the praise and prophesy he offers now?
- Notice the connection between the Holy Spirit and Zechariah’s words as described in verse 67. What does that tell us about godly prophecy?
- In verses 68-69, Zechariah describes the coming of the Lord in the past tense—he “has visited,” “has raised,”–but he is likely speaking about the coming of Jesus. Why might he use the past tense here? Is he just chronologically off?
- In verses 68-75, Zechariah describes the intent and purpose of Christ’s coming. List out all the effects and impacts of what Zechariah anticipates.
- Verses 76-79 describe the role of John the Baptist. In many ways, we have the same role or function for the world today. What does Zechariah expect John to do that we are to do as well?
By Henry Knapp