to give us, that, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear
Zacharias is praising God for an oath, and this verse names what the oath was for: a rescued people who serve Him without fear. Three questions follow — who are these enemies, when does the rescue come, and what does "serve" mean?
Zacharias sings of a rescue that has not happened yet. And he grounds it not on good behaviour but on a promise God swore long before.
He spoke of the coming of Christ as though it had already happened. Prophecy often does this: it speaks of things as done which are still in the future. In the coming appearance of Christ, Zacharias saw the Lord God of Israel visiting His people to redeem them. The salvation He would bring would deliver them from all their enemies. It would enable them to serve Him in freedom, in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. All this would fulfil His promise and oath to Abraham. Notice how the Holy Spirit inspired him to refer to the unconditional promise to Abraham, just as Mary had done. Israel's blessing will be on that basis and not on the basis of the covenant of law.
Zacharias speaks of enemies, not only of sins. One writer marks off Israel's hope from the Christian's place now.
Notice how much this carries the flavour of Old Testament hopes. It is not a question of sins only, but of rescue from their enemies. That last is surely not, and should not be, how the Christian feels now. Does not the Christian serve God, delivered from his sins, in the middle of his enemies? So when the Lord comes, He simply takes him up out of the middle of his enemies, at the time of deliverance.
So when will the fear be gone? One writer points to the coming thousand-year reign of Christ on earth.
In Israel's future deliverance Zacharias expresses the desire that Israel might serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. This will be true in the Millennium, when all their fears will be gone (v.74).
The Greek verb behind "serve" is not the word for ordinary work. One writer traces how Scripture uses it.
latreuo is another word three times translated "worship," though its usual rendering is "to serve." The word is linked to latron, "hire." So its original force is "serving for pay," not under compulsion like a slave. But Biblical Greek has lifted the word, and its noun latreia, "service," to a higher use. It never expresses any service except that of God, or of false gods. So it answers most fully to the present sense of "worship," and all true service shares this character.
Commentators differ on how far Christians can claim this song. One writer grants real overlap, but not the whole prophecy.
I grant that many of the blessings are shared, such as "in holiness and righteousness before him," faith resting on Messiah and the new birth. There are, of course, general principles which mark all the people of God in every age. But I say that this prophecy as a whole is not in any way a charter of church privilege. It is still unfulfilled, and it rests plainly on the oath sworn to Abraham.
Others apply the words to anyone who trusts Christ now.
When a man faces the reality of his guilt, he cannot help being filled with dread. But to every soul whose confidence is in Christ and in the precious blood He shed, the divine message is, "Fear not." Such people have a right to know that their sins are fully atoned for and put away for ever. Their hearts turn gratefully to the God of infinite love who provided such a costly sacrifice for them. Love at once drives out dread… From that moment we "serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life."
Note: the closing words quote this verse and the next in an older translation; the ESV ends "all our days."
- Oath first. God rests this rescue on the unconditional promise He swore to Abraham, not on obedience to the law.
- Enemies next. The rescue is from real enemies, not from sins only. It waits for the reign of Christ, when every fear will be gone.
- Service is the goal. Scripture keeps this verb for the service of God alone — service that is worship, offered freely, not slave labour.
- Fear is the barrier. Guilt brings dread. Trust in the blood of Christ turns that dread into love, and service becomes fearless.
- Meanwhile. Israel will serve beyond the reach of her enemies. The believer today serves free from sins, still surrounded by enemies.
in piety and righteousness before him all our days.
Zacharias ends his song by naming what the rescue is for: a life of service. Two questions follow. What life do holiness and righteousness describe? And whose days are these — Israel's future ones, or ours?
Zacharias speaks of a rescue that has not yet happened as though it were already done.
He spoke of the coming of Christ as though it had already happened. He celebrated its effects as though they were already complete. This is a common feature of prophecy: it speaks of things as done which are still in the future. … The salvation He would bring would free them from all their enemies. It would let them serve Him in freedom, and in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. And all this would be in fulfilment of His promise and oath to Abraham. … Israel's blessing will be on that basis and not on the basis of the covenant of law.
Some translations render the word behind "holiness" as "piety."
On "piety," the Greek hosiotēs, Carr says: "A conscientious obedience to God. … a wider word than dikaiosynē, obedience to law."
The two words cover different sides of a life. One writer shows what produces both.
When the truth governs and orders our thoughts and affections, there will be a good conscience, and a holy and righteous walk with God and before men. … Righteousness is careful attention to what we owe to God and to man. As the apostle says, "So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man" (Acts 24:16). This is practical righteousness — a righteousness which gave the apostle amazing courage, holy boldness, when he stood up before his enemies. Holiness is what repels evil — it turns away by instinct from whatever is against God.
This service is to be free of fear. One writer traces what removes that fear.
When a man sees the reality of his guilt, dread is bound to take hold of him. … But to every soul whose confidence is in Christ and in the precious blood He shed, the divine message is, "Fear not." They have every right to know that their sins are fully atoned for and put away forever. Their hearts turn gratefully to the God of infinite love who provided such a costly sacrifice for them. Dread is at once displaced by love. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). God then gives them the Holy Spirit. He is not the spirit of fear, but the Spirit of sonship, by whom they cry, "Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15).
Commentators read the song first as a hope for Israel, still ahead.
In Israel's future deliverance Zacharias expresses the desire that Israel might serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. This will be true in the Millennium, when all their fears are gone.
One writer marks a sharp difference between that hope and the Christian's place today.
It is important to observe how thoroughly this has the flavour of Old Testament hopes. It is not just a question of sins, but of deliverance from their enemies. That last hope is certainly not, and ought not to be, how the Christian feels now. Does not the Christian serve God, delivered from his sins, in the middle of his enemies?
Commentators differ here. Others apply the same words to daily Christian living.
When we yield ourselves wholly to God, and sin no longer reigns in our mortal bodies, the life will show itself in holiness and righteousness. Our members are no longer to be under the control of our old master, sin, but we are to serve God without fear in holiness and righteousness all our days. The new life is to be the ruling life. Our mortal bodies, with all their members, are to be instruments, wholly at God's disposal. We have become His servants.
- Service is the point. The rescue Zacharias celebrates is not an end in itself. It sets people free to serve, and it rests on God's oath to Abraham, not on law-keeping.
- Service without dread. Guilt produces fear. Knowing that your sins are atoned for replaces dread with love, and the Spirit God gives is the Spirit of sonship, not of fear.
- Service with two sides. "Holiness" here is conscientious obedience to God, a wider word than righteousness. Righteousness gives God and others their due; holiness turns from what is against God.
- Service in a coming day. Commentators see the promise reaching its full form when God delivers Israel and every fear is gone.
- Service all our days. Meanwhile the Christian serves among his enemies, not lifted out of them. Body and members are handed to God as instruments, and the new life rules, day after day.