Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 1:5-25 "THEY WERE BOTH RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD..." Luke 1:6"
Day 9 – Luke 1
Text: Luke 1:5-25
“THEY WERE BOTH RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD…” Luke 1:6
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…” (Prov. 22:1; Eccl. 7:1). Both Zacharias and Elizabeth won the respect of Luke in his research for the writing of his narrative. We must remember that each of the Gospel writers selected his own material to present his individual understanding of the Life of Christ. One can imagine how Luke must have been deeply challenged and touched by the lifestyle of both Zacharias and Elizabeth as they sought to live out their faith in God.
Not very many people would be able to earn a good name for themselves. There are very few people who have been able to remain faithful and true to God right up to the evening years of their lives. Some begin well, only to falter and fail somewhere along life’s journey. Others end tragically. What a challenge it is to earn this good name, as people who were “righteous before God.”
“WALKING IN ALL THE COMMANDMENTS AND ORDINANCES OF THE LORD BLAMELESS…” Luke 1:6
When we speak of “righteousness” we must remember two aspects. First, there is that righteousness that is imputed to us by God, through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. This “righteousness” is given to us by God, when we exercise faith in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. When our Saviour died on the Cross of Calvary, His death was effective in bringing about a state of righteousness before God. The believer who has placed his trust in the Lord Jesus has this “declared righteousness” before God! (Take time to read Romans 3:21-26 for a deeper appreciation of what it means to have the righteousness of Christ imputed to us).
The “righteousness” of Zacharias and Elizabeth is NOT a reference to this imputed righteousness. This reference may be called “personal righteousness.” Insofar as sinful human beings can be righteous, thus Zacharias and Elizabeth were adjudged “righteous.” Human righteousness will never merit salvation from God, however it must not be said that God disdains or despises our attempt to live righteously before Him.
Again and again throughout the Scriptures, we read about how God is pleased when people try and live righteously before Him. Noah is one outstanding example of a person who sought to live a righteous life before God. We read this comment about how Noah lived his life :
“Noah was a just man, perfect ( a reference to “relative human righteousness”) in his generations . Noah walked with God… Noah found grace in God’s sight ” (Gen. 6:8-9). God is well pleased when people seek to live righteously before Him.
Both aspects of righteousness must be borne in mind. Both aspects are important. Thank God that we can stand before God clothed in the righteousness of our precious Saviour. However, we must bear in mind that personal righteousness well exemplifies genuine faith in the Lord. Let us be deeply challenged by the example of both Zacharias and Elizabeth. May our lifestyle reflect the righteousness imputed to us by a good and gracious God!
DESPITE PERSONAL SORROW
Luke could not help but note that childlessness bothered Zacharias and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was barren. In those days, to be childless caused a woman to be despised. We recall how Hannah of old was childless, and how she sorrowed before the Lord. She was severely mocked because she could not have children. We read about how Hannah “was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Sam. 1:10).
Was there similar sorrow felt? Most likely. When Elizabeth conceived, she said, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people” (Luke 1:25). She was conscious of her “reproach among people” and gave special thanks to the Lord for giving to her a son.
Did Zacharias offer special prayers to God for children in the family? It seems likely, for in the angel Gabriel’s word to Zacharias, he said, “Your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son…” (Luke 1:13).
Zacharias and Elizabeth bore much personal sorrow. Nevertheless their sorrow did not cause them to be bitter against God. They determined that no matter their lot in life, they would remain faithful to the Lord. They would continue to be “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6).
May we be deeply challenged to live for the Lord as valiantly and faithfully. There may be pockets of personal sorrow in our life, but let us determine like Zacharias and Elizabeth to remain true and steadfast to the Lord.