The Horn of Salvation
Consider: In what ways has God made animals so that they can defend themselves?
Learn:
Luke 1:69-75 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
Dt. 33:17 A firstborn bull—he has majesty,
and his horns are the horns of a wild ox;
with them he shall gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth;
they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
Psalm 18:1-3 I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 148:14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!
Oxen don’t have much to defend themselves with, but some do have horns. The reference to the horn of salvation is a picture of this type of horn, a symbol of power or strength on an animal, used here to picture the power and strength of God. It is meant to communicate at least two truths here.
First, the horn of salvation is a king in the line of David. David was the supreme king and ruler of Israel, and the Messiah would be one who would come to exceed David. The promised Messiah would rule and reign as one with supreme power and authority. This concept would immediately come to the mind of the reader.
Second, Zechariah’s song specifically refers to enemies (71, 74). Other nations and peoples hated Israel and often fought against them. War was common for most of their existence. The role of the horn of salvation was to save and deliver the people from their enemies, both physical and spiritual enemies. At that time, the people were hoping for deliverance from the Romans. God will, at times, deliver from political enemies and relational enemies, but even more so he will deliver us from our ultimate enemy, the devil. The horn of salvation, Jesus Christ, is powerful enough to defeat the toughest enemies, sin and death and hell and Satan. He showed that power by rising from the dead. Praise God for his mighty power!
Apply: Pray that the enemy of our souls will not to win in the lives of those who need to know God. Trust that he will work in your life and others’ lives.
I Commend Joy! 