Do You Hear What I Hear?
(Luke 1:67–80)
Do You Hear What I Hear?
In this season, I’m reminded frequently of how the Hope-ful we have clashes with the hopeless, and who truly is the winner in these scenarios. One of my favorite theologians and OG church fathers, Cyril of Alexandria, explains it this way:
“For the world was wandering in error, serving the creation in the place of the Creator and was darkened over by the blackness of ignorance. Night, as it were, that had fallen upon the minds of all, permitted them not to see him, who is truly and by nature God. But the Lord of all rose for the Israelites, like a light and a sun.”
I love the amount of “word attention” given to error, darkness…night in his words, and how it only takes one sentence to eradicate them all; how the Lord rises “like a light and a sun,” doing away with all things dark.
Darkness stuns all manner of mindsets. One could be a person of “great faith” and still succumb to darkness in the most amazing of moments. An excellent example of this is Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, in Luke ch. 1. It would have to be darkness…because I don’t know how else on earth he could’ve said the nonsense he did. Let’s dive in.
So “Stupid”. So…SILENCE!
Zechariah’s song is born out of a long season of silence…that he earned. He’s a priest who is born of a priestly line. His wife, Elizabeth, is a part of the priestly line of Aaron…yes, that Aaron. Moses’ brother. The original, the genesis, the OG high priest of all high priests. They are even stated as being a faithful, obedient people. They’re receiving a promise that they’ve been praying for for YEARS no doubt while in their faithful service. Out of their barrenness, they are to have a son! And not just any son. Luke 1:17 gives the announcement from the messenger angel Gabriel, that he will have the spirit and power of Elijah AND he will be THEE prophet of the Most High who will go before the Lord to prepare His way! So, with all this knowledge and years of faithful service, how on earth do you lack so much faith that you have the audacity to question HOW?!? (I’ll leave alone the fact that a young woman named Mary without these same attributes and accolades was blessed with being the mother of God and bearing out Savior just because she believed. I won’t touch that comparison.) And for his encounter with the amazing messenger angel, good ol’ Zeke is gifted with the shutting of his mouth because of all of his diabolical doubt.
When Silence Gives Way to Praise
After doubting God’s promise, his voice was taken from him, leaving space for reflection, repentance, and trust. When his speech is finally restored, his first words are not complaints or explanations, but praise. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah proclaims that God has visited and redeemed His people. Advent reminds us that God often works deeply during seasons when we feel unheard or unseen. Silence is not abandonment. It is often preparation. When God breaks the silence, He does so with purpose, calling His people to lift their voices in faith rather than fear.
A Light That Breaks Into the Dark
At the heart of Zechariah’s prophecy is a promise of light. Because of God’s tender mercy, “the dawn from on high” comes to shine on those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. This light is not abstract or symbolic—it is personal. It brings guidance, clarity, and peace to people who have been wandering. Darkness here is not limited to circumstances beyond our control; it also includes the darkness we create through sin, doubt, and distance from God. Advent announces that God does not wait for people to find their way out—He sends the Light to meet them where they are. The arrival of Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise: light breaking in, not gradually, but decisively.
Hearing Before Seeing
One of the most striking realities of this passage is that no one has yet seen Jesus, and yet His presence is already changing lives. Zechariah speaks with confidence about a Savior who has not yet been born. John, still an infant, is called a prophet who will prepare the way. Faith here is activated not by sight, but by hearing. Scripture teaches that faith comes through hearing the Word of God. Advent invites us into that same posture. We may not always see what God is doing, but we are called to listen for His voice. The Light can be heard before it is seen. God speaks through His Word, through His Spirit, and through faithful witnesses who point us toward Christ. Those who learn to listen will find their faith strengthened long before clarity arrives.
Guided Into the Path of Peace
Zechariah’s song ends with a promise that the Light will guide our feet into the path of peace. This peace is not merely emotional comfort; it is wholeness, reconciliation, and restored relationship with God. It is the peace that comes from forgiveness of sins and freedom from fear. John the Baptist will prepare the way by calling people to repentance, but the peace itself comes from Jesus. Advent is not about escaping darkness—it is about being led through it by the Light of Christ. As we wait, we are invited to strengthen our spirits, sharpen our hearing, and trust that God is guiding us step by step. Out of darkness, God leads His people into peace that lasts.
