Why are Zacharias's words in Luke 1 considered the very expressions of God rather than human wishful thinking?
Zacharias's words are considered God's very expressions because Scripture states he was filled with the Holy Ghost. The context explains that whenever someone is filled with the Spirit, everything they speak is God-directed, so his prophecy was not merely a patriotic or religious Jew's wishful thinking but God's message concerning Israel.
Les teaches that Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist, an active priest at the temple. He had been stricken dumb during Elizabeth's gestation, but when his voice returned, the Jews recognized something supernatural was taking place. In Luke 1:67 Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost. Les points out that when the Bible says someone is filled with the Spirit, everything they speak is God-directed, so these are not merely the wishful thinking of a good patriotic or religious Jew; they are the very expressions of God Himself concerning the nation. Zacharias then blesses the Lord God of Israel because He has visited and redeemed His people. This continues the Old Testament program since Abraham and deals with Israel, not Gentiles.
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
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