But the incarnation of Christ was a ground of joy to him : II. As a mean of spiritual blessings —
Here the reference to the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt is yet more manifest than before. The re- quisition made by Moses to Pharaoh was, that Israel should go into the wilderness to serve the Lord. This was the ground of contest between them1"; till at last God, by his terrible judgments on the Egyptians, decided the point. But, after that the Israelites were brought forth to the very borders of the Red Sea, they were menaced with utter destruction by Pharaoh and all his host. The overwhelming of that army in the sea completed the deliverance of his people, so that they could from that moment serve the Lord without any fear of their ancient oppressors.
The redemption wrought out by Christ is in perfect correspondence with this. By his advent we obtain,
1. Deliverance from our spiritual enemies —
[We are in the hand of enemies more cruel and tyrannical than those of Egypt; we are in bondage to sin and Satan, death and hell. From these our blessed Lord delivers usn. By the blood of his cross he expiates sin, overcomes Satan, destroys death, and liberates from the jaws of hell. He is " an horn of salvation" to his people, a mighty and irresistible Saviour, who will push down all his enemies. None can de- tain us any longer in bondage, when he comes to set us free : " if he make us free, then are we free indeed0."]
2. Liberty to serve our God —
[Deliverance from the punishment of sin would be un- worthy the name of a deliverance, if it were not accompanied with a restoration to the Divine favour, and a thorough reno- vation of heart and life. As long as we were destitute of holiness, we must of necessity be strangers to happiness. Heaven itself would be no heaven to an unholy soul. But Jesus " redeems us from all iniquity, and purifies us unto him- self a peculiar people zealous of good works p." He causes us to delight ourselves in God ; and to " serve him without fear." In this respect we far exceed all who lived under the Jewish dispensation : for they were kept at a distance from God ; and
m Exod. v. 1 — 3. n This is twice mentioned in the text.
° John viii. 36. p Tit. ii. 14.
1409.] THE SONG OF ZACIIARIAS. 9J.ll
the very services which they rendered to him, tended to generate in them a servile fearq? But tve " have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father r!"
Can it be doubted whether these things deserve our grateful acknowledgments ? If the state to which the Israelites were brought in the Wilderness or in Canaan, was a just ground of praise and thanksgiving, is not ours much rather ?]
Application —
1. Let us bless God for the event we this day commemorate s —
[The Saviour's birth was proclaimed by angels as " glad tidings of great joy to all people ;" and the heavenly hosts themselves began a new song in heaven, " Glory to God in the highest !" The virgin who bare him, the patriarch who took him in his arms, the prophetess who beheld him, together with many others, rejoiced exceedingly in his advent, notwith- standing they had such imperfect views of his character. Shall not ive then ; we who have had his nature and office so fully revealed to us ; we who have seen him dying, rising, ascending, and enthroned ; we who have beheld him sending down the Holy Ghost from heaven, and saving myriads of sinners like ourselves ; yea, we who have experienced his power to save, (if we have indeed experienced it,) shall not we praise him ? Yes ; blessed, " blessed be his name for visiting and redeeming" our souls ! " blessed be his glorious name for ever : and let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen, and Amen*."]