The Signs of the Times, vol. 21

March 28, 1895

“Visited and Redeemed” The Signs of the Times, 21, 13.

E. J. Waggoner

When Zacharias, filled with the Holy Ghost, prophesied at the birth of John the Baptist, he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.” Luke 1:68. John’s message was to prepare the way of the Lord. It is specifically prophesied of in Isaiah: “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 40:3-5. Further on it says, “Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.” SITI March 28, 1895, page 199.1

The work which John began, therefore, was not only to prepare people for the first advent of Christ, but was to continue until the Lord should come with strong arm to redeem, bringing his reward with him. See Revelation 22:12. So the same work is still going on. “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,” and we have it revealed to us now in the things which God has made. The everlasting Gospel is but a call to worship Him that made heaven and earth and all things. The light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon all me. SITI March 28, 1895, page 199.2

Then we may say the same thing which Zacharias spoke by the Spirit: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.” Anyone can say, “He hath visited and redeemed me.” We have redemption through his blood in the forgiveness of sins, because the blood of Christ stands for the life of Christ. We have redemption through his life, for he gave his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28. SITI March 28, 1895, page 199.3

When did he visit us? Long he has been saying to every one, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20. He is a welcome visitor, too, because he brings his provision with him, when we have nothing. When we say continually, Lord, abide with us, he does abide. He will stay as long as we are willing to have him, and his presence is life and redemption. This is as really true to-day as when Zacharias spoke, and whoever believes it must be as happy over it as he was. SITI March 28, 1895, page 199.4

Redeemed! A slave set free! It requires no great stretch of imagination to see how a slave, a captive, driven, scourged, and bound, would feel with his fetters removed, and his freedom given to him. He would be a happy man. He would not receive the news of freedom stoically, and with a long face-not if he believed the message. His heart would be so full he would leap for joy. SITI March 28, 1895, page 199.5

The Lord wants us to rejoice, not because we think we ought to rejoice, but because we have so vivid a sense of his redemption that we know it to be a fact. We have been captives of a cruel master, and now we are redeemed. We know it because the Lord says so. He has bought us, and given us his own life. Now, when the enemy comes in the form of doubt, in the form of indifference, envy, pride, slavish fear-in a thousand different forms-trying to force us back into bondage, we are to maintain the fact that we are free. Eternal life is our right, through Christ. Let us stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. SITI March 28, 1895, page 199.6