Скачать или смотреть Day 8: John the Baptist Is Born — and Zechariah Summarizes the Gospel (Luke

Welcome to Day 8 of “The Whole Christmas Story.” I’m a couple days behind (life happened — including a business hack), but I’ve still been doing the readings and I’m catching the videos up now.

Today’s reading: Luke 1:57–80 — the birth of John the Baptist.

What happens in this passage

John is born, and eight days later at the circumcision/naming ceremony, everyone assumes the baby will be named after family tradition. But Elizabeth says John — and when Zechariah confirms it by writing, “His name is John,” his speech is restored immediately.

That moment flips the whole room into awe: “What is this child going to turn out to be?” They can tell God’s hand is on John.

Zechariah’s prophecy (the “Benedictus”)

Right after that, Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and delivers a prophecy that honestly feels like a condensed version of the entire Gospel:

God has visited and redeemed His people

A Savior is coming from the royal line of David

God is remembering His covenant with Abraham

John will prepare the way for the Lord

Salvation comes through forgiveness of sins

God’s mercy brings light to those in darkness and guides us to the path of peace

Side note: using AI in Bible study

I also talk about something I think matters a lot: AI can be an incredible tool, but when you’re studying Scripture you’ve got to use discernment. AI can summarize patterns and common interpretations, but it’s not a replacement for prayer, wisdom, or seeking God’s heart.

One verse that really hit me in this process:
Proverbs 25:2 — “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”

If you’re following along, leave a comment — I’d love to hear what stood out to you in this passage.

#WholeChristmasStory

Luke 1 57 80 explained,
John the Baptist birth,
Zechariah prophecy Benedictus,
Luke 1 Bible study,
Christmas story Luke 1,
naming of John the Baptist,
covenant with Abraham and Jesus,
covenant with David,
forgiveness of sins Bible,
Holy Spirit revelation,
Proverbs 25 2 meaning,
using AI for Bible study,
biblical discernment,
whole Christmas story series,
Bible study for beginners