Lk.1:17 – “and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Revival has a history of touching youth and children and restoring families. History reminds us of this as we reflect on what happened in previous moves of the Spirit of God. In Wales in 1904 revival was led by a man in his early twenties who had a team of teenagers who worked with him that birthed a move of God that impacted the world. The Great Awakening effected large numbers of teens and youth in Northampton that were the very epicenter of what the Lord did to effect this emerging nation. In today’s verse Luke apparently was saying that the move of God under John the Baptist followed by Jesus had a large impact on children and the families. It started with a cluster in a family who happened to be John the Baptist’s parents. Here is how the Life in the Spirit Commentary describes these events.
“Luke records the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. John the Baptist will be filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:15). Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit and prophesies (1:41). Zechariah, filled with the Spirit, prophesies (1:67–79) and has a vision (1:22). Simeon, who has the Spirit, receives revelations from the Spirit and prophesies (2:28–32). Having the gift of prophecy, the aged Anna has the honor of a prophetess; the Spirit enables her to recognize Jesus in the temple and to proclaim his significance (2:36–38). This stress on prophecy calls attention to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, a distinctive characteristic of the last days that dawn with the birth of Jesus. From the outset of the outpouring of the Spirit the recognizable sign of his work is prophecy. Indeed John, Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah, Simeon, and Anna represent a Spirit-anointed community of prophets.”
So here we are in 2024 anticipating the end of one age and the beginning of another, what exactly will this look like? I have a feeling the answer might be in today’s verse, “and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children”. I don’t think John or Elijah will make an appearance soon (even though Revelation hints at something like that) but I think this final generation will see a move of God that effects every generation sweeping families into God’s family.