The Golden Child

Chandler Jarrell (played by Eddie Murphy), a social worker in Los Angeles, is assigned to protect a Tibetan child with supernatural powers, who was born to be “the chosen one,” the savior of all people. This 1986 fantasy martial arts comedy film – The Golden Child – is based on a well-known theme of a child born to save the world.

When Moses was born, his parents thought he was a beautiful child and hid him for three months (Exod 2:2). Samson grew to be a mighty young man, and YHWH blessed him (Judg 13:24).

While Zechariah looked at his son John, the Holy Spirit filled him with prophecy to bless the nation of Israel (Luke 1:68–75) and his son.

“You, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest because you will go before the Lord preparing his ways – giving the knowledge of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins through the compassionate mercies of our God, in which he has visited us from the east, out of the highest, to shine among those sitting in the darkness and shadows of death and to guide our feet in the path of peace.” (Luke 1:76–79)

Zechariah recognized him as the prophet of the Highest God. Before Moses died, God gave him a promise:

“When you die, I will raise up for my people a prophet just like you, from among the fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.” (Deut 18:18)

Since Moses’s death, the people have been waiting for this prophet to come. They referred to him as the Prophet. Zechariah prophesied that John would be that very prophet. But unlike the OT definition of the prophet who would command his people, John would “go before the Lord preparing his way.” Contrary to people’s expectations, the prophet(John) would be a forerunner to the prophet Jesus.

As a forerunner, he would give the knowledge of salvation to his people, which was “the forgiveness of their sins through the compassionate mercies of God.” Israel knew that God had sent them into exile nearly 600 years ago and hadn’t visited them since then because of their sinfulness, including worshipping other gods, not giving the land the needed rest, and not exercising justice and mercy. God had forgiven them of all those sins and had visited them through the prophet, John.

But the blessing wasn’t only for the Israelites. God had visited “to shine among those sitting in the darkness and shadows of death.” These were the Gentiles who didn’t have the law to enlighten their hearts and give them life. In prophesying, Zechariah acknowledged that his son would be the forerunner to God’s visitation that would extend to the Gentiles. But, of course, Gentiles’ salvation began with Israelite’s redemption: God would come “to guide our feet in the path of peace.” This was why John’s baptism extended to tax collectors and soldiers. His coming was a sign of God visiting his people, the Israelites, and the nations (the Gentiles). John brought hope to the nations.

Just as Zechariah and other Israelites had difficulty seeing God’s visitation could be a blessing for more than just the Israelites, sometimes Christians struggle to see how Jesus’s visitation is a blessing for the nations. We are content with our salvation and perhaps share some of it during an evangelistic weekend or a mission trip. But if this prophecy is true (which it is), John’s and Jesus’s arrival brought God’s salvation and forgiveness of sins to humanity – Jews and Gentiles. So, our message is one of hope, not despair.