What does Luke 1:77 mean?
God promised to send a Messiah (Isaiah 9:6–7), following the work of a herald (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; 4:6). The Messiah is Jesus Christ (Luke 1:31–33), and His herald is John the Baptist (Luke 1:13–17; 3:2–3). Here, Zechariah (Luke 1:57, 67–68) celebrates the role his son, John, will play in this process (Luke 1:76). John will proclaim the need for repentance (Matthew 3:1–5), while pointing people to the Savior (John 1:19–23). John the Baptist will be very clear about his inferiority to Jesus (John 3:30). His purpose is to tell others to follow Christ (John 1:29–30).Jesus' first coming to earth will be to establish this means of forgiveness (John 3:16–17). His sacrificial death and resurrection will be the mechanism for those who believe to be rescued from the penalty of sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:8). That corresponds to Old Testament predictions that God would establish a new covenant with His people (Jeremiah 31:31–33), including forgiveness of sin (Jeremiah 31:34). Christ's second coming (Revelation 19:11–15) will finish God's prophetic promise to end all sin and evil (Revelation 21:1–5).