Luke 1:14-17
He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous– to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

This is the first mention of the Holy Spirit in Luke’s Gospel. Our writer is well acquainted with the third person of the Trinity. Luke refers to the Holy Spirit more than any other Gospel writer; it is a major theme in his writing.

Luke was thoroughly familiar with the work of the Holy Spirit, as we see in the book of Acts. He recognized and emphasized the Holy Spirit’s work in directing the founding of Christianity and in guiding the early church.

The presence of the Spirit is God’s gift to all believers given at Pentecost.

Prior to that, the Holy Spirit was given to the faithful for special tasks. The fact John would be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth, indicates a special blessing for this child.

This also marks the restoration of the prophetic work of the Holy Spirit which had not been present in Israel for over 400 years; since the days of the prophet Malachi.

What would God say to the world after 400 years of silence?

What will it be like when Jesus returns after being gone 2,000 years?