Skip to main content

His Name is John

It is Thursday, the 12 day of Advent.  As I continue to read through the beginning of Luke's Gospel the story goes back to Zechariah and Elizabeth as the baby Elizabeth is carrying is finally born.

Luke 1:57-66
57  When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58  Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59  On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60  but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61  They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62  Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63  He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
64  Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
65  The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66  Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.


  For the last 9-10 months Zechariah has been "mute"...not just that he didn't speak, or that he was quiet, but he was "mute"... he couldn't speak.  Do you remember why?  It was the angel Gabriel - who I imagine looked like Gandalf as he stood over Bilbo - who rebuked his stubbornness and told him:

Luke 1:19-20
19  The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20  And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."


The angel Gabriel had said that all would happen "at the proper time".  Then later Luke brings us  back to this time.  Elizabeth gives birth to her son, and everyone near and far, neighbors and relatives all come to see the new born baby.  The question they all ask is what we all ask when we hear of a new born baby:  "What will they name him?"
It is the one thing none of us have control of - our name.  When I was a young boy I hated my name.  No one else was named Elliott, and as a young kid standing out as different from others is always a negative.  My brother and I were named after the doctor that delivered us - Dr. Edward Samuel Elliott.  I remember asking my Mom, "Why didn't you name me Samuel?"  As an adult I love my name.  For one thing, whenever I hear it said, I know with a fair amount of certainty that it is me they are talking to!

Elizabeth is the one who speaks up because at this point Zechariah still cannot speak.  "His name is John".  Obviously Elizabeth didn't get that name on her own, she must have gotten this from Zechariah as he returned home, even though he had to write it out.  The relatives, neighbors were incredulous - no one in your family has that name; and they make signs to Zechariah to ask him to overrule Elizabeth.  Zechariah takes the writing tablet and reaffirms it: "His name is John", and immediately his mouth and tongue are free and he can once again speak.

His name is John which means "Jehovah is Gracious".  Zechariah began the Advent story, and he was a faithful priest who was afraid and full of doubt.  I think of that even in relation to my own life.  I would like to think I have tried to be faithful, but I have those same times of fear and doubt.  They seem to be fairly common human traits.
What we must remember is that Jehovah is Gracious.
All the things God does is gracious.  He is God of purpose, and He works His will in amazing, sometimes surprising and miraculous ways; but always with this Grace in mind.

Peace

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hands Full of Parcels

"A Man whose hands are full of parcels can't receive a gift."   - C. S. Lewis Romans 4:13-16 (ESV) 13  For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14  For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15  For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16  That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all... The last four days have been best described by the word "fatigue".  It's not an uncommon word in our vocabulary.  Listless, tired, sore.  1300 miles of car travel, being sick, not sleeping well, and eating poorly all add up to the word - fatigue.   Someone onc...

Joy to the World - Help is On the Way

It’s the first day of Advent– while you prepare for Worship this morning at church take a minute to ask God to direct you through this season that you might be prepared to “receive your King”. In the first week of Advent we celebrate the PROMISE of His Coming. His promise is based on our need. We were made in his image, but there is emptiness in our soul that is the result of the Fallen nature of sin. But why did Jesus come? What in his coming announces God's heart? His desire for us to know and experience? 10 BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM, "DO NOT BE AFRAID; FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY WHICH WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE; 11 FOR TODAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID THERE HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD. GREAT JOY! Did you know that God is Joyful? 1 CHRONICLES 16:23-27 (NASB) 23 SING TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH; PROCLAIM GOOD TIDINGS OF HIS SALVATION FROM DAY TO DAY. 24 TELL OF HIS GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS, HIS WONDERFUL DEEDS AMONG ALL THE PEOPLES....

The Tabernacle

The readings today are Exodus 36, 37, 38 I wanted to post some pictures of what these various parts of the Tabernacle looked like. It's not the easiest read in the world, but if you persevere through it, you can get a picture of all the different pieces that made up the tabernacle. It is a replica of the various parts of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness: First thing in the chapter listed is the outside of the tabernacle which consisted of curtains tied together and put on cross bars through loops. Next at the beginning of 37 is the table and lampstand: Also, the altar of incense: And, the altar for the burnt offering which was in the courtyard: Finally, the courtyard which made it all come together: Hope that helps with what it might have all looked like. Most importantly, this was their "place" of worship they were building. I hope you have a great day of worship. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad