Elizabeth and Zechariah had longed for a child, but throughout their marriage she had not been able to get pregnant. It's a story that lots of couples could tell. We have enough medical research today to understand the physical barriers to the inability to conceive; but the emotional and psychological aspects are not as easy to explain.
Remember the story? Zechariah is "on duty" - a priest serving his two week obligation at the temple. By "lot" he is chosen to go into the holy place to burn the incense, change the candles and the daily bread. It was a high honor for any priest to be chosen; so much so that they could only do it once in their life. Zechariah enters the temple that day and went about his work until he came to the altar of incense. Then, suddenly, everything changed:
Luke 1:11-13
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
Zechariah is startled, and the sight of the heavenly angel makes him afraid. He hears the words, but they seem to go in one ear and out the other.
Luke 1:18
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
It has often struck me how fickle our faith is. He had been praying for - how long? - for a child. Then God sends the angel to him to tell him "your prayer has been heard". And instead of saying "thank you", he says..."you've got to be joking...we're too old now anymore." Here is this man who is serving God faithfully and becomes fearfully faithless when God comes to answer his prayers. Instead of looking at the angel and seeing God, he looks at himself and sees the impossible.
What happens next is God's way of rebuking unbelief.
Luke 1:19-20
19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
The significance of this action by Gabriel lies in the final action every priest did as they finished their work in temple. They came out of the temple with a smile on their face because God had received their work, and they stood in front of the people to bless the people in the name of God. But Zechariah could not do that.
Luke 1:22-23
22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
Zechariah went home. He could not speak to Elizabeth, but she did get pregnant! Can you imagine the morning Elizabeth comes out to face Zechariah and tells him.... "I'm going to have a baby"? There stands Zechariah, unable to speak...and he smiles....and that says it all.
My friends, let us believe that God is at work in our every day life. Let us believe that ministering angels are all around. Let us believe that God cares deeply for every prayer we offer. Let us believe that God can do abundantly more than we ask or think...AND, don't forget to smile.
John 6:28-29
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
Peace
Remember the story? Zechariah is "on duty" - a priest serving his two week obligation at the temple. By "lot" he is chosen to go into the holy place to burn the incense, change the candles and the daily bread. It was a high honor for any priest to be chosen; so much so that they could only do it once in their life. Zechariah enters the temple that day and went about his work until he came to the altar of incense. Then, suddenly, everything changed:
Luke 1:11-13
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
Zechariah is startled, and the sight of the heavenly angel makes him afraid. He hears the words, but they seem to go in one ear and out the other.
Luke 1:18
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
It has often struck me how fickle our faith is. He had been praying for - how long? - for a child. Then God sends the angel to him to tell him "your prayer has been heard". And instead of saying "thank you", he says..."you've got to be joking...we're too old now anymore." Here is this man who is serving God faithfully and becomes fearfully faithless when God comes to answer his prayers. Instead of looking at the angel and seeing God, he looks at himself and sees the impossible.
What happens next is God's way of rebuking unbelief.
Luke 1:19-20
19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
The significance of this action by Gabriel lies in the final action every priest did as they finished their work in temple. They came out of the temple with a smile on their face because God had received their work, and they stood in front of the people to bless the people in the name of God. But Zechariah could not do that.
Luke 1:22-23
22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
Zechariah went home. He could not speak to Elizabeth, but she did get pregnant! Can you imagine the morning Elizabeth comes out to face Zechariah and tells him.... "I'm going to have a baby"? There stands Zechariah, unable to speak...and he smiles....and that says it all.
My friends, let us believe that God is at work in our every day life. Let us believe that ministering angels are all around. Let us believe that God cares deeply for every prayer we offer. Let us believe that God can do abundantly more than we ask or think...AND, don't forget to smile.
John 6:28-29
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
Peace
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