Luke 1:5-25
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
7 And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, and they were both advanced in years.
8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11 Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12 Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped 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 name him John.
14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.
17 And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years.”
19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands 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 when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21 And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22 But 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 repeatedly made signs to them, and remained speechless.
23 When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.
24 Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,
25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among people.”
The Announcement of the Birth of John
Prayers are answered
The Gospel of Luke begins with Old Testament-style writing. This shows how well-versed Luke was in the Old Testament and in Jewish tradition. Moreover, it confirms that the gospel of Jesus Christ was born as a continuation of the Old Testament. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth had reached old age without being blessed with children. Of course, they too were sinners, but Luke describes them as “righteous in the sight of God” in the Old Testament sense. The day came when their prayer was answered. At that time, the priests were divided into 24 divisions, and the division of Abijah was the eighth. When it was their turn to serve, the lot fell to Zechariah, and he was chosen to enter the temple and burn incense. This was a once-in-a-lifetime privilege for a priest. While he was in the temple, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and announced the birth of John. The prayers of Zechariah and Elizabeth had been heard. Moreover, God did more than they had asked for. Their child would bring many of the people of Israel back to God. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6. The name John means “the Lord is gracious.” With John’s birth, the age of grace began.
Unbelief brings silence
Upon hearing the angel’s announcement, Zechariah was caught between faith and reason. Reason cried out, “I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years” (v 18). At that moment, Zechariah became unable to speak. This was both a punishment for his unbelief and a grace that God gave to him. From this point on, Zechariah was no longer able to speak words of unbelief. There was a woman who had prayed many years for the salvation of her husband. When she heard the news that he had come to faith, she responded, “I can’t believe it.” Even though she had been praying, she could not believe it. That may very well be a reflection of ourselves. Zechariah’s mouth remained closed until his faith was restored. Often times is the case where one should be praising God, but the mouth is shut because of unbelief. Has your mouth recently been speaking words that give glory to God? If not, take time to reflect on what might be causing that. Let’s receive from God the assurance that prayer is heard and praise Him.
Today's prayer
Gracious God, my mouth had been shut, as if sealed by unbelief. Please forgive me. Now, I confess that You are a gracious God who answers prayer. Please open my mouth to praise You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.