Luke 1:57-66
57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60 And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”
61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God.
65 And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in the entire hill country of Judea.
66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
The Birth of John
God’s mercy
The theme that runs throughout Luke chapter 1 is “God’s mercy.” Mary also uses the word “mercy” twice in her song (v 50, 54). The account of John’s birth is also written within the context of “God’s mercy.” Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy, just as the angel had promised. That news brought great joy to the community. The birth of a firstborn is a joyful event, but this time, there was a blessing that is not found in the usual birth of a firstborn. Elizabeth, in her old age, gave birth to a baby boy. When the people heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, they rejoiced with her. It feels as if I myself am being invited into that joy. How great is “God’s mercy” that we have received until now as well. Let us remember that. And let us pray and strive so that, through Jesus Christ, more and more people may be brought into this joy.
Freed tongue
The child was circumcised on the eighth day. This is the sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17:12, Lev. 12:3). According to the custom of that time, the people intended to name the child Zechariah. But his mother Elizabeth answered, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” Her strong will can be felt. Then, in order to hear the opinion of the father Zechariah, a writing tablet coated with wax on its surface was brought to him. Zechariah and Elizabeth must have been communicating through such a writing tablet over the past few months. The father wrote, “His name is John.” In the original Greek, Zechariah’s intention is expressed even more vividly. The name “John” comes first, and the verb tense is in the present. It is as if Zechariah is saying, “We are not naming him John now. It is a name already determined by the Lord’s plan.” At that moment, Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue freed. The first thing he did was praise God. When we discover the will of God and entrust ourselves to it, praise to the Lord also flows from our mouths. And along with joy, our hearts are filled with fear. It is not the fear that controls cult groups but is awe toward the true God. Have you ever experienced such joy and awe?
Today's prayer
Gracious God, please lead me so that the plans You have prepared for my life may be fulfilled. Make me a servant who is obedient to Your will. Fill me with joy and awe. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.