It has been over 500 years since the Jews returned to the land of Israel from their captivity. Things haven't been easy. There had been wars ravaging the land from all sides. They went into captivity under the Babylonian Empire. They were allowed to return to Israel under the Persian empire. They were trying to live in their homeland throughout the Greek empire. And, now, they were under the rule of the Roman Empire.
All the known world at that time spoke Koine Greek. Even though everyone had their own language from their own area, almost all people could speak Greek.
Throughout most of these troubling years, God's people followed their religious leaders through a mixture of the law of Moses and the traditions of the Pharisees and Saducees. Because of this, God had fallen silent.
But, that was all going to change!
Luke 1:5-7- There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
Zacharias was a priest in the temple of the Lord. He had a very important job that Moses gave to the descendants of Aaron thousands of years ago!
Leviticus 16:9, 11-13- And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
Zacharias and his wife were following all the commandments of Moses to the best of their ability. The only thing that they lacked was a child.
They were both now to old to have a child. Or, so they thought.
Luke 1:8-12- And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
Zacharias went into the temple one day to do his job. It was the same job that he performed every year- put the blood of the sacrifice offering on the seat of the ark of the covenant in the Holiest of Holies, and burn incense on the altar. But, this year, while he was burning the incense, an angel joined him in the room. Boy, did this scare Zachariah!
Luke 1:13-17- But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
The angel told Zacharias not to be afraid. He was only there to deliver a message- Zacharias was going to be a father!
It was similar to the message that Samson's parents received- this child was going to be used by God, so be careful what you eat and drink.
The angel said that this baby was to be called John, and he would be a messenger to prepare Israel for the Messiah.
Luke 1:18-20- And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
If we've learned anything going through the stories of the Bible, we can be assured of two things- 1) Jews will always ask God for a sign, and 2) It's never wise to question God!
Zacharias asked the angel for a sign. And, the angel said that his sign would also be a punishment for questioning God- he wouldn't be able to speak until after the baby was born!
Well, Zacharias was taking a long time in the Holiest of Holies, so the people began to wonder what was going on.
Luke 1:21-22- And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
When Zacharias finally came out to the people, he was speechless! He kept using his hands to try to tell the people something had happened.
Luke 1:23-25- And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
When Zacharias went back home, his wife soon found out that she was going to have a baby!
But, they weren't the only ones who had been visited by an angel.
Luke 1:26-27- And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
When Elisabeth was six months along in her pregnancy, the angel appeared to a cousin of her's and had a message for this young girl.
Luke 1:28-29- And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Mary was a little afraid when she heard what the angel had to say! What did this mean?
Luke 1:30-35- And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
The angel told Mary that she had been chosen by God to bear a son, because she was a descendant of King David and she was trying to live according to the commandments of Moses.
Mary wondered how she was going to have a baby when she wasn't even married. The angel explained that it was going to be a miracle. Mary would be the baby's mother, but the Lord God Almighty was going to be the father.
Then the angel told Mary the wonderful news of her cousin, Elisabeth.
Luke 1:36-38- And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Mary didn't ask for a sign. I suppose the fact that an angel appeared out of no where and told her was enough for her. She said that she was willing to be used by God.
There were no telephones back then, and there wasn't really any type of post office. So, Mary had no clue that her cousin was expecting a child. Mary decided to go visit her cousin.
Luke 1:39-45- And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
As Mary walked into Elisabeth's house, the baby inside of Elisabeth jumped. This was not something that babies usually did. Elisabeth knew that meant something was special about Mary.
Luke 1:46-49- And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Mary told Elisabeth that she had been chosen by God for something so wonderful that years from that day people would still be talking about it!
Mary stayed with Elisabeth for three whole months. She may have even been there when Elisabeth gave birth to her baby boy.
Luke 1:56-60- And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
Elisabeth gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! And, when he was 8 days old they circumcised him and told others his name. Elisabeth knew what that his name would be John. Somehow, Zacharias was able to let her know that was what the angel said to call him.
But, others assumed that he would be named after his father, and so they started to call him Zacharias. Elisabeth tried to tell them his name was John.
But, they didn't think she knew what she was talking about, so they turned to ask Zacharias.
Luke 1:61-63- And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
The people started motioning to Zacharias what they should call the child. I guess they assumed that because he couldn't speak, perhaps he couldn't hear either.
Zacharias asked for something to write with and wrote down that this baby's name was John.
But, then something happened that shocked them all.
Luke 1:64-65- And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
The moment that Zacharias confirmed John's name, God allowed him to speak again. And, he was filled with the Holy Ghost and started prophesying!
As soon as they heard him praising God, they were afraid! What was happening? And, what type of child would this be?
Luke 1:66, 80- And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
John grew up in the deserts eating locusts and wild honey. He was taught the Scriptures of the Lord by his parents and he was very knowledgable in the commandments of God.
