Most couples anticipate the birth of their first child with great joy. This was especially true in the case of Zechariah and Elizabeth because Elizabeth had been barren and unable to have children. It wasn’t until both she and her husband were elderly that she miraculously became pregnant.
Elizabeth’s pregnancy in itself was ample proof of God’s blessing on this couple. Yet, there was another sign that this child would have a special role in God’s plan. When the angel Gabriel informed Zechariah that he and his wife would have a child, Zechariah disbelieved him. As a result, Gabriel took away his speech until the child’s birth.
Luke tells us what happened next. In chapter 1, verses 57 through 66 of his inspired Gospel he writes, “Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” They made signs to his father, what he would have him called. He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled. His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.”
The reaction of the relatives and neighbors to the birth of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son is amusing. They gathered on the eighth day after the child’s birth to circumcise him as both God’s covenant with Abraham and the Law of Moses required. On the one hand, they shared in the couple’s joy. They were happy that after waiting so many years Zechariah and Elizabeth finally were able to have a child. On the other hand, they acted as if the child belonged to them rather than to Zechariah and Elizabeth. They took it upon themselves to name the child. Elizabeth had to intervene to prevent them from naming him after his father and, even then, they argued with her. It was only after Elizabeth objected to the name they chose that they bothered to consult the child’s father. They were astonished when Zechariah insisted that his son’s name was John – the name which the angel Gabriel instructed he be given.
Even more startling to the neighbors and relatives is what happened when Zechariah obeyed the angel’s instruction. Immediately his tongue was loosed and he was able to speak again. It is significant that the first thing Zechariah did was to praise God. Perhaps a reason we do not experience more of God’s blessings is that our obedience is lacking and we don’t acknowledge what God has done for us.
After witnessing or hearing about these astonishing events, people asked a very important question. What would this child become? Surely his miraculous birth and the miraculous healing of his father pointed toward some special purpose which God had for this child.
There was no doubt in Zechariah’s mind what John’s birth meant. In verses 67 through 80 Luke writes, “His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people; and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.” The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”
Zechariah praised God for redeeming His people. Though God’s plan to redeem mankind would not reach fulfillment until over 30 years in the future, Zechariah considered it as an accomplished fact. In the birth of his son he could see that God was keeping His promises made to him through the angel Gabriel. God was also keeping the oath which He swore to Abraham and the covenant promises He made to the Israelites. Therefore, there was no reason to doubt that God would complete what He had begun. We should learn from Zechariah’s example. All too often we doubt the character of God. We question whether He will do as He promised. However, we should realize that when God states that something will take place or that He will give us something, it is as good as done. It may take some time, as we count time, to come about but it will happen.
Zechariah also understood the purpose for which God was redeeming and rescuing His people from their enemies. Is was so they could serve God in holiness and righteousness without fear. All too often we use the peace and security God grants us for the wrong purposes – we cast off restraint and indulge our own desires instead of using the opportunity to serve God. We use our freedoms to turn away from God and the righteous life He wants us to live. It isn’t until we face trouble and difficulties that we call out to God and turn to Him again.
The angel had clearly told Zechariah that John would prepare the way for the Lord. Perhaps Zechariah used the months of silence when he could not speak to ponder what that meant. He realized that John would teach people about salvation and the forgiveness of their sins. It would be like the rising of the sun after a black night. John’s message would guide those living in the shadow of spiritual death to the paths of peace.
This raises an important question. We are living many hundreds of years after John. The message of forgiveness and peace has already been proclaimed. The Savior for whom John prepared the way has already come. Have we believed the message? Do we follow the Savior?
If you would like to learn about the birth of the Savior, please listen to our next program.