400 years have passed since the last prophet in Israel. No writings. Nothing. God has been silent. That’s about to change.
When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah.
He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah,
and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes,
careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive,
and they were both very old.
Luke 1:5-7 NLT
Righteous and obedient.
But childless, seen as a sign of divine disfavor and felt as enormous grief.
And now they are old.
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8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple,
for his order was on duty that week.
Luke 1:8 NLT
The priesthood was divided into 24 divisions, each with 300 priests.
Each division served at the Temple for 2 weeks during the year.
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9 As was the custom of the priests,
he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
Luke 1:9 NLT
Several priestly duties were decided by lot. They included cleansing and preparing the altar for both morning and evening sacrifices, offering the sacrifices, and burning the evening incense. The incense symbolized the priestly work of offering Israel’s prayers to God and was the most solemn of the day’s ceremonies. A priest could perform this highest of honors only once in his lifetime.
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10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
Luke 1:10 NLT
Although God has been silent, the people still pray.
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11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing to the right of the incense altar.
12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah!
God has heard your prayer.
Luke 1:11-13a NLT
God knows Zechariah by name!
[Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1b TLB]
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But which prayer had God heard?
Their long-abandoned prayer for a child?
Or for the coming of Israel’s long-promised Messiah?
Both.
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Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son,
and you are to name him John.
Luke 1:13b NLT
He knows Elizabeth by name, too, and her long sorrow.
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The name John means “God is gracious.”
And the name Zechariah? It means “God Remembers.”
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