Only certain men, called priests, could offer the offerings in the temple of God, and each man’s son was to take the work after him. One man, Zacharias, was a faithful priest who honored God, but he had no son.
One day while Zacharias was in an inner room of the temple, an angel came there and spoke to him, telling him that he should have a son, who would teach the people God’s ways, so that they would turn from sin, and be ready for the Lord. This son should be named John, which means the gift of God.
Zacharias knew such a prophet had been promised (Malachi 3:11Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)), yet he did not fully believe the angel, and asked how he could know this promise would come true. Because he had not believed the message, the angel told Zacharias that he should not be able to speak again until the promise was fulfilled.
When Zacharias went from the room to the people, he could not speak, but by his motions to them, they understood he had seen a vision.
The Son of the Highest
Not long after this, the same angel was sent from God to a young woman named Mary, whose home was in the town of Nazareth in the northern part of Israel, and who was soon to become the wife of a man named Joseph. The angel’s message to Mary was that she should have a son, but one different from all others who ever lived, a holy child, without sin.
The angel said this holy child would be “The Son of the Highest,” “The Son of God” and that He should be named Jesus, which means Saviour. He would be greater than any prophet—both Saviour and the Holy King.
Mary believed this message, not doubting, as Zacharias had; such a holy child had been promised in their scriptures, and she believed God’s words (Luke 1:3838And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38); Isaiah 7:1414Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)). She then went from Nazareth to “the hill country ... of Juda” (south of Jerusalem), to visit the wife of Zacharias, who was her cousin. They talked together of the messages of the angel, and believed God’s promises would come true.
Zacharias Restored
Not long after, the message told in the temple was fulfilled: a son was born to Zacharias and his wife, but Zacharias was not yet able to talk. When the child was eight days old, and to be named, the relatives said he should be named for his father. The mother said, “No”; she knew the name told by the angel. The father was asked: he could not speak, but wrote on a paper, “His name is John.”
After that, Zacharias could speak and he praised God to all present. He said the time told “by ... the prophets ... since the world began,” had come, that God would “[visit] and [redeem His] people,” and that there should be “a horn of salvation.” The word “horn” meant power, as an animal’s horns are its power; the One to come had power to fulfill all promises.
Zacharias said to his child that he should be the prophet to go before this Great and Holy One, to teach the people. The friends who heard these things believed God was to bless Israel and told others. And it is written that Mary returned to her home.
Further Meditation
1. What is the meaning of the name “Jesus”?
2. Sometimes God has to speak very loudly for us to hear. The way we respond to His voice is very important. What did Zacharias do that showed he had accepted God’s working in his life.
3. It would be wonderful to always give thanks and praise to God. You may be encouraged in doing that by reading His Praise Shall Continually Be in My Mouth by J. N. Darby.