Gabriel Announces John’s Birth
June 17, 2022
Commentary
Luke takes us back to the time before John the Baptist was conceived, and introduces us to his parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth who were unable to have children. Zacharias was a priest, and he was serving for about a two week period in the Temple (vv. 8-11). King David had divided the priesthood of Israel into twenty-four divisions and each division was to serve two weeks at a time annually in the temple. Zacharias’ division was on duty. He was chosen by lot to be the priest who offered the incense. Because of the large number of priests in each division this would probably be the only time in his life when he would be allowed to perform this task.
The angel proceeds to give his divine announcement (vv. 12-17). As Zacharias was praying inside at the altar of incense a crowd gathered outside the temple to pray. Suddenly, “There appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (v. 11). It was a very startling thing as no living Israelite had ever seen an angel. This was a tremendous moment. It was the first time in over 400 years, as far as we know, that God had directly spoken to His people. This Gabriel was the same angel who appeared five hundred years before to Daniel (Dan. 8:15-16). Naturally Zacharias was stunned. The angel told him not to be afraid and that his prayer had been answered. The angel’s message was two-fold:
Elisabeth was to bear a son and name him John.John would have the spirit and power of Elijah and was to prepare the way for the Messiah.
Application
If God chose to speak to me through an angel, I wonder how I would react, especially if He chose to perform some miraculous thing like He did with Zacharias. Would I believe Him or would I be prone to doubt?
Luke 1:8– 17 (NET)
8 Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the Holy Place of the Lord and burn incense. 10 Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 An angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared to him. 12 And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, was seized with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. 14 Joy and gladness will come to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
Illustration: John Paton A Missionary in the New Hebrides
John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present–but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men with drawn swords circling the mission station. (Today in the Word, MBI, October, 1991, p. 18).