Zacharias, Elizabeth, and the Birth of John
Dearly beloved of God, the world seldom recognizes great moments when God moves. The birth of John the Baptist was one of those great moments.
John’s birth preceded Jesus Christ’s birth by six months. John was a relative of Jesus, a priest, and a prophet that spoke God’s Word in order to make ready a people prepared for Him.
There had not been a prophet in Israel since Malachi, some four hundred years earlier. Israel was engulfed in religious darkness and oppression. Only one thing could break through this darkness, and that is hearing God’s Word.
John’s father was Zacharias, and his mother was Elizabeth.
Zacharias lived in the days of Herod, the king of Judea. He was a priest of the course of Abia, which was the eighth course of service by the priests.
The priest’s courses of service in the Temple were counted from the first month of the Hebrew calendar, which was Nisan (our April). Zacharias course of service in the Temple, being the eighth course, was the last week of May.
This particular year he was appointed to burn incense in the Temple at the altar in the Holy Place. He would be the only one in the Holy Place when he carried out this highly regarded service.
This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Zacharias. The rising smoke from the incense symbolized the prayers of Israel rising up to God Himself. After performing this service, he would go out to the people and bless them.
As he was performing this service, there appeared an angel of the LORD standing on the right side of the altar of incense. This took Zacharias by surprise and it startled him.
God sent His personal messenger to deliver a message to Zacharias. Gabriel told him that his prayer was heard, and Elizabeth would bear him a son, and he was to call his name John. John means Jehovah shows favor.
Elizabeth was barren and “was well stricken in years.” Their hope of having a child had seemed to have passed them by, but Gabriel said that God heard their prayer and she would bear Zacharias a son, and they would have joy and gladness, and many would rejoice at his birth.
The angel said that John would be filled with the holy spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He was the only person ever to be filled with the holy spirit from birth.
Gabriel told Zacharias that he would turn many to the LORD their God as he spoke God’s Word. John would go forth in the presence of God in the powerful spirit of Elijah to make ready a people prepared for the LORD.
Zacharias said to the angel, “Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.”
The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show 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.”
Do not ever doubt that God hears your prayers, dearly beloved. God assures us that He does.
“This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: and if we know that He hears us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”
His ears are open to our prayers. He hears and delivers us out of all our troubles.
Elizabeth conceived after Zacharias accomplished his service, and they returned to their home. Since Zacharias’ course of service was the last week of May, and then they returned to their home, Elizabeth conceived the first part of June. John was born nine months later in March.
John was the prophet of the Highest, and he gave God’s people a knowledge of salvation for the remission of sins. He gave light to those who sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide their feet into the way of peace.
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [that’s us, dearly beloved].
The world may not recognize the greatness of John’s ministry, but God did. He was the prophet of the Highest, and there was none greater born of women than John the Baptist.
God answered their prayers, and it was indeed quite an answer.