Please read Luke 1:1-25.
Here’s a quick link to it in case you need one. Bible Gateway is one of a ton of places you can read the Bible online for free. The fact that I am linking to them does not imply that they endorse anything I write. Trust me when I say they have never heard of me. But they do offer a ton of translations of the Bible for free, and I’m grateful for them.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201%3A1-25&version=NLT
OK, NOW we can chat!
It seems like a lot of people were writing about the same thing. Everyone had different recollections; kind of like the way anyone over thirty-five has their own personal story of 9/11. Luke was talking to all the eyewitnesses, researching the back story, verifying his sources. Whoever Theophilus was, he had heard the stories too and wondered if they could possibly be true. Luke had done his homework and assembled his report. He refers to it as things that had been fulfilled, meaning the ancient prophecies that had been fulfilled by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. His research had convinced him. In fact, he would dedicate his life to helping those who would eventually spread the report across the known world. For that story, we have to wait for the book of Acts which is basically Luke the sequel. Yep! They were making sequels all the way back in ancient Isreal.
Now Luke has already told us that he researched the things that had been fulfilled in recent times, and a quick search of prophecy turns up a lot about a prophet who will make a way for the Messiah. So naturally, that is where Luke begins.
Enter John the Baptist.
Enter his parents at least.
And now the story begins.
John came from a good home. He had parents who loved and respected God who were from the tribe of Levi. That’s the tribe that took care of the Temple and served as priests. Up to then, John’s parents had been unable to have kids. That would have been hard on both of them. Back then barrenness was often seen as an absence of God’s favour. It was kind of Luke to make sure we knew this wasn’t some kind of punishment, it was just one of the sad gut-punches life sometimes throws. Zechariah was chosen by lot for the assignment he was given that day. It was a bit like drawing straws except that they asked God to direct the outcome, and used special stones. This was a divine appointment. It was a special moment; people were gathered outside praying. He was the only one who was allowed to go in to offer incense on the special altar made just for that purpose. The smoke of incense in the Temple has always represented prayer. I love the idea that prayer is the fragrance of heaven. Think about that next time you are talking to God. If you look at the recipe for the incense that is written down in the book of Leviticus, it is exotic. It’s not cheap to make, and they had to make a lot of it. God has this extravagant side, and it often shows up in worship. There’s no such thing as appreciating God too much! This is more than fair. He is infinitely more extravagant in his love and kindness towards us.
So Zechariah is burning incense on an altar and suddenly there is an angel standing there. That would have been jarring! And then he delivers this absolutely astonishing message. My attention is drawn to the angel’s claim that Zechariah’s miracle baby was going to prepare people for the Lord and that he would have the spirit and power of Elijah. That meant something to a Jewish priest of that time. He knew his scrolls, and that was a promise of fulfilled prophecy – prophecy that had been lying dormant for 500 or so years. It had been passed from generation to generation. It was the hope of Israel, but how many people still thought it was possible? Try to visualize this: Gabriel announces to Zechariah that the Messiah, the person for whom every Israelite had been waiting for centuries, is on his way at last and Zechariah’s son is the one who will prepare the way for him. That’s a lot to process! Zechariah, bless his heart, asks the angel how he can be sure that this is going to happen. Gabriel responds, and I paraphrase here, “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I’m gonna do you a favour and make it so you can’t say anything else until this kid comes.” And to be fair, Zechariah was looking for some kind of sign? My dude! You are in the Temple because a divinely directed lot fell to you, and an angel appears before you and gives you a message from God. But you’d like a sign? Sweetie, that was the sign! So anyways, he comes out of the Temple. The people outside were getting worried because he’d been so long, and all he can do is wave his arms around trying to explain what happened. I guess there weren’t a lot of notebooks and pens lying around. I love that Zechariah stayed in Jerusalem and finished his term of service. For a certain number of weeks each year, different groups of Levites would serve at the Temple. He was obviously in the middle of his term, so he shows up for work the next day like nothing happened. He can’t talk, but he’s got work to do, so he finishes up with his crew. Did I mention that this is a good man who is committed to his God? Then he goes home, and Elisabeth gets pregnant. This is such a gift from God. It is a fresh start for her and vindication against all the gossips who would have been speculating as to what she did to deserve being barren. Judgy, self-righteous people are not an exclusively 21st century phenomenon apparently. And the same God who stood up for Elizabeth can handle people who want to judge me without knowing my story.
