Marley Was Dead: To Begin With

Advent 1: Candle of Hope/Prophecy

Advent means “coming”

We are living in the in-between times of His first and second comings.

Traditionally this season of Advent is to remember His first coming and all that entailed, but also to remember His Second coming is on its way.

It’s a season of preparation: Preparing to celebrate His first Advent and preparing ourselves for His any moment second Advent.

And specifically, this first Sunday in Advent is focused on Hope.

Hope: Remembering the promises and prophecies of God regarding His first and second coming.

Hope is expectantly waiting for God to act in spite of insurmountable odds.

Hope means that we are eagerly waiting for that which has been promised, but we have not received.

One example of this is like the Christmas present sitting under the tree.

You know there’s something waiting for you because the present has your name on it and in anticipation you can’t wait to open it and see what’s there.

That’s similar to what the prophets of old prophesied.

They were told of a wonderful gift that was to come to the world, one called the Messiah, who would restore all things back to how they should be and they then wrote that announcement down for us.

They were also told that that hopeful promise was not given for them to see it come to pass, but was written down for our benefit, which is why we call it prophecy. The prophets foretold what was to come.

The problem was, they didn’t know exactly what was in the present. All they had was the promise and the hardest part was waiting for the revealing of the promise.

That type of hope also applies to our inheritance in heaven which is connected to Jesus’ Second Coming.

1 Peter 1:3–4 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

Today we’ll see how Israel’s promise, Israel’s hope, appeared dead - 400 years of silent years, but all of a sudden, hope sprang to life again with the birth of Jesus. We’ll take a look at how hope and prophecy come together in Luke 1 and how we must hold on to hope in the same way since we, too, like Israel, are clinging to the same promises of the Messiah for His Second Advent.

The Promised Son (1:5-7)

The connection between Zechariah and Elizabeth with Abraham and Sarah

Both were beyond childbearing.

Both were “dead” in their womb - barrenness

A divine curse.

For Elizabeth, this meant she could no longer entertain the hope of every Jewish woman to be the mother of the Messiah.

Hope appeared dead.

Romans 4:17–21 (NASB95)

(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

Marley was dead to begin with…But God gives life to the dead.

Both had a supernatural appearance.

Both promised a son.

Abraham was Promised that The Son, Jesus, would come through him.

Zechariah was promised his son, John, would be a forerunner to Abraham’s son.

For Such A Time As This (1:8-10)

Irony of Zechariah being chosen by lot to serve at this particular point in history.

Galatians 4:4–5 NASB95

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Because of the large number of priests, this privilege was only allowed once in a lifetime, and some priests never were able to serve in this capacity. Odds stacked against him. Hope dwindling.

illustration: lottery for doe tag. Pay your $10.00 for the hope of getting your name drawn. points accumulate if not drawn...

Marley was dead to begin with…But God gives life to the dead.

So, this would be the only time in Zechariah’s life when he would be allowed to perform this task.

Being a great honor this would have been the climatic moment of his priestly career.

One of the prayers offered by the priest would be asking God to redeem Israel from her oppressors, sending the Messiah to set them free.

As Zechariah was offering incense, a crowd gathered outside to pray along. The incense for which Zechariah was responsible symbolized the prayers of the entire nation, also seeking God for redemption.

Zechariah’s name means “God remembers.”

God is remembering His covenant made to Abraham and is getting ready to fulfill it.

About 75 texts in the Old Testament speak of God remembering.

Most of those references is in some way tied to the covenants He has made with mankind.

Noah, Abraham, Moses, David.

Big example: God remembered His covenant to Abraham when Israel cried out in Egypt

Exodus 2:23–25 NASB95

Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

In our language and culture, “remembering” has become largely a mental thing, simply recalling past events in the mind.

There are exceptions, when actions or service become a part of “remembering” (e.g. laying of a wreath for the “unknown soldier,” historical reenactments, etc.).

However, God’s “remembering” in the Bible goes even further. It’s not just intellectual recall. It is an act of the will.

When God remembers, he remembers for a purpose.

In other words, his “remembering” prompts him to action in the present.

God remembering does not mean He has forgotten.

Rather the texts using this terminology depict Him as locating Himself at a certain moment in time.

He is present with His time-bound people to fulfill His purposes for them.

To the timeless God, it’s already done. But to His time-bound creation it’s not.

From that perspective the past is the past that he “remembers” and the future is a future concerning which he makes promises.

This highlights the fact that God is demonstrating Himself as an “incarnational” God.

Notice all the personal verbs:

God heard

God remembered

God saw

God knew

God is a personal God and not an impersonal force.

Immanuel: God With Us

John 1:14 NASB95

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 1:23 NASB95

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Zechariah being the priest at this moment in time is a powerful connection from an all-powerful, all knowing, Sovereign God, that orchestrated the events in such a way that the one named: “the God who remembers” is the one offering the prayers that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would remember His promise to them and would redeem of Israel at the time that the Messiah was soon to be born.

God remembers you...

The Silence (1:11-17)

The connections between Zechariah and Elizabeth with Elkannah and Hannah.

Both wives were barren.

Both pregnancies occured during a season of the rarity of the Word of the Lord begin given.

400 silent years between testaments

300 years of silence of God’s word being rare during the time of the Judges. God seemed silent.

1 Samuel 3:1 NASB95

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.

Marley was dead to begin with…But God gives life to the dead.

Both boys were the result of prayers.

1 Samuel 1:11–12 NASB95

She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth.

Both were a time of God remembering

1 Samuel 1:19 NASB95

Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.

Both boys were dedicated to God’s service

Samuel given to Eli to serve at the tabernacle since about 3 years old.

John - would take on the Nazarite vow of exclusive service to the Lord.

Both sons were forerunners.

Samuel - King David

John - Jesus

The Silence Broken (1:16-17)

To show connection and continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

400 years of silence.

Luke purposefully crafted his letter, by direction of the Holy Spirit, to show Theophilus that the events he was about to describe about John and Jesus were a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Luke is establishing a connection between the OT and NT periods.

To show fulfillment of some of the Old Testament prophecies occuring right away.

The close of the Old Testament - Malachi 4:5-6

Malachi 4:5–6 NASB95

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

The opening of the New Testament - Luke 1:16-17

Luke 1:16–17 NASB95

“And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Marley was dead to begin with…But God speaks into the silence.

Silence Re-instituted (1:18-25)

Ironically, Zechariah’s doubt turns into silence.

My words will be fulfilled in their proper time....promise, remembered, such a time as this.

Silence Broken, Part 2 (1:59-79)

To show connection and continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament, part 2

The baby is born and as soon as Zechariah writes “His name is John,” he is able to speak again. (vs. 59-66)

Zechariah’s prayer - (vs. 67-79)

Horn of salvation - Psalm 132:17

Salvation and redemption from the enemy - Psalm 106:10

Remembered His covenant - Psalm 106:45-46

Go before the Lord (vs. 76) - Malachi 3:1

Malachi 3:1 NASB95

“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.

Sunrise on high to visit (vs. 78) - Malachi 4:2

Malachi 4:2 NASB95

“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.

Shine on those who sit in darkness (vs. 79) - Isaiah 9:2

Isaiah 9:2 NASB95

The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

Conclusion

Luke knows that God is faithful to His covenant promise that He made to Abraham and that even in the darkest times God would remember that covenant and fulfill it.

Luke connects the Old Testament to the New Testament by telling Zechariah’s story and showing how the birth of John was the beginning of the fulfillment of that covenant and of all the Old Testament prophecies pointing to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Luke wants us to know that it isn’t foolish to trust God’s promises and to keep hope alive.

For 400 years hope, like Marley, was dead to begin with.

But then, God broke through to shine His light into the darkness of death in order to fulfill His promises to His people and bring eternal life to those who would believe.

Romans 4:22–25 NASB95

Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Marley was dead to begin with…But God gives life to the dead

Now, we long and wait with expectation for the promise of God’s future salvation, His Second Advent. We can have hope. And that hope will not disappoint!

Closing Song: Light of the World