Zechariah and Elizabeth (Hope)

Today, we begin our four-week series entitled, “The Characters of Christmas. We will look into different characters in the Christmas story to see how the birth of Jesus was good news of great joy for all of them.

READ: IF YOU ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO DO SO, PLEASE STAND WITH ME AS WE READ GOD’S WORD.

Luke 1:5–25 (ESV)

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 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, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

PRAY

BACKGROUND

The intertestamental period, or what they call the time "between the testaments," or the “400 years of Silence,” occurred between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the events described in Matthew in the New Testament.

Now, again, This was a period of about 400 years and during this time. There was a shift that happened. Things changed politically, religiously, and socially.

These changes precipitated an atmosphere in which Jesus will arrive on scene.

This period of 400 years, God did not give a prophetic word to His people (hence the years of silence); however, God was actively working and carrying out His plan of salvation for humanity.

SO WHAT HAPPENED DURING THIS TIME?

After the Southern Kingdom fell to Babylon in 587 B.C., the Persians ruled.

The Jews were allowed to practice their religion and was able to return to Judea and rebuild the Temple.

Alexander the Great comes on scene and defeats Darius of Persia and starts a conquest to conquer and introduce Greek culture into society and beyond. He required the Greek culture to be taught and followed. However, Alexander the Great left Judea and its religion intact.

When Alexander died, his kingdom was divided among his 5 generals.

Two in particular that are pertinent to the study of the New Testament:

Ptolemy: he received Egypt. During the Ptolemaic period the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into Greek (better known as the Septuagint or the LXX).

Seleucus: he received Babylon. During the Seleucus period, Rome was rising as a prominent power.

After Alexander’s death, an unfortunate turn for the worst took place. Antiochus Epiphanes (a Seleucid Prince who was sent to Rome and educated into the Hellenistic culture) took over Judea. He tried to Hellenize the Jews.

Epiphanes did not allow religious freedom. He ended up overthrowing the line of the priesthood and desecrated the Temple with unclean animals and a pagan altar.

Mattathias, one of the old Jewish priests in the city of Modin, he wasn’t having it!

So, a revolt happens (known as the “Maccabean Revolt”)

This revolt restored the lineage of the priesthood and the temple. (Jews celebrate this victory today as Hanukkah)

In 63 B.C., Pompey of Rome conquered Judea and established Roman rule over the area. Eventually, the Herodian dynasty would be appointed rulers over Israel by the Roman emperors and senate

We come to some UNUSUAL PEOPLE

BIBLICAL CONTEXT

An UNUSUAL COUPLE (vv. 5-7)

Both, Zechariah and Elizabeth were living in a time of King Herod the Great, the King of Judea who ruled from 37-34 BC.

Now the interesting thing about Herod was that he was a puppet for the Romans.

Israel at this time was not living in a peaceful time.

Rome has conquered

Rome is all up in their land; occupying their land. And Israel is sitting there watching the land that was deemed theirs, be ruled by foreigners.

So this was a time of longing deliverance.

Luke 1:5–7 (ESV)

Now Zechariah and Elizabeth both descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses.

The text said that Elizabeth was “from the daughters of Aaron.”

Zechariah was a “priest of Abijah’s division.” (Which means that his people served the temple from the time of King David).

They were both blameless/righteous.

They were faithful even in their old age.

Although they were righteous, they were childless.

Can you imagine...

Wondering why you are childless; why you don’t have any children? (children are a blessing from God)

You probably said, I have been doing what You said; I have obeyed Your commands.

Or you may asked the question, Am I truly righteous? Because, if I had children, that would indicate my righteousness; AS IF I EQUATE GOD’S APPROVAL WITH MY BLESSING.

The text says, Elizabeth was “barren;” infertile; not able to bear children.

This is an interesting use of this word, it is a desert-like term meaning dry and lifeless

Could you imagine the brokenness; the constant reminder by well-intentioned folk; who asked the question while she was getting older, “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE KIDS?”

And as she aged, the realization of never having kids begins to settle in.

Now she is the talk of the town because a Jew whose wife could not bear children was thought to be cut off from God. The husband was expected to divorce her and remarry and bear children.

So, now she has this stigma; SHE IS MARKED with shame and disgrace.

But Listen, Zechariah did not divorce Elizabeth.

Elizabeth did not become bitter.

Listen, they dealt with this disappointment for a long time; but still remained RIGHTEOUS and BLAMELESS.

THEY SERVED GOD EVEN THOUGH THEY DID NOT GET WHAT THEY WANTED!!

One preacher put it this way:

“If you serve God for what you can get, then you actually serve yourself. That, beloved, is the prosperity gospel, not the biblical gospel. The righteous person is not free from suffering because he serves the Lord. We do not get everything we want just because we live well. We may live well past the years of possibility without receiving our HOPE but if we are God’s people, we will live righteously anyway because God is our HOPE.” (Thabiti)

This UNUSUAL COUPLE

Zechariah(s)—whose very name means “The Lord Remembers.”

Elizabeth—whose name means “My God is an Absolutely Faithful One,” or “My God is an Oath.”

Both of their names together were affirmations of faith.

An UNUSUAL COUPLE; but one has an UNPLANNED INTERRUPTION

An UNPLANNED INTERRUPTION (vv. 8-13)

Luke 1:8–13 (ESV)

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

At this time, there were approximately eighteen thousand priests working the temple. They worked in shifts, so about twice a year Zechariah would go into the temple. But he would only have one opportunity in his lifetime to go into the holy place and offer the INCENSE.

In the temple’s daily worship, incense was burned upon the altar by a priest before the morning sacrifice and after the evening sacrifice.

The aroma of the incense was just like prayer; it enveloped the sacrifice and carried it before the very throne of God.

The priests considered the burning of incense to be the highest privilege of the priestly functions. However, because of the large number of priests, some never had the opportunity to offer it up to God. (1)

I love this next line:

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

The incense offering was a prayer offering. Incense was a symbolic expression of the prayers of the people ascending to God. We see this even displayed in The book of The Revelation

Revelation 8:3 (ESV)

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne,

Listen, this was a time of focused WORSHIP.

There was an expectation. An expectation that they will meet YHWH.

But what about Zechariah, this was his moment. He has been praying all these years for a child and it seems as if YHWH did not respond.

Maybe this will be his time to ask YHWH the question “WHY?”—they are old now

Right in the middle of an intense prayer for the community, himself, and others—Right in the midst of focused worship, YHWH sends an Angel…and notice how this Angel appears on the right side of the altar of incense, which was the very place of prayer.

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

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, and you shall call his name John.

This angel tells Zechariah that HIS PRAYER HAS BEEN HEARD!

Was Zechariah praying and pouring his heart our about being childless, even despite his old age? Or was it his years of praying?

Was he praying for the redemption of Israel; for the coming Messiah mentioned in the book of the prophets?

Scripture does not reveal what prayer he prayed in that temple, but we can see that both prayers were now being answered.

The angel told Zechariah, your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name, John!

And this will not be just any child—this would be a very important child in God’s plan of salvation.

So, this UNUSUAL COUPLE has an UNPLANNED INTERRUPTION that leads to an ANGELIC PROPHECY

An ANGELIC PROPHECY (vv. 14-17)

This Angel tells Zechariah six things:

Luke 1:14–17 (ESV)

14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

15 for he will be great before the Lord.

And he must not drink wine or strong drink,

and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Isaiah 40:1–3 (ESV)

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

This child that is to be born is very special.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

He will help people turn to their Lord.

He will be the next Elijah.

He will prepare people for an encounter with their God.

This was an historic moment in the life of not only Zechariah, but for all of Israel.

Just think, 400 years without a prophetic word and now, a prophetic word is given.

But listen to this, this prophetic word did not come to the rich and wealthy—it wasn’t given to the powerful and the young—But to an OLDER, CHILDLESS COUPLE SUFFERING THROUGH THE PAIN OF WANTING AND NEVER HAVING A CHILD.

400 YEARS!!!

An UNUSUAL COUPLE has an UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION with an ANGELIC PROPHECY that leads to an UNEXPECTED RESPONSE

An UNEXPECTED RESPONSE (vv. 18-25)

Zechariah responds to the angel:

Luke 1:18 (ESV)

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

How shall I know (experience) this?

I am old

Wife is advanced in years—she past the childbearing years.

Luke 1:19–25 (ESV)

19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.

23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,

25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

SO WHAT??

What does this have to do with me?

Zechariah was:

A Priest before YHWH

He was considered righteous and blameless

He was in the temple where he was praying; he was seeking YHWH

YHWH sends an angel down to relay a message

But Zechariah, the priest, didn’t believe the message that was sent.

LISTEN, WE CAN BE IN THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD; GET A WORD FROM GOD; AND NOT BELIEVE THE VERY WORD THAT WAS GIVEN FROM GOD!

When our eyes are set on our problems—so focused on our problems, we will not receive God’s word or trust His power. We won’t believe His promises.

ILLUSTRATION: You can block the sun with a quarter. All you have to do is bring it to your eye.

That’s what we do to our problems we bring them so close to our eyes, we cannot see the great, glowing sun of GOD’S PROMISES and HIS POWER!!

Zechariah had the TORAH. He read where Abraham and Sarah was advanced in years and God provided a child.

Sometimes we want more proof than Scripture itself. We want proof than promise.

One theologian said, “We can be righteous persons in the holiest places, carrying out the holiest acts of worship, and not believe God! Unbelief is that sneaky.”

YHWH provided hope in a time of despair.

This was good news for Zechariah and Elizabeth.

They were finally going to have a child!

And the reason they were going to have this child was so that a prophet would prepare people to meet the Lord.

In the act of giving them a child, God demonstrates his intention to give grace.

Elizabeth’s shame is removed, replaced with a demonstration of God’s favor. Her disgrace among the people is replaced with a son who preaches a message of repentance.

UNUSUAL COUPLE

UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION

AN ANGELIC PROPHECY

AN UNEXPECTED RESPONSE

Every head bowed, eyes closed

How does this message find you today?

ARE YOU FREE?

Are you lost and trapped in your sins? Are you aware of your condition? Is God calling you to come out of your darkness? Is He drawing you to Himself so you may experience His salvation? If so, Why Wait? What are you waiting for? Surrender to Him.

Are you redeemed? Is your heart full with praise and adoration from the fact that God came to you in your dead condition, and breathed life into your spirit, and changed your life? How will you respond? Would you take some time in humility and give thanks and worship to our creator? The altar will be open, or you can kneel right where you are at.

Are you burdened for those that are around you that are lost? This would be a good time to bring their names before the Lord and ask Him to touch and save them.

Where does this message find you today?

PRAY

1. The Gospel according to Luke (King James Version) (B. Zachariah and Elizabeth, the Parents of John the Baptist: Godly Parents, 1:5–25)

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