There Was A Priest (2)

Does God Hear Our Prayers?

Does God hear our prayers?

That’s a question we’ve all asked at some point—especially in seasons of silence.

You pray, you fast, you wait… and heaven seems like brass.

For many, that silence becomes an invitation to doubt.

Luke chapter 1, God shatters 400 years of silence

not with a political deliverer or a dramatic sign

but with a message given to a simple, faithful priest. His name was Zechariah.

I remember several years ago, I returned home from a missions trip to the Philippines. During this trip, I was particularly moved by the ministry we had with the many children, especially the garbage dump children. But something was changing inside me as God burdened me for adoption. I secretly prayed, “God, I hear you, but you must be the one who changes Andrea’s heart.” Little did I know God was already working on Andrea as she prayed, “God you must be the one who changes Brad’s heart.” It was a tender moment when I sat Andrea down to reveal my heart’s desire and see her burst into tears. A couple of years later, Noah became our son.

Does God Hear Our Prayers?

Luke’s Gospel opens not with fanfare or miracles, but with a priest at work.

There was no prophet in Israel, no fresh word from God,

no evidence that anything was about to change.

And yet, there was a priest.

He wasn’t in a palace or on a platform—he was quietly, faithfully serving in the temple, doing his duty when God broke in.

Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were described as righteous before God—upright, obedient, godly people.

like many who live faithfully, they carried a wound. They had no children.

For decades they bore the silent sorrow and public shame of barrenness.

In Jewish culture, childlessness was often seen as divine punishment.

The rabbis even taught that a Jew without children was accursed.

Zechariah and Elizabeth must have endured their fair share of whispers.

And yet, they remained faithful.

Luke 1:8–17 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. 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.”

There Was a Priest

Zechariah served in the priestly division of Abijah (ah-Bee-ah).

Ahijah was son of Rehoboam, an ancestor of Jesus (1 Chr 3:10; Matt 1:7 ab).

Elizabeth was in the linage of Aaron.

Priests were divided into 24 divisions and these divisions served at the Temple 2 weeks a year. 

Each day 56 of the 300 Priests in their division were chosen by a lottery who would serve in the temple.

Typically, they were serving at the altar of sacrifice in the main court.

It was an honor to be selected to have duty over the altar of incense (Exodus 30:7-8).

This burning of the incense was the place representing the prayers of the people.

Does God Hear Our Prayers?

Scripture tells us in Luke 1:8–10 that Zechariah was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

This was not a coincidence; it was a divine appointment.

Of the thousands of priests in Israel, each one served only two weeks a year, and many would never receive this particular honor in their lifetime.

Zechariah may have waited a lifetime for this moment—and now, he was standing in the Holy Place, the golden candlestick to his right, the table of showbread to his left, the altar of incense before him, and the veil of the Holy of Holies just beyond.

Understand, this was sacred ground.

This was where Nadab and Abihu were struck dead for offering strange fire (Leviticus 10:1-3).

It was no casual assignment—it was a moment of trembling reverence.

The altar of incense represented the prayers of the people rising before God (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3–4).

Outside, the multitude prayed.

Inside, Zechariah stood alone, representing the nation before God. And suddenly, everything changed.

There Was an Angel

Luke 1:11–12 ESV

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.

After 400 years of silence, God speaks.

And not to a king. Not to a prophet.

But to an ordinary priest.

The angel Gabriel

last appeared to the prophet Daniel

Zechariah is overcome with fear, as anyone would be.

When the Holy breaks into the ordinary, fear is a natural response.

Every time in Scripture someone encounters an angel, they fall down trembling.

Divine presence shatters human pride.

There Was an Angel

In Scripture, angels are never described as chubby winged cherubs fluttering on clouds.

That image is a product of Renaissance art, not biblical revelation.

The real deal? They are messengers and ministers of fire (Hebrews 1:7), heavenly warriors who execute God’s commands with precision and power.

When they show up, people fall down in terror.

Think of Daniel, trembling face down (Daniel 10:8–9), or the shepherds at Jesus’ birth, “filled with great fear” (Luke 2:9).

Even John, the beloved disciple, fell down like a dead man when he saw an angel (Revelation 19:10)

Angels engage in spiritual warfare (Daniel 10:13),

protect God’s people (Psalm 91:11–12),

and will accompany Christ in judgment (Matthew 13:41; 25:31).

They are immortal, holy, and numberless—more than we could count (Hebrews 12:22).

Gabriel, who spoke to Zechariah, and Michael, the archangel who wars against Satan (Revelation 12:7),

not sentimental symbols—they are terrifyingly glorious beings commissioned by God Himself.

When one angel rolled away the stone from Jesus’ tomb, it caused seasoned Roman guards to collapse in fear (Matthew 28:2–4).

There Was a Message

Luke 1:13 ESV

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.

But Gabriel speaks peace: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard.”

What prayer?

Some suggest he was still praying for a child, though Zechariah was advanced in years and likely had given up.

Others believe he was praying for the redemption of Israel.

Either way, this moment reveals that God hears the prayers of the faithful.

Even when the answer is long delayed. Even when we’ve stopped believing it’s possible.

There Was a Message

Gabriel continues: “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

Yohanan—“God has been gracious.”

And gracious He is.

This child would be no ordinary son.

Verse 14 says: “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.”

Zechariah and Elizabeth’s private sorrow would be turned into public celebration.

Not just because they would have a child in their old age—but because this child would be the forerunner of the Messiah.

John would be set apart—likely a Nazarite, abstaining from strong drink, consecrated for divine purpose.

But more importantly, he would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth.

There Was a Message

This is one of the clearest pro-life passages in Scripture.

Months later, when pregnant Mary visits Elizabeth, baby John leaps in the womb—filled with joy at the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb.

This was no “clump of cells.”

This was prophetic destiny before the first breath was drawn

John’s role was prophetic.

He would not live for comfort or acclaim.

He would not fit the religious mold of the day.

He would confront sin, call Israel to repentance, and prepare the way for the Lord.

He would be a voice crying out in the wilderness, turning hearts, restoring families, and drawing the disobedient back to wisdom.

Gabriel’s message echoes the last words of the Old Testament

Malachi 4:5–6 ESV

5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

There Was a Message

That prophecy was now being fulfilled.

The forerunner was coming.

Which means… the Messiah was close behind.

Don’t miss the significance: This encounter with Zechariah is not just the announcement of a baby.

It’s the first crack of dawn breaking into a 400-year night.

It is the fulfillment of prophetic promise. And it started with a priest.

Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story reminds us that obscurity does not mean insignificance.

God doesn’t always start with the powerful.

He begins with the faithful.

Zechariah was simply doing his duty. And God showed up.

There Was a Message

Let’s pause here for a moment.

There is rich encouragement for the weary believer in this passage.

Some of you have served quietly, without applause.

You’ve prayed faithfully, with no answer.

You’ve obeyed in obscurity, and the silence has been heavy.

But hear this: God sees. God hears. God remembers.

Your prayers are not lost in the air.

They are rising before the throne like incense.

And in His time, in His way, He will break through.

He may not send an angel. But He will act.

And when He does, it will be better than you imagined.

There Was a Prophet

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.”

John was not just a son. He was a prophet.

The last of the Old Testament line.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:11, “there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.”

There Was a Prophet

Gabriel’s announcement wasn’t just the answer to an old man’s prayer

it was the spark that would ignite the fulfillment of centuries of Messianic prophecy.

The arrival of John the Baptist meant that the time had come.

Which meant the Messiah was not far behind.

And for any Jew who had ears to hear, this moment would echo with prophetic thunder.

The Old Testament is full of precise, supernatural predictions about the Messiah—prophecies that Jesus fulfilled with exacting detail.

He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14),

in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2),

from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10),

and be a descendant of David (Jeremiah 23:5).

He would come riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9),

be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12–13),

be pierced (Zechariah 12:10), and yet not have a single bone broken (Psalm 34:20).

Isaiah 53 foretold His rejection, suffering, and substitutionary death with such clarity that it reads like a post-crucifixion report.

All of these were fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming—over 300 prophecies in total.

There Was a Prophet

But Gabriel’s announcement also reminds us: we’re not done yet.

There are still prophecies waiting for their fulfillment in Jesus’ return.

The Messiah who came in humility will return in glory (Zechariah 14:4).

He will split the skies (Revelation 19:11–16),

reign from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2–4),

regather Israel (Isaiah 11:11–12),

defeat the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8),

and establish a literal 1,000-year kingdom (Revelation 20:1–6).

The same prophecies that foretold His cradle also point to His crown.

Conclusion

Zechariah and Elizabeth had to wait—not because God had forgotten them—but because He was staging history for a redemptive breakthrough.

Their barrenness had nothing to do with sin and everything to do with sovereignty.

God was writing a bigger story than they could see.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what He’s doing in your life too.

You are part of a Divine rescue plan of the ages and the best part of it is about to unfold!

Just as John’s calling was not just to preach repentance but to prepare a people for the Lord.

That calling still echoes today.

We are not called to entertain crowds or win popularity contests we are called to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Conclusion

And in a culture that openly worships Satan openly in our entertainment, abortion, sexual deviance, the mutilation of God’s design we, like John, must speak with courage.

Just as Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal, John would confront Herod and call for righteousness. And like them, we are called to confront cultural apostasy with gospel clarity.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

1 Peter 2:5 ESV

5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

There was a priest.

There was an angel

There was a message

There was a prophet

And now… there is you.

You are called to intercede.

To stand in the gap.

To point people to Jesus.

To prepare the way.

To be faithful in your assignment—even if it feels unseen.

Zechariah’s story is your invitation.

Will you be the priest in your generation?

Will you prepare the way for the coming of the Lord?

Because He is coming.