There is Hope Even in the Silence

There is Hope Even In the Silence

In the Silence

In the Silence

For those of you who are married, would you agree that communication is one of the key ingredients to getting and maintaining a good relationship with your spouse?

If you are not married, think about your best friend or a close relative, how important is communication with that person, in the health of your relationship?

How can someone have a relationship without communication? How would you feel if your spouse or best friend ceased to say anything to you for a considerable amount of time? At what point would you begin to be concerned? A day, a week, a month, a year? What if it was several years since they spoke with you? Would that concern you? Now, that isn’t to say they had never communicated with you. You still had copies of letters that they wrote to you. You may have pictures to remind you of that time you spent together. You may even do certain things that are intended to remind you of the times that you have had together, but would that be enough to keep you interested in a relationship with them, if they had not spoken to you in any significant way, for many years?

Of course, we have all heard the saying, “Absence make the heart grow fonder.”

That of course was true for me, when my high school sweet heart spent our Summer break in a foreign country. I was very excited when I was finally able to see her again. Especially, during the Summer we were both on separate missions trips, and the mail service was horrendous, so we had very limited communication between one another.

I was so happy to see her face, when I got off the plane from Brazil. Of course I was happy to see my parents too, but I was really happy to see Cathy. She was and is my best friend, and I hadn’t seen or heard from her in what seemed like a very long time.

This morning, I want to ask you to turn to where we will be reading an account of the instance where God broke His silence to the nation of Israel, His chosen people.

They had spent 400 years in silence, waiting for His voice, waiting for Him to fulfill His promise of a Messiah and to save His people.

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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.”

The account which we just read, in the Gospel of Luke, has some significance, that may not be readily understood from a simple reading of this text.

The most recent previous account of God speaking to someone as He spoke to Zechariah, through the angel Gabriel or any other means of direct revelation, was over 400 years earlier.

The chosen people of God had been living in silence for all those years. That is not to say that they did not have any revelation from God. They of course would have had His Word of the Old Testament, but they had nothing new, no significant events, or circumstances that had taken place for over 400 years.

Now, a priest named Zechariah, was chosen by lot, to perform the ceremonial burning of the incense before the Lord in the Holy sanctuary of God’s temple.

Several things ought to be pointed out here.

God hears our prayers

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.

I have read several commentators who believe the prayer that was heard was Zechariah’s request for a son. That could be, but it also may be that his request was for the Messiah to come, and that is the even greater aspect of the Gospel/Good news that Gabriel was sent to share.

Just because a prayer’s request does not appear to be immediately answered, does not mean that God has not heard or has chosen not to answer the way you have hoped.

The Angel’s message was one of Hope

God had not forgotten His promises, God had not gone away and left His promises unfulfilled.

This child would be named John

John means “The Lord is Gracious”

Zechariah means “Jehovah remembers”

Elizabeth means “The Oath of God”

This wonderful and righteous couple would have a child

This child would be named John.

John means “The Lord is Gracious”

Isaiah 40:3 ESV

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

This somewhat insignificant, elderly, private and humble couple would have a part in preparing the way for the Messiah. They may not have understood the extent of their son’s role, but listen again to what Gabriel told them about their coming son.

Luke 1:15–17 ESV

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.”

Even in the small delay, while Zechariah was in the temple, the people were wondering and waiting to see what was happening. And they would have to continue to wait, because the Lord kept him from sharing the good news, until John was born. Then his lips were loosed and he was able to tell of the visit from Gabriel.

God is Faithful

God hears our prayers

God remembers

God is Faithful

God is gracious

In God, we have incredible hope. In God, we have One who is faithful and just and gracious, who will bring to place all that is good and right and true, and all that He has said He would do.

God hears our prayers

John the Baptist was but a fore runner of the Messiah, whose birth we celebrate at this time each year. John the Baptist’s was a gift of hope and assurance to Elizabeth and Zechariah.

Just because a prayer’s request does not appear to be immediately answered, does not mean that God has not heard or has chosen not to answer the way you have hoped.

His role was to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ. This advent season, have you received that Good News? If so, rejoice in the Hope of your Salvation. If not, would you, by faith, accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord?