There Was a Priest

Introduction

Does God hear our prayers? That’s a question we have all asked. Does God really hear me? 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. Andrea and I were married nearly 20 years and during those years we decided we didn’t want 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 as I shared what God was doing in my life. A couple of years later, Noah became our son.

There was a priest. His name was Zechariah. He and his wife Elizabeth are described as a godly and upright couple, who were also without children. After many years they probably questioned if God heard their prayers for a child. But God had great plans for their child who was still on the way -John the Baptist. There would be no John the Baptist without a Priest named Zechariah.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.”

(Luke 1:8-17)

There Was a Priest (vv. 8-10)

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. Priest 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 fo 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.

Today was Zechariah’s turn. I’m sure he was overjoyed telling his wife Elizabeth the good news. Many priests go their whole life without the honor. At the appointed time, Zechariah would enter into the Most Holy Place of the temple, just outside the Holy of Holies. The Golden Candlestick would be to his right. The Table of Showbread was to His left. Before him was the Altar of Incense with the veil to the Holy of Holies just beyond the Altar. This was a reverent time of worship.

Incidentally, it was here that Nadab and Abihu were struck down for offering “strange fire” before God (Lev 10:1-3). Spiritual leadership truly is life or death. Zechariah was up for the task while a multitude was outside praying, “God of mercy, come into your holy sanctuary and receive with pleasure the offering of your people.” Meanwhile Zechariah was in the Most Holy Place praying.

There Was an Angel (vv. 11-12)

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.

(Luke 1:11-12)

What happens next is unexpected and amazing. The man without a child met an angel with a gospel. Even without the appearance of the Angel, Zechariah’s ministry in the Temple would have been a once in a lifetime experience. Now to the right of the Altar stands the Arch-Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19) It is worth noting that it was Gabriel who appeared to Daniel to reveal the 70 weeks of years prophesy (Dan 9:20-21). This prophesy provided Daniel with an exact date of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as Messiah. It will also be Gabriel who appears to Mary shortly.

Angels are vital to our relationship with God. They minister to us and help us and they are all around us. We hear stories of angels helping people in trouble. Sometimes they take human form as Hebrews 13:2 says:

English Standard Version Chapter 13

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

(Hebrews 13:2)

We hear reports of I cannot overemphasize the importance of the setting this encounter takes place. This is a holy place Angels are messengers from God. They play a significant role in assuring God’s plan and will is carried out and they were pivotal in announcing the coming of Christ. They will play an active role in the final days of the end times. They are created beings, eternal in nature, and mighty. Angels are not cute cupids floating on clouds, but they are warriors and powerful. So Zechariah’s response to the appearance of Gabriel is to be expected. “Fear fell upon him.” (v. 12).

When we encounter the Holy or Divine, our flesh responds in fear. In every instance, the angels provide assurance of peace and calm. “Do not be afraid.” For we know there are also fallen angels. These are the angels who followed the arch-angel Lucifer in a revolt against God (Revelation 12:4).

We should also know that there is a constant spiritual battle happening all around us that we are entwined in daily. Our prayers are effective against the evil forces and engage us in the spiritual war. (Ephesians 6:12-13).

English Standard Version Chapter 6

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

There Was a Message

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.

Gabriel is bringing to Zechariah a grand message announcing the coming of the forerunner of the Messiah. There are some important pieces of Gabriel’s message that we want to look at before we close, but there are just as important nuances in Gabriel’s opening words I want you to understand.

First, after assuring Zechariah not to be afraid, Gabriel tells Zechariah that God has heard his prayer. Because, Gabriel is making the annunciation of John, some believe that Gabriel is talking about Zechariah’s prayer for a son. This could be, but given the context of where John is, it is unlikely John’s prayer was self-focused. Rather, it seems more likely that Zechariah may have been praying for the redemption of Israel (Hughes, 24). Prayer for the nation was the point of the evening offering

Nevertheless, God hears our prayers. There may be times when it seems like our prayers go no where but just waft into the air. This is not the case. God hears our prayers. His answers will sometimes come at surprising times, in a surprising place, in a surprising way. Watch for the answer!

Henry and Richard Blackaby in Spiritual Leadership in chapter seven "The Leader's Influence" stress that leaders influence others through prayer. They give six reasons why leaders should pray. The fourth reason is "God is all-powerful. . . .God can do far more than even the most resourceful leaders. God's promise is open ended: 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock; and it will be opened to you' (Matt. 7:7). We need men - godly men - to be men of prayer in our nation.

Secondly, Gabriel tells John they are going to have a baby and the baby’s name will be John. Yohanan means “God has been gracious (Hughes, 25) God knows us. He forms us and shapes us in our mothers womb. He even gives us our name. God knows your name. Your life begins before you take your first breath. That’s why every life, including life in the womb, is sacred and holy and abortion is an abomination to God.

There Will Be A Prophet

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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 are some key characteristics Gabriel shares with Zechariah about John’s life:

First, His life will bring joy to Zechariah & Elizabeth, along with many others. The joy rooted in John’s ministry was pointing people to Jesus as the forerunner of the messiah.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 1. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold (1:5–25)

The “joy” (v. 14) so characteristic of the day of God’s salvation and so prominent in Luke came first to the parents of the forerunner, then spread to “many people [lit., ‘sons’] of Israel” (v. 16). Also “joy and gladness” stand in contrast to Zechariah’s fear (v. 12).

Second, John was set apart for God. The reference to not drinking beer or wine would be clear to Zechariah that John was to be a Nazarite. Nazarites were set apart for special service for God (Numbers 6:1-21). A Nazarite was to avoid strong drink, not to cut his hair, and not to touch a dead body. The real contrast here is that John’s filling of the Holy Spirit. This is something common in Luke’s gospel as well as Acts

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary A. The Birth of John Foretold (1:5–25)

The most important thing is that from the very first John was to be filled with the Holy Spirit, without whose help God’s work cannot be done effectively. John is the only person said in the New Testament to be filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb; this emphasizes the fact that God chose him and equipped him from the very beginning.

He will be a great prophet. Jesus said that John John was the greatest of all prophets in Matthew 11:11

English Standard Version Chapter 11

11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Months from now, when Elizabeth, is visited by Mary who is carrying Jesus in her womb, it will be John who leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. (Luke 1:44). This reminds us that the Holy Spirit was with John from the day of his conception. Even in the womb, John is It also serves as a Scriptural basis for the sanctity of life in the womb. This was not a glob of flesh.

The last thing of John’s life Gabriel shares is theocentric ministry of John. His ministry is not self-serving. He will turn people to the Lord with the “spirit and the power of Elijah.” Elijah spent most of his ministry opposing apostasy and turn people away from Baal.

Baal was the name of the supreme god worshiped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The practice of Baal worship infiltrated Jewish religious life during the time of the Judges (Judges 3:7), became widespread in Israel during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33) and also affected Judah (2 Chronicles 28:1-2).

Baal was a fertility god and was commonly associated with pig sacrifice, child sacrifice, sexual immorality including homosexuality. In this way, God's incredible gift of sexuality was perverted to the most obscene public prostitution. No wonder God's anger burned against his people and their leaders.

The worship of Baal (which means “lord”) worship is evidenced by the out war on anything biblical and Christian. The glorification of sexual deviance, violence, abortion (child sacrifice), pornography & prostitution, and feminism is evidence of Baal worship in our culture. Incidentally, Jesus In Matthew 12:27, calls Satan “Beelzebub,” linking the devil to Baal-Zebub, (2 Kings 1:2). The Baalim of the Old Testament were nothing more than demons masquerading as gods (1 Corinthians 10:20).

One last interesting aspect of this is Gabriel’s words “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (v.17). The idea of family, and the spiritual leadership of fathers cannot be overlooked here. A major part of Israel’s reconciliation was the reconciliation of the family with the role of the father leading the family spiritually. All of this was vital to the first coming of Jesus. Will He find us any more ready when he comes again.

Conclusion

There was a priest. He and his wife were faithful and upright to God in all ways (Luke 1:6). 1 Peter 2:5 reminds us that we are all to be priests. The priesthood of believers (not the papacy of believers!).

Will Christ find you upright, righteous, leading your family, turning away from idolatry and toward God’s grace and goodness? Are we church committed to strengthening the family? Are we more interested in what is popular or what is holy?

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