There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.—Luke 1:5-14
I just can’t help loving Zacharias. The text tells us that both he and his wife were righteous before God…walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. From that statement we can also infer that Zacharias loved God because he abode in His love by obeying His commandments. Love and obedience are two sides of the same coin.
"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.—John 15:9-10
The angel had also told Zacharias that his prayer had been heard. A little further down in the same chapter of John, Jesus says this…
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
I love Zacharias because, like me, he needs some help in the faith over fear and belief over doubt departments. From the outside looking in it seems to me that most people might have believed the angel…but not Zacharias. I mean here he was by the altar of incense with an angel of God standing next to him telling him that his prayer had been heard and what is Zacharias response?
And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."—Luke 1:18
Beloved…Unbelief is a thief. At the time Zacharias could have been rejoicing and celebrating, his heart questioned God. The angel’s answer to him made me smile.
(Whenever, I read it, I read it as though, Gabriel’s statement in vs 19 is bolded. It is not…but that is how I read it.)
And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."—Luke 1:19-20
Despite Zacharias’ doubt and fear, God had nevertheless graciously answered Zacharias prayer for a son. He had probably also prayed for the Messiah to come and that one was also being answered. I am so grateful for this section of scripture. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. As He did for Zacharias, He will do for me, His daughter.
In spite of me, then…in spite of my fears and doubts…God hears my prayers and answers them according to His sovereign plan for my life. God sees the thoughts and intents of my hearts as I pray. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.(Ps 103).
Beloved…Be encouraged! Walk in the truth of your precious Savior, Jesus. All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. He delights to give His children who abide in His love, the desires of their hearts.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!—Psalm 84:11-12
❤️❤️
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?"
So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.—Acts 10:1-4
Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.—Revelation 8:3
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.—James 5:16-18
Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched.—Numbers 11:2
