The Holy Spirit began speaking to me about Zachariah today – you know, the high priest that questioned the angel after he was told he and his wife were going to have a son?  Here’s the story from Luke 1:8-20:

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.“

Zechariah was incredulous.  He and his wife were well along in years when the angel surprised him before the throne of God with his unusual proclamation.  For too many years they had hoped for a child, prayed for a child…begged God again and again for a child.  And in disappointment and resignation they had given up their dream.  But God had other plans.  I’ve always thought it a strange punishment that the angel struck Zachariah mute.  What the Lord impressed upon my heart this morning has given me a greater understanding.

If the angel had not dealt with Zachariah in such a decisive way, he could have derailed the miracle that God had planned for his life, for Elizabeth’s life, and for their son.  His words of unbelief could have thwarted one of the greatest miracles that he (or anyone) would ever see.  As the word says – “Life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).  Knowing the power of words, I believe Gabriel wanted to make sure that this man did not negate the power and plan of God through his words of doubt and unbelief.  So Zachariah was struck dumb the entire time Elizabeth was pregnant, and God’s word did come to pass.  The story continues in Luke 1:57-66:

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Imagine the joy that was in their home that day! Not only was a son born to a couple well past their prime, but Zechariah’s voice was also returned to him.  He also had been a tangible sign of the awesome power of God those many months.  I’m sure that after 40 long weeks of waiting for his son to arrive he was willing to agree with whatever was on the Lord’s heart – even giving up his right to name the child after himself.  I love that John had a name all his own before he was ever conceived.  God was doing a new thing in the earth, and the opening act of the greatest story ever told – the redemption of all mankind – began with John.  And from the moment of his birth, everyone was astonished and knew that the Lord’s hand was with him.

It was the grace of God that kept Zechariah from circumventing God’s plans and purposes for his life.  His son John was the forerunner of Jesus Christ, and prepared the hearts and minds of the people before Jesus was revealed at His baptism as the Son of God.  John played a crucial role in the story of salvation.

If you have received a promise from God hold onto it tightly.  Like Mary, ponder it in your heart until the time of it’s fulfillment (Luke 2:19).  Some things are meant to be tucked away in our hearts until their proper time to be revealed.  I don’t believe Elizabeth shouted to the world when she became pregnant.  But in the fullness of time – and the appearance of her ever-increasing waistline – the world began to take notice.  She was pregnant with the promises of God…the seed nurtured and protected safe within her.  The promises God gives us are not for us alone.  Each promise is God’s invitation to join Him in redeeming mankind one heart at a time. Don’t speak words of death, doubt, or denial over your promise.  It would be better to be mute like Zechariah than to speak against God’s word.  In the fullness of time it will manifest, your joy will be immeasurable, and many around you will be utterly astonished.

May this Christmas season find you full of awe and wonder once again in the power of God’s plans and purposes for your life.