Day 7: Read Luke 1:18-25
Zechariah and Elizabeth
Luke 1:18-25 finishes the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The angel appeared to Zechariah and told him that he would have a son, but Zechariah was skeptical. He questioned the angel because his wife and him were too old to have children. The angel tells him that he is Gabriel, an angel that stands before God, and that God has sent him to tell Zechariah the good news. Zechariah's unbelief can't go unpunished and so the angel tells him that he won't be able to speak until his son is born. The people of Israel were waiting outside the temple and they were surprised Zechariah was so long in the temple. When he returned he was unable to speak and then the people knew he had seen a vision from the Lord. Zechariah finished his service in the temple and then he returned home. Later Elizabeth become pregnant and did not leave her house for 5 months. Elizabeth exclaimed, "Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed of me, but now the Lord has taken away the shame."
This passage is interesting. Zechariah is told incredulous news by a stranger, news that gives answer to his prayers, but he doesn't believe it. I don't blame him for not believing at first. He was very old and so was his wife, but more than that he is given this news unexpectedly. Elizabeth and him had probably already given up on having children when this angel arrives to tell them they will have a son. The arrival of the angel had to then be unexpected and baffling to Zechariah. His unbelief isn't exactly rebuked and yet he still faces consequences for not believing. God doesn't take away the answer to his prayer because he doesn't believe, but He does punish Zechariah by making him mute for the duration of his wife's pregnancy. Being mute is an annoyance, but doesn't actually hurt Zechariah. This passage reveals that God will answer our prayers, but He expects us to believe when He tells us our prayers are being answered.
Luke 1:18-25 finishes the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The angel appeared to Zechariah and told him that he would have a son, but Zechariah was skeptical. He questioned the angel because his wife and him were too old to have children. The angel tells him that he is Gabriel, an angel that stands before God, and that God has sent him to tell Zechariah the good news. Zechariah's unbelief can't go unpunished and so the angel tells him that he won't be able to speak until his son is born. The people of Israel were waiting outside the temple and they were surprised Zechariah was so long in the temple. When he returned he was unable to speak and then the people knew he had seen a vision from the Lord. Zechariah finished his service in the temple and then he returned home. Later Elizabeth become pregnant and did not leave her house for 5 months. Elizabeth exclaimed, "Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed of me, but now the Lord has taken away the shame."
This passage is interesting. Zechariah is told incredulous news by a stranger, news that gives answer to his prayers, but he doesn't believe it. I don't blame him for not believing at first. He was very old and so was his wife, but more than that he is given this news unexpectedly. Elizabeth and him had probably already given up on having children when this angel arrives to tell them they will have a son. The arrival of the angel had to then be unexpected and baffling to Zechariah. His unbelief isn't exactly rebuked and yet he still faces consequences for not believing. God doesn't take away the answer to his prayer because he doesn't believe, but He does punish Zechariah by making him mute for the duration of his wife's pregnancy. Being mute is an annoyance, but doesn't actually hurt Zechariah. This passage reveals that God will answer our prayers, but He expects us to believe when He tells us our prayers are being answered.
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