Advent through Christmas – 2007-2008
Wednesday, December 19, Third Week in Advent
The Father of John the Baptist
Zechariah was one of approximately 18,000 Jewish priests in Palestine at the time of Jesus.
They were divided into 24 groups of 750 each. Twice a year each group came to the Temple in Jerusalem to serve for a week. Their roles during the week of service were chosen by lot. Some of them, in a given week, weren’t chosen to do anything.
Each morning, four lots were cast to decide who would carry out the four tasks of the altar. Then in the afternoon, a fifth lot was cast to determine who would enter the Holy Place to offer the evening incense. This extraordinary privilege usually came only once in a lifetime.
In Luke’s account, when the afternoon lot was cast, Zechariah was chosen to enter the Holy Place and offer the evening incense. It was there that the angel appeared to him to announce the birth of John.
Advent through Christmas – 2007-2008
Wednesday, December 19, Third Week in Advent
The angel Gabriel said to Zechariah, “Do not be afraid, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord…He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.”.…Luke 1: -5-25
The angel tells Zechariah that his prayer has been heard.
In the story leading up to this point, Luke hadn’t told us what Zechariah was praying for. Now we know. He had been praying for Israel, of course, as a Jewish priest would do. But he and Elizabeth, unrealistic though it may have seemed because of their advanced years, had also been praying for a child.
Anything in particular you’d really like to pray for?
Anything going on in your life that has you scared?.
Listen
God is saying to you: “Do not be afraid.”
Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
