Characters at the Cradle: Zechariah, Husband to Elizabeth

by David Chadwick

After the encounter with the angel Gabriel and being rendered mute by the Lord, what did Zechariah do next?

Luke 1:23 says this of Zechariah: “And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.” To Elizabeth and to his safe place of love and care. I can only imagine how he felt as he pondered all he had just seen and heard, probably praying in his spirit to the Lord about John.

And have you ever thought about how he told Elizabeth about his experience with the angel Gabriel? Hand gestures? A game of charade? Writing it out? Surely he found a way to tell her. What a special moment that must have been!

A few days later, Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth conceived. The Bible says that “for five months she kept herself hidden’ (Luke 1:23).”

Can you imagine what she felt? The joy. The anticipation. The excitement. But given the fact that she went silent for five months, she probably also felt the extreme holiness of this moment.

Can you believe Elizabeth kept this pregnancy a secret for five months! When someone becomes pregnant after a long wait, they often rush to tell everyone and anyone who will listen! The excitement overwhelms them, making it hard to keep a secret.

But Elizabeth, a good and Godly woman, went silent. Why? Most likely to pray and to ponder God’s goodness. To reflect on the other childless women in the Old Testament like Sarah and Hannah who waited many long years for a child and finally saw God answer their cries as well. I can only imagine the tenderness she felt as she watched her belly swell day by day, week by week, probably rubbing her belly with great joy!

Then, after five months, when Elizabeth began to show her child, she began to say all around her, “Thus the Lord has done this for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among the people” (Luke 1:25).

During that time, barrenness was considered a curse. Upon seeing a barren woman, people would ask, “What is her sin that has brought this curse upon her?” Now, in a single moment, with an angel’s word of promise, all of the shame and chatter was taken away. Done. Forever removed. Elizabeth’s mountain was moved and her breakthrough occurred.

If God can do it for Elizabeth, he can do it for you! Keep praying. Keep believing.

And make your request known to God. And know that it’s in his hands to do it 1) his way and 2) in his time.

Characters at the Cradle: Zechariah, Made Speechless

by David Chadwick

In Luke 1:18-22, the angel identified himself as Gabriel. Gabriel also appears in the book of Daniel in chapters 8 and 9. In the Bible, whenever Gabriel came on the scene, he was addressing prophecy about the Messiah.

The same holds true in this story with Zechariah.

Gabriel came to Zechariah from the presence of God and told him that he was sent by God to share this wonderful, good news of a coming child.

After all this information from Gabriel had been given to Zechariah, Zechariah asked the question, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

God calls all people to a life of faith. He is constantly urging his people to not be afraid, to be bold, to be strong and courageous, to not be terrified. Zechariah’s question was shrouded with doubt and unbelief.

Because of his disobedience and doubt, God made Zechariah mute, unable to speak a word. But how could this be? Gabriel had just released a word and said what WILL take place “in their time,” in accordance to God’s perfect plan and timing. So why would God silence Zechariah?

I think it’s because God wanted to highlight the power of words. Over the unborn life of someone whose mouthpiece would pave the way for the soon and coming King, I think God placed a hedge of protective and holy quietness over this child’s life, where the only words John the Baptist would hear would come from his perfect heavenly Father or his believing mom. No doubt. Not questions. No lack of faith. Only words of life and blessing were to be spoken over this child during those nine months.

This story also speaks powerfully to the fact that babies can hear in the womb. Parents should always be very careful about their words when the mother is pregnant. Avoid arguing and avoid words of unbelief! Pray over the baby in utero and play songs of praise with the baby in utero.

As Zechariah left his temple service, he could not say a word. Completely mute and speechless. The people who saw his face as he walked out concluded he had seen a vision, which he had! I can only imagine inwardly how much Zechariah was praising God with great joy for what he had seen and heard, and, yes, even for the silencing of his words after his expressed unbelief.

I believe Zechariah somehow knew that God had a reason and would work it all together for good (Romans 8:28).

Characters at the Cradle: Zechariah, Father of John the Baptist

by David Chadwick

John was the long awaited son to Zechariah and Elizabeth. His birth paved the way for Jesus’s birth. His voice prepared the way of the Lord. His life pointed to the soon and coming King.

Luke 1:16-17 says this of John: “And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 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 prepared people.”

The personal calling of John’s life in God’s story grabs my heart every time. Turning many hearts to God. Going before the Messiah. Carrying the same spirit and power of Elijah, perhaps the greatest of all Old Testament prophets. God entrusted so much to John’s hands.

Pause for a moment and consider the magnitude of John’s call and what Zechariah must have felt as he anticipated the coming of his long-awaited son.

Now pause and consider the swell of anticipation that Israel would have with the coming of their long-awaited Messiah.

Zechariah’s story is full of wonder! Both personally and for God’s people. A deeply personal and a deeply corporate groan were being answered all at once!

John would fulfill Malachi 4:5, the prophecy that told of one preceding the Messiah who would turn hearts of fathers back to children and the disobedient back to the wisdom of the Lord. John would call the world to repentance and to ready their hearts for Jesus’s entrance.

As you may know, this John is John the Baptist. 6 months older than Jesus, he preached a message of repentance in the wilderness. Many followed him. But he kept pointing all of his followers to Jesus saying, “I must decrease and he (Jesus) must increase” (John 3:30).

May we all have John’s courage in spirit and an unwavering desire to point people to Jesus and never to ourselves.

For Jesus alone is worthy to be praised!