THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO ZACHARIAS

For the last 400 years there has been no word from God. The prophet Malachi was the last voice to speak the Word of the Lord to Israel. Since that time, God has been silent. There have been a period of waiting. Four hundred years have passed. It seems as though God is waiting for an appointed time before He will begin His program.

As we begin this chapter, we will see God breaking this 400 years of silence as He begins a new program in His dealings with His people. The years of waiting are over. The appointed time is at hand.

As we begin with the first two chapters of Luke’s account, we will be impressed by the Jewish flavor of its style and structure. The literary Greek that Luke normally uses almost seems to disappear. In its place is the most Hebrew-sounding passage in all of Luke’s writings. For this reason, many Bible scholars have suggested that Luke was using written documents as his primary source for these two chapters.

Luke will record four songs in these two chapters.

No other gospel account records these four songs. They are exclusive to Luke.

Luke begins his narrative with a historical note. This will be a common feature of Luke. He begins by noting that these events took place in the days of Herod.

1. The Political Setting: In the days of Herod (1:5).

This is Herod the Great. He had served Rome as the governor of Galilee when he was still a young man. When his father died, the Jews had revolted and Herod had to flee for his life. He escaped to Rome where he was befriended by Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony). Under his sponsorship, Herod was appointed to be King of Judea by the Roman Senate. He returned to Israel at the head of a Roman legion and ruthlessly put down the rebellion. To secure his position on the throne of Judea, he had married Mariamne, the last of the Hasmonean Dynasty. During his reign, he began a great building program throughout his kingdom. He expanded the Temple area with a construction program that began in 20 B.C. and was still going on in the days of Jesus (John 2:20).

Herod proved to be a troubled man. He murdered his wife in a fit of rage. He later murdered two of his sons. It was this act that brought about the comment by Octavius:

It is better to he Herod’s hus [pig]

than to be Herod’s huios [son].

Herod would not kill a pig and eat it because he followed the Jewish dietary laws, but he had killed his own sons. Before his death, he would murder every young child in Bethlehem.

The fact that our story begins in the days of Herod tells us something. There was a degenerate king upon the throne of Judea. Thus, there was a POLITICAL need for the Messiah to come.

2. The Religious Setting: There was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah (1:5).

This man was a priest of the division of Abijah. During the reign of King David, the priests had been organized into 24 divisions (1 Chronicles 24:1-6). Each of these divisions would take turns serving within the temple. The eighth division was the Course of Abijah.

Zacharias was a priest. But he was not the high priest. The high priest was Mattathias, son of Theophilus. He had been appointed as high priest by Herod the Great. The high priest was Herod’s man.

Do you see what this means? There was a degenerate high priest in the temple of Jerusalem. Thus. there was a SPIRITUAL need for the Messiah to come.

3. The Family Setting: A certain priest named Zacharias... and her name was Elizabeth (1:5).

• The name Zacharias is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew name Zechariah. It means "Yahweh remembers."

• The name Elizabeth is from the Hebrew Eli-shebah. It means "the promise of Elohim."

He was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense (1:9). Each morning during this week, lots were drawn to determine which priest would be permitted to enter into the temple and burn the incense. According to the Talmud, a priest could only be chosen for this honor once during his lifetime. Therefore, this event was considered to be the greatest moment in the life of any priest.

Try to visualize the scene. It is the time of the morning sacrifice. The sun is just beginning to rise in the east, casting golden rays from behind the Mount of Olive.

In the early morning light, the priests of the division of Abijah have assembled within the temple area. The lots are drawn and the lot falls to Zacharias.

The old priest has been coming to the temple once every six months for many years. This is the first time that he has ever been granted this privilege. He will never be allowed to do this service again. This is the most important moment in his life.

Once the morning sacrifice has been offered and its blood dipped on the horns of the great altar outside the temple, Zacharias climbs the steps leading up to the temple porch and passes through the great gold-leaved doors into the Holy Place.

With Zacharias are two other priests who have been chosen to assist him in this service. The first priest removes the old coals that have been left from the previous evening s service. He then retires from the temple. The second priest now advances and spreads the live coals across the altar and then he also retires.

Now Zacharias stands alone in the temple. A thousand priests stand outside, and thousands of worshipers have gathered beyond in the Court of Israel. But in here it is quiet.

Zacharias stands alone in the temple. To his left is the golden lampstand, bathing the interior of the temple in the soft glow of its burnign lamps. To his right is the table of shewbread. Before him hangs a great woven veil which serves as the doorway to the Holy of Holies. In front of the veil stands the altar of incense. It is made of wood and completely overlaid with pure gold. Its hot coals glow dimly in the faint light of the temple. Zacharias steps up to the altar and begins to spread the incense over the altar. Suddenly he is interrupted.

Just as Zacharias begins to sprinkle the incense upon the altar, an angel stands before him. We do not know what this angel looked like, but it seems obvious from the reaction of Zacharias that he recognizes this as an angel almost immediately.

• A Fearful Response: Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear gripped him (1:12).

• The Angelic Message.

• He did not give Abraham a son until he was too old to have one.

• He did not give prosperity to Jacob until he had made him a fugitive in a strange land.

• He did not make Joseph ruler over Egypt until he had placed him into slavery and into prison.

• He did not allow Moses to lead Israel until he had allowed the Israelites to reject him.

• He did not give Gideon the victory until He had first taken Gideon s army and reduced it to a small force of 300 men.

• He did not make David king until He had first made David an outlaw without a country.

• He did not make the disciples leaders of His church until He had first scattered them and brought them to the point where they denied His name.

• John will be the forerunner of Jesus.

• He will also be the forerunner of the Lord.

The reaction of Zacharias can be summed up in one word: UNBELIEF. Here is a man who has been praying for a child. An angel appears to him inside the temple and tells him that his prayer has been answered. What is his reaction? "How do I know that you are telling the truth?"

Notice the reasons for his doubt.

The problem with Zacharias is that he had a very limited view of God. He did not really believe that God had the power to give him a son.

In his unbelief, Zacharias has asked for a sign. He has asked for some credentials. He has said in effect, "Who are you and how do I know that what you say is true?"

The answer will come in two parts:

• The name of the angel (1:19).

• The sign of power (1:20).

The Name of the Angel: "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God" (1:19).

• Gabar is the Hebrew word for "Soldier".

• El is the word for "God." Thus, his name means "soldier of God."

The Sign of Power: "You shall be silent and unable to speak" (1:20).

The Waiting of the People: And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple (1:21).

The Silence of the Priest: But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them (1:22).

A Quiet Home going: When the days of his priestly service were ended, that he went back home (1:23).

Zacharias had doubted the promise of God. God would have had every right to strike Zacharias down on the floor of the temple. But He did not. Instead, God acts in GRACE.

• Perhaps she sought to be alone so that she could meditate and dwell on the angel’s prophecy.

• Possibly she decided to keep her pregnancy a secret until such a time that it was obvious so that she could then show herself to be with child and thus dispel any who might doubt.

• Or perhaps she who had been looked upon for so many years with disgrace because of her barren condition determined that no one should see her until they could look on her with favor and see how the Lord had blessed her.

In any case, we see a contrast between Elizabeth and her husband, Zacharias. While he had doubted the word of God, she believed and rejoiced in the promise of God.

How about you? Are you a Zacharias or an Elizabeth? Have you been doubting that God is able to do what He says He can do? Or have you been trusting in the promises of God?