LUKE 1:5-17 – ELIZBETH
AMAZING GRACE ANNOUNCEMENT
The Lord sent an angel to make
three very important announcements concerning two of our Women of Christmas.
Zacharias and his barren wife, Elizabeth, would conceive the forerunner of the Messiah,
John the Baptist. Gabriel informed first Mary, then Joseph about their
roles in the birth of the Messiah. These ordinary people were an integral part
of God's extraordinary plan of redemption for a lost and fallen world.
Luke 1:5 There was in the days
of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course
of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was
Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Zacharias and Elizabeth were
upright people of the utmost integrity. They were both descended of the
priestly line of Aaron. Zacharias means “Jehovah has remembered,” and we are about to read
exactly how God remembered this couple in their old age. Elizabeth means “Consecrated to
God” and “My God is Bountiful.” Both of these are significant since Elizabeth
was barren which was thought in those days to mean a woman was cursed by God. But all that was about to be
changed.
Luke 1:7 And they had no child,
because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in
years.
Not only was Elizabeth barren, but like Sarah, she was way
past the age of being able to conceive a child. Her husband, like Abraham, was
well up in years as well.
Luke 1:8 And it came to pass,
that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense
when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Luke 1:10 And the whole
multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Zacharias was a priest serving
in the temple, taking his turn (only one in his life) to enter the Holy of
Holies. His wife, Elizabeth, was past the age of childbearing; and they had no
children.
All the people were praying
outside while Zacharias prayed inside the Holy of Holies.
Luke 1:11-12 And there
appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar
of incense. 12 And when
Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
Zacharias had the natural reaction to the
supernatural appearance of an angel: he was terrified.
Luke 1:13-17 But the
angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife
Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou
shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he
shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor
strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his
mother's womb.16 And many
of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.17 And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make
ready a people prepared for the Lord.
The angel comforted him with
the words, “Fear not.” Although the announcement was made to Zacharias, it was God’s plan
for his wife, Elizabeth that the angel revealed. God’s messenger shocked and
surprised him by appearing in the Holy place and speaking to him. The angel declared to him that
Elizabeth would conceive and have child which they were to name John which
means “God is gracious and merciful.” God was giving Elizabeth and Zacharias
the gift of a son. Not only a son, but an extremely special son!
This son came to be known as
John the Baptist, who would be the one who announced the beginning of Jesus’
ministry. It is significant that Gabriel stated that John would be “filled with
the Holy Spirit” even before he was born!
LUKE 1: 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this?
for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Zacharias mirrored what Abraham
went through. Although, he did not laugh, he questioned the validity of the
angel’s prophecy. He pointed out the obvious, that he and Elizabeth were way
too old to have children.
Luke 1:19 And the angel
answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and
am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And,
behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these
things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be
fulfilled in their season.
Gabriel chastised him and
basically said, “You can be quiet now,” because Zacharias did not believe the
word of the Lord that he had been sent to declare to you. I wonder if this was the root
of our southern expression, “Well, shut my mouth!”
Luke 1:21 And the people waited
for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
The people were getting a bit
concerned since Zacharias was in the temple much longer than the usual time
required to offer the sacrifice.
Luke 1:22 And when he came out,
he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in
the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
Zacharias, using hand signals,
was able to get across to the people that he had seen a vision while serving in
the temple. It does not appear that he was able to communicate the exact nature
of the vision. Or perhaps he felt that he was supposed to keep it a secret
since he was unable to speak by the power of the Lord.
Luke 1:23 And it came to pass,
that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to
his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid
herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days
wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
Zacharias went home to his
wife, and it seems she conceived immediately. Elizabeth realized that by
enabling her to conceive, the Lord was removing her shame of being childless. She
remained in seclusion for five months, perhaps in a period of reverent
gratitude for how the Lord had smiled upon her.
PONDER THIS: Elizabeth did not
yet realize that she would be a significant person in the life of our Lord on
earth. Zacharias had been told John would be the forerunner of the Messiah and
filled with the Spirit even from conception. How this would manifest itself is
yet to be told. Meanwhile Elizabeth worshiped her gracious God. As we have said
before, all children are a gift. Imagine the immense gratitude of this mother
to be who had given up imagining herself as a mom. The idea of giving birth was
a forgotten dream. If you have children, pray thanking the Lord for entrusting
them to you!
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