The Word Proclaimed
Luke 1:57-66
When Elizabeth brought forth her son, whom we know as John the Baptist, the people rejoiced with her. Later, Jesus spoke of him as the greatest of all the prophets, yet John worked no miracles.
Have you ever considered the miracles surrounding his birth? His father Zacharias was serving in his division as a priest before God. People were praying on the outside of the temple, while inside the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Gabriel announced that Zacharias and his wife would have a son in their old age; his wife Elizabeth was barren. The angel named the child to be born, saying "You shall call his name John."
When Zacharias acted with unbelief, the angel pronounced the consequence for not believing. He would be mute until the birth of the child: "Because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."
Zacharias emerged from the holy place mute.
The child John was born just as Gabriel had predicted, and on the eighth day they came to circumcise him. This was also the day in which the child would receive his official name. Elizabeth proclaimed his name to be JOHN. Their friends and family in attendance were puzzled, as tradition would require the child to be named for his father.
Zacharias confirmed he was in agreement with Elizabeth by writing on a tablet, "His name is John." At that moment, Zacharias' tongue was loosed, and he was enabled to speak forth praises to God!
Fear came upon all the people, and they kept it in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.
John was the prophet of the Most High, chosen to go before the face of the Lord Jesus and to prepare His ways. As Gabriel had proclaimed, John was chosen as an instrument "To make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Should we not take these words to heart, even today? Let us not be mute with unbelief. Rather, let us share in the miracle of the Word proclaimed. Let us have tongues that are loosed to speak to our own generation, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
His Second Coming is at hand.
When Elizabeth brought forth her son, whom we know as John the Baptist, the people rejoiced with her. Later, Jesus spoke of him as the greatest of all the prophets, yet John worked no miracles.
Have you ever considered the miracles surrounding his birth? His father Zacharias was serving in his division as a priest before God. People were praying on the outside of the temple, while inside the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Gabriel announced that Zacharias and his wife would have a son in their old age; his wife Elizabeth was barren. The angel named the child to be born, saying "You shall call his name John."
When Zacharias acted with unbelief, the angel pronounced the consequence for not believing. He would be mute until the birth of the child: "Because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."
Zacharias emerged from the holy place mute.
The child John was born just as Gabriel had predicted, and on the eighth day they came to circumcise him. This was also the day in which the child would receive his official name. Elizabeth proclaimed his name to be JOHN. Their friends and family in attendance were puzzled, as tradition would require the child to be named for his father.
Zacharias confirmed he was in agreement with Elizabeth by writing on a tablet, "His name is John." At that moment, Zacharias' tongue was loosed, and he was enabled to speak forth praises to God!
Fear came upon all the people, and they kept it in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.
John was the prophet of the Most High, chosen to go before the face of the Lord Jesus and to prepare His ways. As Gabriel had proclaimed, John was chosen as an instrument "To make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Should we not take these words to heart, even today? Let us not be mute with unbelief. Rather, let us share in the miracle of the Word proclaimed. Let us have tongues that are loosed to speak to our own generation, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
His Second Coming is at hand.
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