Zechariah

Alphabetically, in this book, Zechariah comes last; but chronologically, in Luke’s Christmas birth narrative (Luke 1:5–25, 57–80), he is first. Dr. Luke begins with an old man and his wife and ends with the birth of the baby Jesus to a Jewish teenage mother. If you are looking for “generation gaps,” you will not find them in the Christmas story. Luke definitely did not know the cliché “Christmas is for children.”

There are at least thirty-one men in the Bible named Zechariah (meaning “Jehovah has remembered”), but this one is special. He was the father of John the Baptist, the man about whom Jesus said, “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (7:28). No matter how old you are, the more you meditate on Luke’s account of Zechariah, the more encouragement it should give you.

Waiting for God’s Answer

Scholars estimate that there were eighteen thousand priests serving in Jerusalem at the time Jesus was born, and there were not enough temple duties for all of them to serve at the same time. King David had divided the priests into twenty-four “courses,” and Zechariah’s course was the eighth (1 Chron. 24:1–19). Each division served two one-week periods a year and their ministries were chosen by lot. With that kind of a schedule, it would have been easy for Zechariah to “get caught in the system” and take his ministry for granted, but that did not happen. Zechariah was not like the careless priests described by Malachi in the first chapter of his book. Zechariah and his wife prayed faithfully at home, and he was prepared to pray at the temple.

What he was not prepared for was the sudden appearance of an angel and the answer to a lifelong prayer. Each day before the morning and evening sacrifices, the priests burned incense at the golden altar in the holy place (Exod. 30:1–8). The fragrant burning incense was a picture of devout prayer ascending to God from His worshiping people (Ps. 141:1–2). Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for a son all their married life, and now they were too old to have a family. But as Zechariah was ministering in the temple, the angel appeared to him and announced that they would have a son, and not just any son; their son would be the prophet that would go before the Messiah and prepare Israel for His arrival. This is the angel who would later say, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

Never stop praying, for God often sends the answer when we least expect it. Moses was routinely tending his father-in-law’s sheep when God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were managing their fishing business when Jesus called them to follow Him, and Matthew was collecting taxes for the Roman government. Paul and Silas were sharing in a worship service in Antioch when the Spirit called them to become missionaries. Sometimes the Lord likes to surprise us, so be alert!

Accepting God’s Will

You would expect an old priest to be a man of great faith, but Zechariah must have forgotten about Abraham and Sarah and the miraculous birth of their son, Isaac, in their old age (Genesis 17; 21). His heart was happy at the good news but his voice was muted by his unbelief. He questioned God’s word, so the Lord silenced Zechariah’s words. The Bible pattern is “I believed, therefore I have spoken” (2 Cor. 4:13, quoted from Ps. 116:10); but Zechariah did not believe, so temporarily he lost the power to speak.

Sometimes accepting the will of God has a dark side to it, as with the sword in Mary’s soul (Luke 2:34–35) or the thorn in Paul’s flesh (2 Cor. 12:1–10). We must say with Jesus in the garden, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The will of God is the expression of the love of God for us and we have nothing to fear. The angel’s first words to Zechariah are good words for us: “Do not be afraid” (1:13).

Being Silent

During Elizabeth’s nine months of pregnancy, Zechariah could neither speak nor hear (Luke 1:59–64). He and Elizabeth must have communicated with signs and used the writing tablet, but think of how inconvenient that must have been. But Zechariah could still meditate on God’s Word and pray silently with his godly wife.

Perhaps Zechariah’s beautiful song of praise (vv. 68–79) was the fruit of those long months of silence and meditation. Some believers today are so busy and talkative that a time of silence is a threat to them, especially in a worship service or a prayer meeting. They seem to ignore verses like Psalm 4:4—“Search your hearts and be silent”—or Psalm 46:10—“Be still, and know that I am God.” Solomon reminds us that there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Eccles. 3:7), and wise is the believer who knows what time it is.

“God is the friend of silence,” said Mother Teresa. “Trees, flowers, grass grow in silence.” So do God’s children.

Expressing Joys

First, the meditative silence, then the song of praise (Luke 1:68–79). Zechariah did not think of himself but of the Lord and His people. He praised God for the salvation that Mary’s Son would accomplish. Because of His sacrifice on the cross, He would release us from bondage (v. 68), defeat our enemies (vv. 69, 71, 74), cancel the debt of our sin (vv. 76–77), and usher in the dawning of a new day (vv. 78–79). Zechariah and Elizabeth may never have seen Jesus as an adult, but they rejoiced at what He would do for the sinful world.

It is unfortunate that many of the songs used during the Christmas season are not biblical, and some of them are just plain juvenile. Let’s not criticize Zechariah because of his unbelief. Let’s give thanks to God that this elderly man used his months of silence for the kind of meditation and prayer that produced the magnificent song (the Benedictus) recorded in Luke’s Gospel.

We are silent that we might listen to God. Then we speak and praise Him that we might glorify God. Blessed are the balanced!

 See: Elizabeth, Faith, John the Baptist, Joy, Songs