Birthing Life

This Third Sunday of Advent, we learn about the real family of John the Baptist, who we have been seeing from an adult point of view. It was, we know, in the dangerous time of Herod the King of Judea.  

John’s mother was named Elizabeth and his father was Zechariah, who, we are told, belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, number 8 of the 24 holy priestly divisions which were designated could be in the temple at certain times of day or weeks. Zechariah got the call on a particular watch, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense, probably the only time in his lifetime it would happen because there were so many priests. While he burned incense inside, the assembled worshipers would be praying on the outside. 

But suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, which was not at all the norm. It (we don’t know if it was male or female) was standing on the right side of the altar.  Zechariah was griped with fear, much like Virgin Mary was afraid when she saw the angel. But the angel calmed him down and said, just as the angel told Mary, “Do not be afraid.”   For Zechariah, his prayers had been heard and the angel declared that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son who is to be called John. The angel added, “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” Then the Angel gave a few rules: John could never drink wine or any fermented drink, and he would be filled with the Holy Spirit before he had even left the womb of Elizabeth.  He added that God is depending on John to bring back to Him many of the people of Israel. 

Zechariah, still baffled about the concept of having a son in his old age (which was never a given), asked the angel how could a man at his age with a wife also past birth possibilities have a child, must less specify a son? The angel Gabriel said, “I stand in the present of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at the appointed time.”
 
All this happened on Zechariah’s watch, so he delayed and delayed before exiting the temple. People were getting anxious.  When he finally left the Temple, he could not speak to tell anyone what had happened. But they could tell he had had a vision as they made signs for them, but probably no one understood. And he could not speak. So, when his time of service ended, he returned home. And sure enough, Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She was grateful because the Lord had allowed this pregnancy to happen and thereby removed her disgrace among the people because she could not conceive.

Six months later after Elizabeth’s pregnancy began, God sent Gabriel to Nazareth in Galilee to the virgin who was pledged to marry Joseph, a descendent of Aaron and a carpenter. This was when God visited Mary who was highly favored but scared to death about what was happening. “The Lord is with you,” Gabriel declared. Mary was greatly troubled at his words. But the angel said don’t be afraid. “Mary, you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus” (just as Elizabeth was to call her son John.) “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever. His kingdom will never end.” 

That was a huge amount of information for a young girl. But Mary was curious, and she asked how it could happen when she was a virgin? The angel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come on you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” It was a lot for a teenage girl to absorb. But she was willing and just perfect for the task. And because of her, we know Jesus and all the words He shared with us while he was a human on earth. 

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. Then the angel disappeared, and we are told
Mary gathered up her skirt and hurried to Judea in the hill country to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. In that very moment, Elizabeth’s 6-month baby leaped in the womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And Elizabeth knew Mary was super special so you can imagine the conversation between them. Both were grateful, were blessed, and Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months (just about the time John was to birth,)

As a follow up, Zachariah had not been able to speak until the time it was it was time to name the baby. People wanted them to name him Zachariah like his dad, and then Elizabeth said no, his name is to be John. And when the crowd asked Zechariah what the name should be, he echoed it - He wrote on the tablet, his name is John. Then his mouth opened, and he was free again to speak and praise God.  John means “the Lord is Merciful.”

God has a habit of intervention for his people, his special people who are part of the setup of faith as He made it. Zachariah’s name, even, meant “the Lord has Remembered”. God seems to delight in bringing joy to women who are barren, of age, and the last thing on their minds was having babies.  Elizabeth was one of these, just like Sarah, who gave an heir to Abraham, which is father of all of us. 

 ~ Rev
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