He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth…
Here an angel appears to Zechariah to announce that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son. He will be great in the sight of the Lord!
This son, John, will not only be a joy to his childless parents, but to the nation of Israel as well.
Israel, like much of the world today, was in a state of oppression. Religion had become empty. Revival was desperately needed.
Through John’s powerful preaching - Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
Families will be transformed – he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.
The angel tells Zechariah – And he will go on before the Lord…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
John will prepare the people for the coming of Jesus!
Today, nearly 2,000 years later, the world is in need of similar revival. A return to wisdom and obedience to God! A restoration of families! Hearts prepared for the final coming of Jesus!
This is what students of Jesus are all about. Becoming more like Jesus! Influencing their world and preparing for the Lord’s return.
John was a source of joy to his generation. And now, like John, students of Jesus can be a source of joy in this troubled time.
Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
ReplyDeleteZechariah was a priest, and was chosen to go in before the Lord to burn incense - all the others had to stay outside.
Similarities and contrasts to before and after Christ.
Zecharaiah was chosen by lot - we are chosen as well, but by God through Christ! Eph 1:4 For he (God) chose us in him (Christ) before the creation of the world to be pure and blameless in his sight.
And are we not priests! 2 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God that you might declare the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Burning incense, we don't do that! Or do we? Rev 5:8 And when he had taken it (the scroll from erse 7) the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb. Each one had a harp and they wer eholding godlden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
In many ways we are similar to Zecharaiah.
The biggest difference is we can approach God without going to a temple building, and with confidence because of Christ. Heb 4:14-16 since we have a great high priest... Jesus the Son of God ... let us then approacch the throne of grace with confidence.
As well, God doesn't dwell in a temple like then, but in us through His Holy Spirit. "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever - the SPirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and wil be in you." John 14:16-17
1 Cor 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
Wow, the difference the teacher has made!
Do we realize these things?
Do we count them as blessings?
Do we understand that our prayers are as incense in the throne room of God?
Do we rely on the Holy Spirit, a gift from the Father, requested from the Teacher, received when we give our lives to God and Christ?