But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. Luke 1:7 WEB
After a brief introduction, Luke begins his gospel describing the circumstances of the birth of John the Baptist. Although well advanced in years, the parents to be of John the Baptist did not have any children. Elizabeth never conceived a child in her youth. However, in their old age, the angel of the Lord came to Zechariah revealing God’s plan for the birth of John.
The angel Gabriel revealed to Zechariah that he and Elizabeth would have a son. As we read in Luke 1:13, “But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. WEB” Well advanced in years and thinking of himself and his wife as too old to have a child, Zechariah disbelieves Gabriel and for this he pays a price.
Gabriel continues in Luke 1:14-16 saying, “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. WEB”
Prepare the Way for the Lord
God’s messenger finishes his announcement revealing the prophetic significance of John’s birth. The angel of the Lord said of John in Luke 1:17, “He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord. WEB” These statements refer to prophecies predicting John’s ministry.
The first is a reference to Malachi 4:6 which says, “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. WEB” Further, Gabriel describes John’s preparing the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture records this prophecy in Isaiah 40:3 which reads, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. KJV”
In spite of the angel’s encouraging words, Zechariah thought of himself and his wife as too old to have a child. As the scripture says, he and his wife were “well advanced in years.” Rather than accept what the angel told him, Zechariah disbelieved. Therefore, the angel Gabriel said in Luke 1:20, “Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the testimony of your holy word. Thank you for making yourself known to mankind. Guide me with the wisdom of your word. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to you. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: The Forgiveness of Sins
