Zechariah-Looking at My Baby Whose Name Was John

By Mary Vee
Luke the Physician 
Luke 1

From Luke's Notes

Photo Courtesy

My name is Zechariah and I can finally speak!

Nine months have gone by since the angel told me my wife would have a son. Nine months have passed since I foolishly questioned the angel who met me in the temple, because I felt Elizabeth and I were too old to have children. I never should have question him.

Any way. Elizabeth has given birth to a strong boy and as the angel commanded us, we named him John.

At the celebration of John's birth and circumcision, I wrote that the baby's name should be John and not Zechariah as the priest wanted to say. Once I wrote those words, I praised the Lord and heard my own voice for the first time in nine months. All our friends looked in amazement at me. They laughed and cheered. They praised God with me.

Words flowed in my mind. Words that needed to be spoken right then to everyone who was there and for all people they would tell. So I stood and spoke them out loud: 

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel. He came and set his people free."

Those listening cheered.

"He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives,  
  And in the very house of David, his servant, just as he promised long ago through the preaching of his holy prophets.

The crowd looked at each other and whispered, "The Messiah will be here, in our time?"

"Deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand.
  Mercy to our fathers, as he remembers to do what he said he’d do...
   What he swore to our father Abraham—a clean rescue from the enemy camp,

"So we can worship him without a care in the world, (no government will stop us. Not the Greeks, not the Romans, not the Babylonians) and be made holy before him as long as we live."

I set my hand on my son's head and said, "And you, my child, Prophet of the Highest, will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways,"

The people looked at the child and marveled.

I continued speaking, looking at my son whom God had give this task, "Present the offer of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins through the heartfelt mercies of our God."
    

I looked to the heavens and raised my hands. "God’s Sunrise will break in upon us, shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death,
  Then showing us the way...

                                          one foot at a time...

                                                                      down the path of peace."

And that was the end of the words given to me to say to the people and to you. My son, John, will prepare the way for the Messiah.

Inside me I was overwhelmed. So much. My son. This little one. He has an important job. I couldn't say a word. I simply looked at John.





Come back for the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981
* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org
*The Hasmonean Dynasty