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

Luke- Broken Silence

By Mary Vee
Luke the Physician 
Luke 1

From Luke's Notes

Photo Courtesy

My name is Elizabeth. 

I have wanted a baby for the longest time. I am so excited because God has blessed me with pregnancy. Soon the child will come.

During the last three months of my pregnancy, my cousin Mary came to visit. And wonder of wonders, God has blessed her with a baby as well. She was only newly pregnant, but I knew. And she knew. 

My baby leaps and is so active. I can't wait to see him. You may ask how I know the baby will be a boy. Well you're right on one part, we didn't have the tools you have today to tell whether the baby is a boy or girl. What I did have was an angel's word to my husband Zachariah, the priest.

Any way. my baby is soon to be born and Mary said she would stay to help me until I gave birth. Right now I must go to rest.

~~~
I am so sorry to have left you. The baby came and I was a bit distracted. The news went out to our neighbors and relatives. The baby is well and I am fine. Giving birth is not easy, especially at my age.

On the eighth day, we took him to be circumcised. The attendant was going to name the baby Zachariah after the baby's father. A few posts ago we told the story of my husband, Zachariah going into the temple for his duties. An angel appeared to him and told him I would be have a son and that we were to name him John. Hah, there was no way we would go against what an angel of the Lord said. I blurted quickly before the wrong name was said by the priest standing there, "No! He is to be called John."

All those standing around were surprised. "There is no one among your relatives who has hat name."

Tradition was that babies are named after the father or a relative to be honored. Those standing around me didn't believe this was true. My husband, Zachariah, still could not speak. The angel had taken away his ability to talk when Zachariah didn't believe the news the angel told him in the temple. The attendants made some motions with their hands asking Zachariah what the baby's name should be.

Zachariah asked for his writing tablet and wrote: "His name is John." Everyone was surprised, but more astonished when Zachariah spoke his first word since seeing the angel. "The boy's name is to be John." He heard himself speak and laughed. "Praise be to the God of heaven. The Lord God Almighty who has returned my ability to speak."

The neighbors and friends standing there laughed and praised God to. "God has taken Zachariah's speech and returned it. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty," they sang out to God. Then they said to each other, "God must have a very special job for this baby. I wonder what it will be?" 

Well, you probably know how quickly news spreads with the Internet and all. I'm telling you, news spreads even faster when a nation hears what God has done. As for me, I am so very happy holding my son in my arms. He's so cute. Look at his hair. See his tiny toes and fingers?




Come back for the next story.

*********************************************************************************************

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