Is This You, Lord?

 August 8, 2024

Thursday

Have you ever wondered why Zechariah was rebuked for asking the Lord how he could know that it was true that John the Baptist would be born to him and Elizabeth and Gideon who kept asking the Lord if it was Him with meal he served and the fleece he put out wasn't? It seems that Gideon asked many more times than Zechariah did, yet Zechariah was made mute until he acknowledged that John would be his son's name. So, let's look at this.

First, let's look at the context. Where was Zechariah? He was taking his turn to light the incense in the holy of holies. No one else could be with him. Only on Yom Kippur were others allowed in. Who did he think was speaking to him unless it was God or one of His appointed angels? No one else could go in for that would have been blasphemous.  The process of elimination should have led Zechariah to know that it was the Lord or His representative who was speaking to him. It must be someone prepared to enter by his holiness.

Second, let's look at the message. Zechariah and Elizabeth who were advanced in age, meaning they could not have children because the time has passed, would have a son. This must be the best message that Zechariah could ever have heard. He does what so many people do when God gives a promise. He looks on the human side and says that it can't be. What would be the purpose of anyone else giving him such a message. It should have been something he wanted to believe.

Third, let's look at the promise. If you know that it must be God who is giving the promise, it would be an affront to say that it can't happen. Why should he need more proof? But Gabriel gave Zechariah the proof. He struck him dumb. This probably isn't the proof that Zechariah was looking for but it was effective.

So, the child is born and Elizabeth who must have believed from the beginning wants to name the child John Zechariah is asked what the child shall be called. He complies. Now, he has the faith to raise the herald of the Lord as a Nazarite. Now, he knows for sure that it is better to believe the Lord right away.

Gideon didn't have these reasons for believing. The Lord was patient and proved Gideon that he was to do what Gideon didn't believe he could do.

So, listen and do exactly what the Lord says, exactly as the Lord say and exactly when the Lord says.

Luke 1:59-64 (ESV) ⁵⁹  And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, ⁶⁰  but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹  And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶²  And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³  And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴  And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.