Zechariah And Elizabeth!

God chose Zechariah and Elizabeth to be the parents of the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah. This husband and wife were both described as being “righteous before God.” ( Luke 1:5) Zechariah was serving as priest at the time he was given the news that he and his wife would have a son. After being given a description of the character and mission of John, how did this man of God respond to the news?

We read…
“And Zechariah said to the angel, ‘HOW SHALL I KNOW THIS? For I AM AN OLD MAN, and MY WIFE IS ADVANCED IN YEARS.’” ( Luke 1:18 ESV)

Can we understand his struggle? Sure God had done this with Abraham and Sarah centuries before, but how could Zechariah be sure such a thing would happen again? Because Zechariah did not BELIEVE the words spoken to him, he was made unable to speak until after they were fulfilled. ( Luke 1:20)

Now, consider Elizabeth. We are not given a glimpse of her response to the news given to her husband, but we do get a record of her focus with regard to what was to be fulfilled through her cousin Mary.

Note the FAITH of Elizabeth when she was visited by Mary.
“And why is this granted to me that the MOTHER OF MY LORD should come to me?” ( Luke 1:43 ESV)

Did you note how she acknowledged the Lordship of Jesus even before He came onto life’s scene. Granted, she had already personally experienced the fulfillment of one of God’s promises in that she was presently carrying John in her womb. However, we should still be struck by the FAITH in her words to Mary who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. Mary had been encouraged by the angel Gabriel that “NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.” ( Luke 1:37 ESV) That was something both Zechariah and Elizabeth had come to KNOW WITH CERTAINTY!

We may be astonished at some of the things God has promised to bring about. Like Zechariah we may wonder how we can know it to be so. However, remember that even Balaam noted God as the One who did what He said and fulfilled what He spoke. ( Numbers 23:19)

There is a big difference between the questions of “How CAN this be?” and “How WILL it be?” The latter of these two was asked by Mary. ( Luke 1:34). The first is along the lines of wondering how one can be sure of it and seems to question the possibility for it to happen while the second merely wonders how or in what manner it will come about. May we nurture a FAITH that accepts what God has said He will do even when we wonder regarding the ways in which it might unfold. OUR GOD IS ABLE!

Have a great day ASSURED OF ALL GOD HAS AFFIRMED TO BE!
Carl

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