When Elizabeth was aging and barren my wife and I have an insight into her life. How could a loving God withhold the simple blessing of a family from a faithful couple like Elizabeth and Zechariah? It was when they had no hope of a child that they followed God blamelessly. The news that they were going to have a child even seemed too incredible for Zechariah when he heard it.
Why do my wife and I have insight into this story and those like it in the Bible? We have not had a biological child. Bitterness and self-doubt have been all too easy to embrace. How could God allow crack addicts in Chicago to get pregnant when we came home to an empty house? How could our busy lives be so empty because we had no hope of a child? Three miscarriages could seem like three cruel jokes proving that either God didn’t care or that he wasn’t there.
However, we decided to follow God regardless. We tried to turn away from the debilitating and destructive bitterness that suffering can bring. We faced God and looked for a new plan. God’s intervention in the life of our foster son would not have happened through us. Think how we would have not entered into his world of uncertainty if we had a biological son. God knew. We are deeper people for passing through suffering. God is exposing our weaknesses as he leads us into deeper experiences where joy is harder to come by. When we see him act, though, like Elizabeth we cry “In these days he has shown his favour.”
Luke 1: 5-25
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.[b] 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Questions
- Who appeared to Zechariah?
- What was his message?
- In what way will Zachariah’s son affect people?
- How does John the Baptist’s mission show a bigger story?
- How do you see yourself as playing out a scene in God’s bigger story?
Going Deeper
Observation
- Who was king at this time?
- How was Zechariah chosen?
- How will people react to Elizabeth’s son?
- Who will fill Elizabeth’s son?
- Who does Elizabeth say has shown her favour?
Interpretation
- When can this story be placed historically?
- How can God be behind a choice made by ‘lots’?
- Does everyone receive John the Baptist with joy and delight?
- How will John make people ready?
- What different feelings do you think Elizabeth felt? How about Zechariah?
Application
- Does placing the story historically matter to you? Why? Why not?
- How has God used chance events in your life to show that there was no chance involved at all?
- How can you prepare people for God’s saving work?
- How do you feel about God’s work in your life right now?
- Do you see what God wants to do and what he is doing in your life right now?
Plymothian 
Gary and I can relate, though we have one biological child, we could not conceive another one. If we were able to have more children biologically, we would not have our son Colton. Colton came to us through an adoption. We would have never thought about adopting if God had not closed the door to more biological children. It is amazing how his plan unfolds. When we are in the mist of the suffering it is hard to trust in God and not be angry. He has brought me through the bitterness and anger and each time I look into my son’s eyes, I can see how God’s plan is perfect every time 🙂
I agree completely, Kim–and Peter. 🙂 When I read the angel’s announcement to Zechariah, I can’t help but think of God’s hand on little Daryl’s life as well. I pray that he, too, will be “great in the sight of the Lord.” God has certainly gone to great lengths already to shape his young life. I pray that Daryl will always know this, and I pray that we will be good stewards of this gift! I also resonate with Elizabeth when she says, “The Lord has done this for me…In these days he has shown his favor.”