Zechariah is in the
A priest would usually serve for one week at a time, two times a year. There were so many of them that they would cast the lot/role the dice and he was chosen to go in and help with the morning incense offering in the temple court. This smell of incense would burn as a pleasing scent to ascend to God before and after the morning/evening sacrifice; it was a sweet smell.
He stood there in the temple and offered prayers of intercession for the people, for himself and wife. Zechariah has no child and he knows the agony of his wife’s prayers for a child. He is standing there praying when an Angel says, “Your prayer has been heard” and tells Zechariah of the pregnancy. He shall have a great joy and this child will be the joy for all people, the birth of John the Baptist. But Zechariah wants a sign for he is an old man and his wife is up in years. He has a hard time believing this message.
Then the angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.” It’s almost as if Gabriel is a little put off that Zechariah doesn’t believe him. Giving away his name as an angel demonstrates that he is one important angel and Zechariah better listen to him. When an angel is noted by name in the Bible, it happens only about 4% of the time in scripture. Gabriel
Now, lest we think the cute Angel Gabriel is some middle ages cute cherub that flies around bringing good news in a nice sweet voice, we should recall this verse of chastisement that Zechariah receives a punishment his not believing the messenger.[1]
This past week we were going over personality inventory with the teenagers in Crossroads youth group and I did a LISTEN TO ME moment like the angel! I told the teens that everyone has personality! THIS IS THE TRUTH! Don’t let anyone say or don’t you say that there is one type of personality that is better than the other. LISTEN TO ME!
Gabriel appears in Daniel 8:16 and Daniel 9:21 as the interpreter of his visions. He is often viewed as the angel of pronouncement, explaining what God’s plans are to those he is sent to.
GABR-IEL – GABER =From H1396; properly a valiant man or warrior; generally a person simply:—every one, man; IEL – from God (Michael; Daniel; Nathaniel). Gabriel is found in Luke 1:26 with the announcement to Mary about her pregnancy.
Gabriel is also listed in the book of Enoch (chapters 9, 20, 40) as one of the four archangels of God; along with Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel.[2]
But Zechariah didn’t believe the messenger. He doubts this good news. Zechariah struck mute (and perhaps deaf – see Luke 2:62) and comes out speechless from the temple and they say he’s seen something, perhaps an angel? His disbelief will be carried for nine months and eight days until the day of the circumcision and naming of his son when the name of his son “John” comes out. John the Baptist will be the messenger that prepares the way for ministry of Jesus! And no one will believe that messenger either!
Imagine a message so awesome that you can’t believe it or you can’t believe the one who is bringing the message. We say “GET OUT” nowadays to the messenger. “
Such a great message from a messenger is so incredibly difficult to accept sometimes because we just don’t believe that God would provide us a way through the difficult situation. We just don’t believe there will ever be any good news. We don’t believe even when something good is standing in front of us and disbelieve.
We remember the name angel is the name of their office not of their nature![3] They are ambassadors for God’s message that brings light and bears witness to God’s will for the world. During this Christmas season, we will often look at people in the eye and speak the truth to an unbelieving person! Like you and me, this message will leave us speechless. We don’t know what to say and we end up waiting during this pregnant pause until the message is born in us here and in eternity. This message is so unbelievable we don’t know what to say in response…
Let us pray: Gracious God, your grace is unbelievable and we are left speechless again and again. Send your message today that we might be believe, in Jesus name we pray, Amen!
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