ANGELS Part 5 of 6
Luke 1:11-20
“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. But 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. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or fermented drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of their fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’
Luke 1:11-20
“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. But 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. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or fermented drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of their fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’
Then Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.’
The 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. And 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 in their proper time.’”
How would you react if an angel suddenly appeared? How would you distinguish between angels and ordinary people? Angels simply emerge exactly at the right spot, and right time that God appoints. They seem to bring news from God to a specific individual. Usually, angels first words are “Do not fear.” Then they release a bombshell.
Did you get what happened to Zechariah? He was struck dumb, unable to speak. Why? Because he didn’t believe! Both he and his wife, Elizabeth, were old…but doubting an angel? Gabriel had power to shut Zechariah up on the spot. Was that Gabriel’s decision, or God’s?
What would blow your mind so much that you couldn’t believe?
Take Home Nugget
Zechariah took what seemed to be forever to burn incense inside the temple. The folks outside began to worry, and when Zechariah finally exited the temple, he couldn’t speak. Using his hands, he signed to the people what had happened. His voice returned on John’s 8th day, at his naming ceremony.
John paved the way that pointed people to Jesus.
J.D. Griffith
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