Hindsight

Zacharias had finished offering the incense inside the Holy Place of the Temple.  He had prayed, talked to the angel Gabriel and emerged from the Temple to take his place on the porch.  He descended the stairs of the porch and approached the altar where the sacrifice was arranged.  He was supposed to now offer the prayer, called the Benediction, and the fires would be lit to finish the Sabbath sacrifice to God. 

But he found he couldn’t utter a word!  The statement of the angel Gabriel was true!  He could no longer speak. 

People initially waited and waited, the tension rising, the moment becoming more and more uncomfortable.  “Zacharias is supposed to pray, why doesn’t he open his mouth?!” they wondered.

Finally another priest moves toward him and others follow.  They discover Zacharias is not so emotionally and spiritually moved by his moment in the Temple that he’s unable to speak.  He’s not so overwhelmed by his responsibility to pray in front of all these hundreds of people that he cannot speak.  He’s just unable to speak!

Nine months and eight days later they bring their baby to the Temple for circumcision and naming. When the child is named John Zacharias’ ability to speak returns and he prays the prayer that he would have prayed at the altar.  He addresses God and honors all that He has done and will do for His people.  Then he adds a few choice sentences for the role his own son John will play in the plan of God.

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins…”

John is called a Prophet!  There hadn’t been one seen for 400 years in Israel.  And it was true.  John prepared people for the coming of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus stepped into his public teaching role John said of Him, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” 

Do you remember what Jesus said of John?  He said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist…”  Matthew 11:11