Prepare the Way… - 13 Prayers

Do you prepare for big events?

I mean, like, did you do anything special to prepare for Christmas? New Years? Did you decorate the house? Or purchase gifts? Or plan a big meal? Invite people over?

Typically, when an important event approaches, we feel the need to do something to get ready for it. God does that, too. And since we are created in His image, I like to think that’s a characteristic we got from Him. Today, we explore the miracles surrounding the birth of John the Baptist who was to prepare the way for Jesus to come as Messiah.

“God heard your prayers.”

Between the Old Testament and the New Testament were 400 years where God seemed silent because He did not send any angelic messengers or prophets to the Jews. Knowing that makes the opening of Luke 1 have more impact. You see, God’s chosen people had been praying for those 400 years for Him to send the Messiah – the One so many prophecies had been written about. Here we see God has chosen a priest named Zechariah to receive His message from His very presence. Gabriel is an angel of high rank who stands in the very presence of God. He was commissioned by God to bring this message. (Luke 1:19)

Begin chosen as a priest to go inside the temple in service was a great honor because of the huge number of priests serving with him. Zechariah spent one week serving, twice a year, and these 26 teams of priests were so large that no man would ever deal with the incense twice. Gabriel stands to the right of the altar of incense – which represents the prayers of the people.

So Zechariah (whose name means “The LORD remembers”) is sent inside to offer the people’s prayers to God – a powerful honor, indeed. Gabriel appears to him when he is alone inside the temple, lighting incense. Everyone else is outside worshiping. After telling this descendent of Aaron (the 1st high priest) to calm down, Gabriel tells him, “God has heard your prayers.” Was this priest the only Jew who had been praying for Messiah? What that the only prayer Gabriel was talking about?

No.

“God saw your obedience.”

In verses 6-7, Luke tells us about the couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth. “Both of them were good people and pleased the LORD God by obeying all that He had commanded. BUT they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.”

So Gabriel’s message to this childless, obedient couple answers both those needs. Not that they lived by the requirements in the law – not to GET RIGHT with God – but because they WERE RIGHT with Him.

”God sent me to prepare you.”

Gabriel had a very detailed message:

Your wife will have a son.
You will name him John.
John will be a joy and a delight, and “…many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the LORD” (v14-15a)

He also had specific information about John’s future:

He will never drink wine or any alcohol
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit before he is born.
He will lead many in Israel back to God. (Important because Israel has a habit of forgetting all He has done for them and then turning to other gods.)
He will go before God – just like Elijah to cause fathers to consider their children more and how they should be raised to know Him
He will cause many who left God to return to Him
His task is to prepare the people to see and accept the coming Messiah!

”Prepare to be silent!”

How often can a single, off-the-cuff statement have the absolutely wrong effect? Zechariah just heard this wonderful prophecy about his promised miracle son. And his initial response?

Disbelief. (Plus a kinda gentle husband moment)

He says, “How will I know this for certain? I’m an old man, and my wife is well-advanced in years” (v18). Note he did call HER old, too. AND that he wasn’t doubting that the angel was there. Maybe he thought an angel was ALWAYS there to talk to the incense guy. Remember, he’d never done this before.

No, Zech, a faithful priest of God, doubted God’s ability to give a child to a couple advanced in years – despite the extreme list of details Gabe had just given him.

And Gabe wasn’t having it. With a “Don’t stand here in God’s house and put limits on what He can do” authority, Gabe explains exactly who he is, where he serves, and who sent him (v19). Then he drops the bombshell: Your doubt has consequences. Zechariah will not speak until AFTER John is born (v20). And when he finally leaves the temple, he is mute.

God kept His word.

After Zech’s week of service, he returns home, and Elizabeth becomes pregnant. She gives God all the glory (v25).

Later, when Mary meets HER angel, Elizabeth and her pregnancy are mentioned in their conversation. And when pregnant Mary visits 6-month-pregnant Elizabeth, John leaps in her womb when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, just as John was! (v41)

You see, how else could an unborn child recognize and respond to a voice he’s never heard? Well, he didn’t. The Holy Spirit within him recognized the presence of the Son of God within Mary.

John’s life

John’s life was all about this job to prepare the way. And he also got a mention in prophecy! Malachi 3:1 says, “I will send my messenger who will prepare the way before Me…” Since they were family – and so close in age, AND so vital to God’s plan – they grew up together. Both suffered and died at the hands of powerful men who wanted to silence their message.

Today’s stack of miracles:

Both a nation’s and a man’s prayers were heard
An angel appears to a priest
A barren woman becomes pregnant with a son who fulfilled an ancient prophecy
A man was silenced for his disbelief
His speech returned when promised
The son was filled with the Holy Spirit before birth and leapt when he recognized the Messiah
The baby was indeed a boy when born – as foretold

What this means for me:

Keep praying – Israel prayed 400 years for Messiah to come. Zechariah prayed for a child for years as well. I must not get discouraged if I don’t see results from my prayers on MY timetable.
Remain obedient – Even without answers to my prayers, I must remain obedient to God “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” – 1 Sam 15:22
God wants to prepare us for big things – While it may seem like God suddenly burst onto the scene and told Zech his life was about to change, don’t forget his years of prayer and obedience were part of the preparation process. AND God sent a messenger to give a clear explanation. We have God’s Word in written form instead, so I prepare by studying it daily.
Don’t voice my disbelief – When I start to put God inside a box, I demonstrate my lack of faith. How can God use me then?
Keep my mouth shut about God’s big news that was given to me alone – My current battle has been discouragement when I thought I was obedient and didn’t get the results I expected. Here God literally kept this man from speaking as a consequence to his disbelief. Yikes. That hits WAY too close to home for me right now. Yes, I’m working on it.
Watch God keep His promises – In 2024, I challenge you (and myself) to become more familiar with God’s promises and take note of when we seen them in action.

Thanks for stopping by today. Drop me a note here or on Instagram and let me know what your plans are to prepare to make 2024 a year of faith and obedience.