Anchor My Faith

Title: Zechariah is Chosen (Luke 1:8-12)

Zechariah and Elizabeth were introduced in the previous lesson. There we learned that Elizabeth was barren and that both were advanced in years; that is, they were beyond the age when they could physically have children. Let us get back to the narrative and see what happens: “Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense” (Luke 1:8 – 9 ESV).

In our previous lesson we learned that there were 24 divisions of priests, each of which served for a week, twice a year, except during special occasions when all divisions would be pressed into service. At the time when the division in which Zechariah was a member was serving, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple sanctuary, a most holy place, to burn incense before the Lord.

Luke continues: “And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense” (Luke 1:10 ESV). The hour of incense was the regular time of morning or evening prayer when multitudes came up to the temple to worship and pray. As the multitude of people were worshiping and praying and Zechariah was burning incense, “. . . there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11 ESV). It has been about 400 years since God had spoken to his people by some supernatural communication. He now breaks that silence with the appearance of an angel of the Lord at the right side of the altar of incense. His appearance signals the beginning of something new.

Stop and think for a moment. How would you feel or react if you were having a time of prayer or worship before God and all of a sudden an angel of the Lord appeared before you? There are times, in the middle of the night, when I wake up and feel the need to pray. What if I were praying and all of a sudden an angel appeared in the room with me and then began to speak to me. What would I feel and do? What I think I might feel and do may be quite different from what I would actually feel and do. Maybe some words like fear, awe, wonder, and unworthy might begin to describe the experience, but I am not sure. Let us check and see how Zechariah responded: “And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him” (Luke 1:12 ESV).

Zechariah was troubled and fear fell upon him. It is natural to experience fear when all of a sudden something unusual happens, especially if it is any Divine appearance, whether God himself takes on some form or he authorizes an angel, as in this case, to do it. Consider the following: “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength” (Daniel 10:7-8 ESV); “And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground” (Judges 13:20 ESV); “Now as [Paul] went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:3-5 ESV). Everyone was affected in some way as I am sure you and I would be also.

Prayer

Father, excitement is building in our narrative. We have laid the background to our story and pointed out the main character, the Word who will become flesh and bring your message to us. You have chosen Zechariah to break 400 years of silence. What will you say? What will you do? Father, we can hardly wait to see if the angel has something to say.