Luke 1:5-25
A Priest Named Zechariah
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5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.
6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Zechariah and Elizabeth are righteous in God's sight, yet they have no child and are now old. Luke places those facts beside each other. Their childlessness is not evidence that they have failed to obey God.
While Zechariah burns incense in the temple, Gabriel appears and announces that his prayer has been heard. Elizabeth will bear John, who will bring joy to them and to many others. The promise reaches beyond the family's longing: filled with the Holy Spirit, John will turn people back to the Lord and prepare them for his coming.
Zechariah asks how he can be sure, pointing to their age. Gabriel explicitly names his response as unbelief. The issue is not that every honest question is wrong; this messenger has brought God's word, and Zechariah does not believe it. He will be unable to speak until it is fulfilled.
God's promise nevertheless proceeds. Elizabeth conceives and gives thanks that the Lord has taken away her disgrace among the people. The shame others associated with her childlessness was not God's verdict on her. His mercy brings personal joy within a much larger purpose for his people.
Questions
1 What promise does the angel give Zechariah?
AnswerElizabeth will have a son named John. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit and turn many Israelites back to the Lord, preparing a people for him.
2 Why does Zechariah struggle to believe the announcement?
AnswerHe and Elizabeth are old, and their long experience of childlessness makes the promise seem impossible from a human point of view.
3 What does Elizabeth recognize when she becomes pregnant?
AnswerShe recognizes that the Lord has looked on her with mercy and removed the shame she had carried among her people.
4 What might a family learn from their long waiting?
AnswerWaiting can be painful without being proof that God has forgotten us. Bring disappointment honestly to God while remaining open to what He may do.
What This Means for Us
A painful lack in someone's life tells us nothing certain about their faithfulness. We can follow Luke's lead and refuse to equate disappointment with God's disapproval. Listen to people carrying grief without offering an explanation God has not given. Elizabeth's particular answer is not a promise of the same outcome for everyone, but her story calls us to compassion and confidence in God's mercy.
Prayer
God who sees those who wait, remember families carrying disappointment and shame. Give us honest faith, patient hope, and the humility to receive Your promises without demanding that You follow our timetable. Amen.