LK 1:62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. Luke1:62-79
After 400 Silent Years (it had been that long since the Israelites had someone come and say "thus says the Lord") an angel appeared to Zechariah to tell him that he and his elderly wife Elizabeth would have a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah.
The angel also told him to call their son "John" which means "The LORD is gracious but Zechariah was sceptical and so he was deprived of the ability to speak until their son was born. "
When their son was born, the family wanted to name him Zechariah after his dad but Elizabeth was insistent that he should be called John and so they asked Zechariah...
When Zechariah indicated that it would be "John" his tongue was loosened and he burst forth in praise and prophecy.
In his praise Zechariah recognises God as a God of strength and rescue who delivers His people - a God who keeps His promises and allows us to serve Him without fear. It is beautiful praise.
He also recognises a significant destiny for his son, John:
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."
I also think that you and I, as children of God and filled with His Spirit get to share in this same wonderful calling!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
