What are you reading? In His Word-10-19-2020
For that
matter, what am I reading all this time if I do not know the Word yet? I read it daily, at least a portion and
have several years a while back read cover to cover along with my local church
pastors. Still there is so much to glean from in His Word today, and every day
that I have not even begun to break the ice on it.
Quite a
few more years back than I like to figure I wrote a Bible study about little
known people in the Word. The ones you read about once or twice but do not
usually pay much attention to?
This set
of verses was not one of those. This was someone we read about every year in an
Advent or devotional reading for sure!
When the baby was eight days old,
they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah,
after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”
“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your
family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask
the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing
tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly
Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Luke 1:57-64
That part most of you knew and
could probably recite it by memory… but did you know that Zechariah was then
fill with the Holy Spirit and prophesied? Did you remember that He was a priest
to begin with in the first place? I had forgotten this part, but then realized
that I had at least read that before, and knew it, but I always forgot about him
after John was born and he could again speak!
But wait there’s more!
Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of
what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone
who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child
turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
1 Luke 65-66
The people were amazed at this
thing that happened and figured God had done something in this since Zechariah
could not speak until the boy was born.., but what happened after this was
revealing and something I think I left unnoticed for quiet a few reads! Are we
not amazed as we read it? God brought the man to silence while his wife was
pregnant for 9 to 10 months. Talk about a silent treatment! It must have been
hard for him during the growth of his child in the womb to not give his wife
words of comfort and encouragement. Then God opened his mouth to speak greatly!
Did people pay attention? Many did, but some did not.
Then his father, Zechariah, was
filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise
the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his
people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal
line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long
ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has
been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— the
covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued
from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and
righteousness for as long as we live.” Luke 1: 69-75
(He spoke this to the people then
turned to his son).
“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most
High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people
how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s
tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give
light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the
wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Luke1:68-80
Up to
this last verse we do not hear as often as the rest, but most of us focus on
Jesus during this book. In Matthew chapter 3 we read a bit about John, but not the
words of his father via the Holy Spirit up on him. Nor does Mark or John include
his birth, but only Luke, the book we
read at Christmas, tells the story in detail .
God sent
a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe
because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a
witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light
to everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:6-9
John the
Baptist lived and died according to the Prophecy of the priest, his father, Zechariah
and one time we read it and have the chance to know what a Godly beginning this
man had who lived in the wilderness eating wild honey and locusts for food. He was
born with a purpose.
It makes
me wonder, looking around me… who around us is just a part of a prophecy? Who
in the neighborhood is the Lord’s plan to meet or share the Gospel with around
you? Is there a prophecy waiting to be fulfilled?
Heavenly
Father show us what to do for Your kingdom today. Though we may not wear camel
skin and have such a big purpose we want to know our purpose today. In Jesus
name, use us to do Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Read
more: Matthew:1:1- 25, Mark: 1- 45, and John 1:1-51