Day 2

This passage is pretty long. It's ok if it takes you a couple of days to get through. Go at a pace that is right for you. The main thing is you are studying the Bible.

Luke 1:5-25

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.a 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And 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 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

NIV

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Things that are helpful to know as you read

vs 9 The Jewish priesthood was divided into 24 courses, each composed of 4–9 families (1 Ch. 24:1–19; 2 Ch. 8:14). Apart from the three great festivals, they performed their duties for two separate weeks each year

vs 9 The daily ritual at the temple included the offering of the morning and evening sacrifices; in both cases a burnt offering was made with various accompaniments. Before the morning sacrifice and after the evening sacrifice incense was offered on the altar of incense which was inside the shrine. The various daily duties were apportioned to the priests by lot. In view of the large number of priests (some 18,000), no priest was permitted to offer incense more than once in his lifetime

vs 9 The altar of incense stood in the centre of the holy place. Zechariah’s task was to place incense on the heated altar and then prostrate himself in prayer (Tamid 6:3). It was presumably at this point that he had a vision of an angel standing beside the altar.

vs 10 While Zechariah was performing his duty inside the temple, the crowd of people who regularly gathered to share as spectators in the daily sacrifices were waiting outside. Their presence, and the parallelism with Dn. 9:21, suggest that the time of the evening offering (about 3.0 pm) is meant (cf. Acts 3:1). The mention of the people prepares for 1:21f.

The offering of incense was symbolic of prayer (Ps. 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3f.; Philo, Her. 199). According to Tg. Ct. 4:16 (SB II, 79), the people prayed during the offering: ‘May the merciful God enter the holy place and accept with favour the offering of his people’

Information from :Marshall, I. H. (1978). The Gospel of Luke : A commentary on the Greek text. The New international Greek testament commentary (55). Exeter [Eng.: Paternoster Press.

Questions:

Why did God choose Zechariah and Elizabeth?

What other Bible stories deal with pregnancy in women beyond child birthing years?

Why does Zechariah doubt? Why do we doubt God's work in our lives?

How does the Zechariah's inability to speak and probably hear (see Luke 1:62 had to make signs) provide more proof of God's work.

Think how long Zechariah had prayed (vs 13). Is there something you keep praying about in your life. What does this story tell you about how God answers prayer?

If God had not given Zechariah and Elizabeth a child would that mean they had failed in life?

My Notes

priest named Zechariah (Zechariah means Yahweh remembers) was doing his duty as a priest- a special day for him but not the way he thought it would be

were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly

Note how often the people God uses are doing what they currently do for Him in the right spirit. Then He can use them in new ways

no children, because Elizabeth was barren

big stigma in their time. (vs 25 In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” ) Children were a blessing from God. If no children then question arises why you were not being blessed by God. Note Zechariah had prayed often for a child (vs 13 your prayer has been heard. )

Interesting how many times God uses the barren to prove He is God (think Abraham and Sarah who start the Jewish Family Gen 18:10-14)

the burning of incense It is during this time of prayer for the people of Israel that God answers both Zechariah's prayer and the peoples (vs 13 and vs 16-17)

Vs 11 -13 When Gabriel comes Zechariah is afraid (take note in the story of Jesus' birth how people are afraid) He is afraid even though he is blameless and doing what God wants him to do. Shows the holiness of angels because of being in God's presence(vs 19)

Vs 14-17 Note how John is different and what he will do

great in sight of the Lord

Never take wine or fermented drink

Filled with Holy Spirit from birth

spirit and power of Elijah (one of the great prophets in OT )

turner of hearts of the people

make ready the people for the Lord

Talk about being proud parents. ( He will be a joy and delight to you.) Here Zech and Elizabeth, both righteous people who have given up on children, (vs 18) will have a child who honors God with his life. They recognize the One who has done this (vs 25 The Lord has done this for me,)

vs 18-23 Why does Zechariah doubt? note he is not the only one (Moses at the burning bush in Ex 3:11 4:10-13, Gideon in Judges 6:12-15) It is hard even for excellent followers of God even when given great evidence to believe God can do miracles.