Author: Bill Hall

Luke 1:29 “But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.”

   She likely had some indication that this was a very strange person other than his words. Being an angel he surely looked the part. However, at this stage she does not seem to have yet realized that this visitor was an angel. She was trying to sort out what was meant. She may have thought the angel had come to take her away from this world.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessing of friends. You give us good fellowship with one another. We enjoy having friends and family to share with. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:28 “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

   The key phrase here is ‘having come in’. Gabriel enters the house or room where Mary was at the time. He didn’t materialize out of thin air or emerge from some glowing cloud. These are our conceptions of how an angel would approach. But angels in the Bible tend to break our conceptions. Gabriel just walked in like anybody else would.

Heavenly Father, help us to cast aside our pre-conceived notions of how You work. May we always look to Your Word for the truth rather than living in our own dreamland. Thank You for Your care for us! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:27 “to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

   We know there are many who take issue with the translation here. They attempt to erase the incarnation. But to attempt this is simply foolish. One must invalidate all of Scripture once and for all in order to make this word not mean what it does. If this passage may be reinterpreted according to our whims, then any passage may be changed in fundamental ways.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the truth. Your Word is authentic. You have given us the plain facts. The Bible is not simply a list of empty platitudes that attempts to appear wise. It is a record of actual history that gives us a hope and a future. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

This weekend is our Bible project at church. I’m taking a break on posting until Monday.

Luke 1:26 “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,”

   It is interesting to see the wording here makes it very clear that this was the same angel that spoke to Zacharias. And we are told it was the six month. The sixth month of what? Elizabeth’s pregnancy. She was no longer hidden.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessing of children. Never we will be able to estimate the many blessings they bring to our lives. May we make a difference in their lives for You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:25 ““Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

   These days we have folks who might see it as a good thing to be childless. But, in Israel in that time it was considered a sign of God’s disfavor. This was a shame for both the husband and wife. The brunt of it hit the wife though. Elizabeth was very relieved to be free of this stigma.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Soon for all of us who were sinners. You have rolled away our reproach. Your love is amazing! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:24 “Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,”

   Elizabeth hid her size for this period. She knew God had given her this child, but she wanted to be sure of his safety. This may have been customary.

Heavenly Father, You are amazing. Your miracles never cease to inspire us to live for You. Thank You for Your love for us. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:23 “So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.”

   He would have had to remain in the temple area for a time to finish his duties. Surely he went home excited about what the Lord would do.

Heavenly Father, may we always be excited about what you will do in our lives. You have the best plans for us. We never know from one day to the next how you will bless us. Though trials come our way, even then we are taught to rejoice in your provision. You are good to us. May we be faithful to serve you, for you deserve our best! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:22 “But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.”

   It was not his inability to speak, but the expressions on his face, that clued the people in to the vision. They interpreted his expressions and his hand gestures to mean that he had seen a vision, before they realized that he was unable to talk.
   Of course, just as Zacharias’ inability to speak helped him to believe the angel, once the people realized that he was mute, it helped them to believe as well.

Heavenly Father, help us to believe You even when our flesh tells us that we know best. Help us to trust You to lead our lives in the way that You would have us to go. Help us realize that You always have our best interest at heart. You will lead us in the path that is best for our feet. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:21 “And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.”

   Though godly persons do not want a ritualistic religion, certain functions do have prescribed times and means. There could be any of a host of problems if a priest took too long in the temple. He could have a physical problem, or he could be doing something he’s not supposed to do. Either case would cause great concern, of course. Or, as was the case here, God could be speaking to him. This was the best of all possible causes.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your ministry. We are blessed both by the unexpected things that You do, and the routine. The routine is good for us in ministry because we are run by routine. But the unexpected is great as well because it reminds us of Your unexpected nature. We praise You for who You are, and how You work in our lives. Your mercy and grace are astounding! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.