Luke 1:65 “Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.”

   Though the Jewish people did expect the Messiah, their expectations were very colored by recent history. The Maccabees had accomplished much for the Jews, but by force. Thus, the Jewish mindset was to look for the Messiah to be a military leader. The circumstances of John’s birth, as a result, enjoyed only regional popularity.

Heavenly Father, help us to see with Your eyes. You see clearly. But for us, we must rely on Your vision like a good pair of glasses. We cannot see things as they really are. We praise You for Your wisdom, and Your great plan! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:64 “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.”

   Zacharias was released from the rebuke of Gabriel the moment he expressed his faith by declaring the name of John. This is very interesting because it reveals to us God’s thinking. Gabriel said Zacharias would be mute until ‘these things’ took place. But all of the things Gabriel foretold had not yet taken place. For example, John’s preaching ministry had not yet begun.
   However, all that Zacharias needed to accomplish had been done. He had named the child as the had been instructed. The rest of it was out of his hands so to speak. So he was released we he had acted in accordance with what Gabriel had told him. All that Zacharias had to do with the fulfillment of had indeed come to pass.

Heavenly Father, may we be faithful to act upon what You have told us. We want to honor Your truth with obedience. It is the best way to show that we truly believe. Faith without works is dead. You deserve more than a dead lip service. We want to be living testimonies of Your grace and mercy. We love You, and we thank You for loving us first! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

I am taking a week off from posting. I will resume next Sunday, the Lord willing. Have a blessed week!

Luke 1:63 “And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.”

   The group was rebuked by Zacharias. Elizabeth had already made it very clear what the child should be named. Zacharias took it a step further and explained in his response that the child had already been named. There was no need for discussion, it was already done. This was altogether correct because the child was already named directly by God.

Heavenly Father, help us to take a bold stand for You. We are to be kind and loving, but we need not change the facts of the message. What You have done, You have done, regardless of the world’s incredulity. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:62 “So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.”

   Of course, Zacharias would have the final say. But, it was incredibly unkind of those present to assume that Elizabeth and Zacharias wouldn’t be in agreement. Obviously, they didn’t even take the time to write out the question, quite unthoughtful.

Heavenly Father, make us kind! It is amazing how kind You are to us. You are full of goodness. You are holy, loving, and kind. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:61 “But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

   Jewish families name children after relatives for several reasons. For one, tradition, everything is about tradition. Also, it is a custom many in the ancient world observed. Finally, it was done in honor of that relative. In connection with that thought, they hoped the child would receive the same blessings as the honored relative.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing blessings. How can we ever pay You back? Though we cannot, You have given us the ability to love You. You are worthy of all the praise! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:60 “His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”

   This was very clear to Elizabeth, otherwise she would not have spoken this definitely. There was no discussion or disagreement between her and Zacharias. But, they would likely not have mentioned the name to anyone, or only a select few, before this.

Heavenly Father, thank You for guiding us. You show us things in Your good time. Though we think we know the best timing, we don’t. We praise You for always getting it just right. You are Lord! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:59 “So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.”

   Though Jewish parents do ultimately decide the name of their children, this is not the only example of others doing the naming, or trying to. Consider Ruth 4:17, where the neighbor ladies give Obed his name. Also, naming children after an honored relative is common among some Jews even today. Indeed, just the experience of Zacharias in the temple would have made him the most honored of all the child’s family. Yet it was because of this very experience that the boy would be named John instead.

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us Your way. Sometimes we want to do things that we think are really good. But You have something far better in mind for us. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:58 “When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.”

   They held off on their opinions a bit till they saw that she brought the child to birth. They may have doubted before that. Childbearing was thought of very highly, so it was quite a blessing in the eyes of the community that Elizabeth was given her son.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your blessings. Help us to remember, though, that Your blessings come with Your purpose. We may think we know why things happen, but we often do not. You always work things out for the best. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:57 “Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.”

   John was born right on time, and just as the angel had said. I’m sure that pregnancy was unique for Elizabeth. She would have to know that was the only child she would ever carry. But, she also didn’t have to worry about a miscarriage. And, she knew the name, gender, and life calling of her child even before his conception. Mary shared in this uniqueness, though in her case she was young enough for more children, which she had.

Heavenly Father, sometimes You have things in mind for us that we could never dream of. Mary and Elizabeth knew You could do these things, but they would not have expected You to use them in this way. May we be available to You for all that You have planned for us. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.