Reading Plan:
Luke 1:57-80


Our Thoughts:
Nine months. This was the length of time Zechariah remained utterly silent. Luke tells us Zechariah doubted God’s promise, so God wounded Zechariah by suppressing his voice. Sound harsh?

Silencing Zechariah was the equivalent of a parent removing privilege from a child who’d failed to use it wisely. Zechariah was a priest. I can imagine he wielded the word of God with as much precision and proficiency as a skilled whittler wields a knife or master violinist wields a bow on its strings. This would have been requisite. His purpose in life was to know well and proclaim boldly the promises of God to people who’d not heard the prophetic voice of God for 400 years.

Knowing the scriptures, Gabriel’s message would have been familiar to Zechariah. Isaiah and Malachi had prophesied of one coming to prepare the way for the Messiah. Yet somehow, this “righteous”, “blameless” soul still failed to believe the word of God he’d both known and proclaimed most of his life. How could this be?

Perhaps Zechariah had begun to assume the promises of God were not meant for him. Perhaps he’d relinquished hope that God’s promise of The Son, like his hope for a son, would be answered in his lifetime. Maybe he’d forgotten faith “is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Because of his unbelief, God silenced Zechariah. God wounded him; incapacitated him. God took away the necessary tool of his trade and one he’d wielded blamelessly in his work for the Lord.

Has God ever wounded you or allowed you to be wounded? Has He ever taken away the thing (or person) you thought made you, kept you, sustained you? Has God ever hushed you, disabled, or isolated you?

I believe God wounds and allows wounding not to punish as much as to heal and restore us (Isaiah 30). I’ve often said God’s hand in my life has that of a skilled surgeon—able to cut and care for me with incredible precision to bring about the healing and restoration I so desperately need. We see this “pruning” work described in John 15.

As Zechariah got still and quiet, I believe God began surgery on his heart, convicting and reassuring, cutting and caring.

A life-long student of the Word, Zechariah would have returned to the scriptures—working to make sense of Gabriel’s message. He’d have reflected on the accounts of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He’d have remembered Joseph and recalled Moses with God’s people in the wilderness longing for the Promised Land. He would have retraced the lineage of David and examined all the prophesies that came before (Hebrews 11).

And Zechariah would have remembered God’s faithfulness throughout all of history. God never forgets His promises. Nor does He ever once fail to keep them. Every word of the Lord comes to pass (Ezekiel 12:25). This message given to Zechariah was surely the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise woven throughout all of history to that point in time.
As God revealed these threads of truth, I’m sure Zechariah—with deep conviction and a ton of humility—repented of his unbelief. And like the promised baby growing inside his precious wife, I’m certain Zechariah’s confidence in God grew.

When the time came to name his son, God graciously restored Zechariah’s voice. Even more generous, He’d restored Zechariah’s faith and put a new song on his lips. God allowed Zechariah to announce the fulfillment of the promises of God he’d long preached to others! Zechariah prophesied about the imminent coming of Jesus and John’s role in the story of God. This is AMAZING! After 400 years of silence, God had begun to speak again; first through Gabriel, then Elizabeth and Mary; and as we read in this passage, Zechariah.

Like Zechariah, we stand on the promises of God. The hope of the Gospel is woven throughout all of history and continues for all eternity. Even now, as we wait for Christ’s return, we can live with confidence that it will come to pass. God always keeps His promises!


More Questions:
• In times of uncertainty or heartache, what promises of God can you cling to? What promises can you share with the lost and hurting in your life?
• How has God demonstrated His faithfulness in your life?


Prayer:
God is working even in our wounding. Choose to be still and quiet with Him. He longs to restore your faith, your hope, your JOY! He wants to put in you a new song.
Listen to “Promises” by Maverick City, and then confess its truth back to Him.

God of Abraham, God of covenant and of faithful promises
Time and time again You have proven You’ll do just what you said
Though the storms may come, and the winds may blow I’ll remain steadfast
And let my heart learn when you speak a word it will come to pass
Great is your faithfulness to me
Great is your faithfulness to me
From the rising sun, to the setting same
I will praise your name
Great is your faithfulness to me



Author: Lauren Strickland