When John the Baptist was born nobody would know about the “Baptist” part for almost 30 years. What people did know was that something amazing was happening. Zechariah had seen a vision in the temple and had become mute, unable to argue with anyone let alone The Messenger from God. Then Elizabeth, a woman well past the age of childbearing became pregnant. For nine long months, Zechariah was unable to say anything until the time came to name the baby.
Luke 1: 65-66
” All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him.”
If you were God and you wanted to prepare your chosen people for a major event, what better way than to be silent for two hundred years or more? No prophets, no word from God until without warning God’s Messenger Angel, Gabriel, appears to Zechariah and then to Mary herself. Two women become pregnant within six months of each other, both by miraculous means. In a world where people love to talk about what happens to others, suddenly there was much to talk about!
Continue reading “The Hand of God”
