DUMB (literally) OLD ZACHARIAH!
OR THE POWER OF UNBELIEF!
As we continue our report about the people and circumstances that were present during the most critical event in all history, these two statements from Jesus are essential to meditate on and understand“The good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart, and the evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil in his heart; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.”
(Luke 6:45)
“Jesus replied, “Have faith in God [constantly]. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, WHOEVER says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to take place; it will be done for him.
For this reason, I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received them, and they will be given to you.”(Mark 11:22-24)
Let’s tie these two teachings of the King of Kings together.
From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks, and we will have whatsoever we say if we say it without doubt.
Have you ever heard anybody say, “I think I am getting sick or catching something”; Who did not?
Remember these promises from Jesus as you learn about Zachariah.
We are continuing our series on the folk that Godpersonally selected to participate in His Gloriousentrance into the world to be fully God and fully man.
Zachariah, the stiff-necked stuck in the mud old priest featured here, is a type of person that lives even today — the rock hard pew dweller who is incapable of learning new things about Jesus.
They are so attached to their religious paradigms, most of which are not in the Bible that they are incapable of learning the truth. Their fate is sad. They will never be able to see the things of the Kingdom of God during their brief stay on earth. It is impossible for the light to penetrate the armor of self-righteousness.
Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth were both descendants of Aaron. They were holy and sinless in the sight of God because they kept all of the ritual sacrifices necessary to make atonement for sins under the law of Moses. They were both very old, and Elizabeth was barren.
Zachariah was a priest in the order of Abia. It was the tradition that the priests would cast lots, which was like rolling dice to determine whose job it was to enter the Holy of Holies where the ark of the covenant was kept, to burn incense at the altar. This ritual was to send prayers up to God through the incense smoke.
Zach got the duty this year. Going into the Holy of Holies was a big deal. It is said that if a priest entered and had unrepentant and sins that had not been atoned for, they would die instantly. So they tied a rope around their ankles with bells on them just in case. If the bells rang and the priest did not respond, since only priests could enter, the folks would drag them out with the rope.
Zach was burning incense when Gabriel showed up. We aren’t positive what Gabriel looks like, but here is a description of Michael, which we can assume was also how Gabriel appeared. If you read last weeks teaching on angels, you will remember this description as personally witnessed by Daniel:
“I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose loins were girded with a belt of] pure gold of Uphaz.”
Uphaz was an area filled with the purest of all forms of gold.
“His body also was like beryl (beryl is an exquisite, rare jewel dazzling in color. Emeralds are a type of beryl.), his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and his feet like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words was like the noise of a multitude of people or the roaring of the sea.”(Daniel 10:5-6)
Your first reaction to a sight like that would be to pass out and soil your clothing. Zach was overcome with fear. Until Gabriel said the funniest thing ever said until that moment!
“Fear Not!”
Remember, Mark 11:24. There, Jesus tells us to believe when we pray that we have received. Zach was having none of it. He was a pure see it when I believe it guy.
So when he and Elizabeth were married, and he prayed for a son, and Elizabeth didn’t get pregnant, Zach went around saying that she was barren and spoke that into existence, so she never was able to become pregnant, even though God answered His prayer at the time Zach made it. He spoke his son out of existence.
Enter Gabriel with a direct promise from God Himself. Gabriel told Zach that his prayer had been answered and that he would have a son. Gabriel told Zach all about his son. He said to him that his son would be great and that he would call the Jews to repentance to prepare them for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Gabriel told Zachariah that his son would be filled with the Holy Spirit at the point of conception.
Read the full description in the first chapter of Luke. Remember the prophecy thatJohn would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the instant of conception. It will be shockingly demonstrated in our teaching on Elizabeth and Mary.
Get this! Zachariah has just seen a man as described by Daniel show up and tell him all of these glorious blessings that would be placed on his son, the answered prayer.
“Do not be afraid, Zacharia, because your petition in prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.”
“You will have great joy and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth, for he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord; and will never drink wine or liquor, and he will be filled with and empowered to act by the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.”
Gabriel continued to describe Zachariah’s amazing son in detail. Read Luke 1 for more information. Stunningly, shockingly, astonishingly, Zachariah asked Gabriel one of the dumbest questions in the history of man:
“And Zacharia said to the angel, “How will I be certain of this? I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in age.”
Can you imagine making an angel blow his top? Zachariah’s stupendous unbelief rocked Gabriel. Now, remember those two rock-solid foundational scriptures we started with.
Zachariah was like most people today. He was conditioned to live by sight and senses. Strangely, He believed in an unseen God as many do to this day. But he would not believe the promise of the Lord because his senses told him that he was old, and Elizabeth was barren.
To this very day, there are “believers,” who will shut their ears and fight the promises of Jesus with everything they have. Here are a few that really irritate them: (John 3:16-17, Romans 10:9-10, 1 Peter 2:24, John 14:12-14, 2 Peter1;1-4, Mark 11:22-24, Matthew 8:17-18)
As Jesus followers, we are required to believe Him and His Words, regardless of what we see. In fact, faith is living in this present moment, celebrating the receipt of the great and precious blood guaranteed promises of Jesus regardless of what we see, touch, taste, hear, or smell.
Paul taught us that “The Just (everyone who has made a decision to believe and believe in Jesus is made Just or Justified, placed in right standing and found not guilty by God) shall live by faith!”(Romans 1:17)
Paul also, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, taught us this key to life in the Spirit:
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, and is subject to change but what is unseen is eternal and does not change.” (2Corinthians4:18)
If only poor old Zach had known and practiced this concept, his fate would have been different.
John was a required prerequisite to the coming of the Lord into the world as a human. At this time, Jesus was still the Messiah, the one who was to come. Zachariah’s unbelief and negative mouth could have wrecked God’s plan. Gabriel had no alternative but to do what happened next.
“The angel replied and said to him, “I am Gabriel; I stand and minister in the very presence of God, and I have been sent by Him to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Listen carefully; you will be continually silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place because you did not believe what I told you, but my words will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Now get this picture: The purpose of going into the Holy of Holies and lighting the incense is to receive a message from God for the people.
Outside the temple, a vast crowd of people was waiting for Zach to come out and deliver the message God had given Him for them. When he walked out, all Zach good do was give hand signs. From then until John was born, John communicated by writing on a slate. Embarrassing?
Unbelief is so powerful and God can’t make us believe. We just have to deal with the consequences of it.
Next teaching, we will learn about Zach’s wife, Elizabeth.
Thank you all so very much!! I am beaming love to you all!
