Chapter 10—The Voice in the Wilderness
This chapter is based on
Luke 1:5-23, 57-80
;
Luke 3:1-18
;
Luke
3:1-12
;
Mark 1:1-8
.
From among the faithful in Israel, who had long waited for the
coming of the Messiah, the forerunner of Christ arose. The aged priest
Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth were “both righteous before God;”
and in their quiet and holy lives the light of faith shone out like a star
amid the darkness of those evil days. To this godly pair was given
the promise of a son, who should “go before the face of the Lord to
prepare His ways.”
Zacharias dwelt in “the hill country of Judea,” but he had gone up
to Jerusalem to minister for one week in the temple, a service required
twice a year from the priests of each course. “And it came to pass,
that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his
course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to
burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.”
He was standing before the golden altar in the holy place of the
sanctuary. The cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel was ascend-
ing before God. Suddenly he became conscious of a divine presence.
An angel of the Lord was “standing on the right side of the altar.” The
position of the angel was an indication of favor, but Zacharias took
no note of this. For many years he had prayed for the coming of the
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Redeemer; now heaven had sent its messenger to announce that these
prayers were about to be answered; but the mercy of God seemed too
great for him to credit. He was filled with fear and self-condemnation.
But he was greeted with the joyful assurance: “Fear not, Zacharias:
for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and
thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness;
and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of
the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be
filled with the Holy Ghost.... And many of the children of Israel shall
he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit
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