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Voice in the Wilderness
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power will do what human power cannot. Through faith the child
of promise was given. Similarly, through faith spiritual life is born,
and God enables us to do the works of righteousness.
Five hundred years before, the angel Gabriel had revealed to
Daniel the prophetic period that would reach to the coming of Christ.
Zacharias knew that the end of this period was near, and this en-
couraged him to pray for the Messiah’s coming. Now, the very
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same angel through whom God had given the prophecy had come to
announce its fulfillment.
Zacharias Doubted
Zacharias had expressed doubt about the angel’s words. Now
he was not to speak again until they were fulfilled. “Behold, you
will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take
place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled
in their own time.” It was the duty of the priest in this service to pray
for pardon of sins and for the coming of the Messiah. But when
Zacharias attempted to do this, he could not speak a word. As he
came out from the Holy Place, his face was shining with the glory
of God, and the people “perceived that he had seen a vision in the
temple.” Zacharias “remained speechless,” but he communicated to
them what he had seen and heard.
Soon after the birth of the promised child, the father’s speech
was restored. “And all these sayings were discussed throughout all
the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them
in their hearts, saying, ‘What kind of child will this be?’% 7D’ All
this called attention to the Messiah’s coming.
The Holy Spirit rested on Zacharias, and he prophesied about
the mission of his son:
“You, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His
ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins.”
“So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” God had called