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54
From Heaven With Love
cannot do will be wrought by the power of God in every believing
soul. Through faith the child of promise was given. Through faith
spiritual life is begotten, and we are enabled to do the works of
righteousness.
Five hundred years before, the angel Gabriel had made known
to Daniel the prophetic period which was to extend to the coming
of Christ. The knowledge that the end of this period was near had
moved Zacharias to pray for the Messiah’s advent. Now, the very
same angel through whom the prophecy was given had come to
announce its fulfillment.
Zacharias Doubted
Zacharias had expressed doubt of the angel’s words. He was
not to speak again until they were fulfilled. “Behold, you will be
silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to
pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled
in their time.” RSV. 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 utter a word. As he
came forth 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 dumb” but through “signs” (RSV)
communicated to them what he had seen and heard.
Soon after the birth of the promised child, the father’s tongue
was loosed. “And all these things were talked about through all the
hill country of Judea; and all who heard them laid them up in their
hearts, saying, ‘What then will this child be?’” RSV. All this called
attention to the Messiah’s coming.
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The Holy Spirit rested upon Zacharias, and he prophesied of the
mission of his son:
Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:
For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His
ways; ...
To give knowledge of salvation unto His people
By the remission of their sins.