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vorably on me and took away my public “And they had no child, because that Elisa-
disgrace” (v25 ISV). beth was barren, and they both were now
Note that the text tells us both Zacha- well stricken in years” (v7), we are being
rias and Elisabeth were righteous and set up to expect another miracle baby. God
blameless before the Lord, but she was can always do the impossible.
barren. We should not make the mistake
of thinking that righteous lives will lead to An Ancient Messenger
physical blessings. Here is a couple who There’s someone in our story even
pleased God consistently but never had older than Zacharias and Elisabeth, but
a crib in their little home. Perhaps you’re we’re getting too far ahead. First, we find
reading this and wondering why it has our senior saint, Zacharias, officiating in
never happened for you. You and your priestly capacity in the temple. There
3
spouse have waited patiently and there were approximately 8,000 priests living in
are still only two people in your home. Palestine at this time. They were grouped
We can always trust God’s perfect plan, into 24 divisions. Zacharias’ division, “the
even if it does not make sense to us at the course of Abijah” (v5), served for two one-
moment. week periods per year, as did the others.
Zacharias and Elisabeth were not the “Each division was further subdivided
only couple in Scripture who were unable into orders, and each order served a daily
to have children. And they were not the rotation during its week of service at the
only couple beyond the age of expectancy temple.” Particular responsibilities were
4
when a child was given to them. Abraham assigned by the casting of lots. On this
and Sarah were senior saints, and we occasion, Zacharias’ “lot was to burn
remember how that turned out – Isaac, incense when he went into the temple of
the child of promise, was born. The next the Lord” (v9). The offering of incense at
generation was faced with a similar prob- the altar would be considered the greatest
lem. Rebekah was barren for 20 years after ministry of his priestly career, a privilege
marrying the miracle man himself, Isaac. some priests were never granted. Once
He prayed and God answered, not with selected for this special responsibility, a
one son but two, Esau and Jacob. The next priest would never be chosen for it again.
generation came along. Jacob married Therefore, we find Zacharias on what was
Rachel and she too was childless until, likely the biggest day of his life. It was
after many painful years, Joseph was born. serious business, not only to enter the
And we should not forget about Hannah, holy place, but to stand just before the
and the wife of Manoah, and the unnamed cherubim-embroidered veil separating
woman of Shunem. Scripture is saturated
with story after story of barrenness. But 3 God restricted the age of priests to 25-50 (see
God, in each case, did the impossible. Num 8:24-26), but service by those over 50 was
How? Because, as Dale Ralph Davis put not completely prohibited. “They may assist
it, “promise trumps genetics.” So even their colleagues in the tent of meeting” (v26
2
NET). This explains how Zacharias, who was
though we happen upon these words, likely well beyond 50 years of age, was able to
offer incense on the altar.
2 Dale Ralph Davis, Luke 1-13: The Year of the 4 Darrell L. Bock, Luke: Baker Exegetical
Lord’s Favor (Scotland, UK: Christian Focus Commentary on the New Testament (Grand
Publications, 2021), 21. Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1996), 1:76.
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