Dear Congregation,
Waiting for Zacharias
In Luke 1 we are told of a double waiting for Zacharias. They were waiting for Zacharias to come out from the presence of God in the Temple (v.21) … and then for Zacharias to speak but he could not (v.22).
We are told the reason related to his being met by the angel Gabriel while in the Temple as he burned incense to the Lord (vv.11-17), and his response to what Gabriel told him.
Gabriel announced to old Zechariah that he and his aged wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son. Their son, John, would be a prophet of God and go before the Lord Jesus.
Zacharias’ response is given in v.18, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” This was not a struggling of faith looking for help, but of mocking disbelief as the Gabriel makes clear in v.19-20,
“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But 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.”
Because Zechariah did not believe Gabriel’s words. Silenced by God, he endured perhaps the greatest difficulty and suffering of his life for most of the next year.
At the same time this was yet a mercy from God for now Zechariah had time to reflect, a lot of time – for 9 months he had no ability to speak. For 9 months he felt the chastening hand of God – for 9 months. Would he profit from it? What would be his first words?
What we do know is that they were not words of relief but of faith – and yet, even in that it was truly a word of relief born of anticipation. In v.64 we read ‘Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.’
The point Luke is making is that Zechariah’s first words were grounded in having heard the Word of God, reflecting on it in faith, embracing it by faith, trusting God but also submitting to God, prior to writing that word and speaking to the praise of God, and singing the song of faith. The fruit of those 9 months, cultivated by the evidences of God’s mercy and faithfulness, was that his renewed speech was to rejoice in the goodness of God. He blessed God.
This does not mean he was an unbeliever who suddenly was brought to faith – 1:6 makes it clear that this was not the case for both he and his wife the majority of their life behind them and filled with a deep sorrow of remaining childless, were a living example of true faith. They both and together received the divine commendation of being “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Zacharias was a true Israelite under the old covenant, a man of faith. But he had in that most wondrous moment within the Temple responded to God’s Word in light of his circumstances, rather than responded to his circumstances in light of the Word of God.
Do we not know something of that? Of being blinded by circumstances rather than confidently taking God’s Word to guide us through even dark circumstances, of being overwhelmed by our apparent weaknesses when we should have been looking for and drawing on the grace and help of the Lord in the assurance of His loving-kindness?
As we end this year with its restrictions (I know we still been able to speak, but go with the flow of thought for a minute) we have been given a time to step back, the business of our lives, the frantic activity, has been curbed and we have been given to me to reflect. As we come out of this year, as we embrace 2021 will it be with an expression of faith, and embracing of faith? Faith in a Sovereign and gracious God? Rejoicing with in His goodness?
Is 2020 just destined to become a bad memory, buried in the past, or can we speak of it in terms of praise to God?
There may be things we need to repent of to those closest to us, to friends… and above all to God because of how we responded to the challenges, restrictions and reverses of this year in grumbling and despair, in unbelief and rebellion.
But are there not blessings from God which we have discovered, assurances of God’s provision and evidences that God has not failed us this year?
“God has not failed this year. Many people’s prayer lives are deeper, their trust in God is greater, their confession of sin is more thorough, their marriages have been strengthened, their appreciation for worship and the church has grown, their sense of responsibility for others’ well-being has increased, and their relationship with the Lord himself is richer. These fruits are the work of the Holy Spirit Himself.” [James Faris]
Is this true of us? Maybe that is where we need to re-start today, to restart this coming Lord’s Day – and every day – a commitment to live a life by a Word-shaped faith throughout the whole of our life to the praise of the Lord our God.
As the year draws to a close what Christmas does is remind us that Christ Jesus is on His throne. And the right response is praise – and what better place to do that than to come together on the Lord’s day in the house God has given us to do so as a people, His people, the congregation of the Lord. Let us praise our gracious God for working faith in us by rejoicing in our Lord and His salvation, and for His continuing to work in us through our whole lives as the new year unfolds. May none be waiting for us to be praising our God and Saviour.