The most sacred offering of the day was about to be offered. It was a high hour for the priests as they cast lots to choose who would go alone into the Holy Place and there make the sacred offering. Those who had never made this offering waited in anticipation.
Today the lot fell to the oldest priest present, a man named Zachariah. As his name was announced, one of the other priests knelt beside him and tied a rope around his ankle. Should Zachariah see the face of God while he was in the Holy Place, he would surely die. The rope would then serve to recover the body.
Zachariah stood before the entrance to the temple both terrified and expectant. Slowly he entered the Holy Place, studied this mysterious room, and then began to perform the ancient rituals of his ancient faith.
Little did Zachariah realize as he began his priestly task outside the temple that the Door between the two realms was at his very own home where his wife, Elizabeth, was praying. And little did he realize as he entered the Holy Place that the Door had moved and had come to rest within that part of the temple where he now stood.
From out of the other realm Gabriel stepped into the sacred room. Zachariah, aware that someone stood behind him, turned to see what audacious priest had dared follow him into the Holy Place.
But Zachariah beheld no priest. What he saw was the most incredible being that human eyes might dare to gaze upon. Before him, standing to the right of the altar of incense, was a shining being from the other realm.
“Who. . . are. . .you?" asked a terrified Zachariah.
But from out of the mouth of the angel came words as reassuring as Zachariah had ever heard.
“Do not be afraid. I am here to tell you that your prayers for the deliverance of Israel have been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son. When the child is born, you are to name him John. And on the day of his birth you will be joyful and full of gladness.
There will be many who will rejoice at the birth of your son, for he will grow to be great in the eyes of your Lord. He will not drink wine, nor any other strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even when he is in his mother’s womb.
Furthermore, many of the people of Israel will be turned to the Lord God because of him, and it will be your son who will go before the Lord. He will go in the spirit and the power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. The disobedient he will turn to the wisdom of righteousness. It will be the task of your son to prepare a people for the Lord when he comes.”
Zachariah, dazed in the presence of the glowing angel, began to shake his head. “No, no! That is not possible. No, no! This cannot be. How can I know this is true? Look at me. You see I am an old man. And my wife is past the time of childbearing.”
Gabriel was not accustomed to living in a realm where things that were true were also doubted. He took a step toward Zechariah and glared down at him.
“I am the angel of God. I am the announcer of the will of the Most High. It is I who stand in the very presence of the Lord. It is my God, the Almighty God, who sent me here to speak to you. I have brought you glad tidings, and you have not believed. Therefore, you shall be dumb! You will not speak another word until the day these things come to pass. You have not believed my words, but in time my words will be fulfilled.”
With that, Gabriel vanished.
‘Where has he gone?’ marveled Zachariah. ‘How could he have just disappeared?’
This very confused priest was about to demand the archangel's return, only to discover that he had lost his voice! In horror, Zachariah clutched at his throat with one hand and clawed at the air with the other. He began beating on the golden walls trying to find the secret passageway by which the angel had so suddenly departed. His efforts were futile, however, for the creature whom he so desperately sought was now a universe away.
Finally Zachariah ran, most unceremoniously, out of the Holy Place and into the courtyard, all the while pointing at his throat with both his hands. Seeing that no one understood him, he pointed to his eyes, gesturing frantically, trying to describe with his hands the lighted creature he had just seen. All in all, he did no more than make himself a spectacle before the waiting throng. His gestures were unclear, but the message was obvious. Zechariah had seen some sort of vision within the temple and had been struck dumb at the sight of it.
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