LUKE 1.57-66
It was also time for Elizabeth to give birth to her son,
John. Elizabeth’s neighbours shared in her joy at the unusual birth of this
unusual child. According to Jewish custom, the parents assigned a child’s name
on the eighth day after its birth, at the time when the ancient rite of
circumcision was performed. When it came time to circumcise Elizabeth’s son,
everyone assumed that the child would be named after his father Zechariah. But
Elizabeth insisted on naming the child John in obedience to Gabriel’s command.
Zechariah, still unable to speak, affirmed this decision by writing the child’s
name on a tablet. At that moment Zechariah was again enabled to speak. Bottled
up for nine months, Zechariah’s first words were expressions of praise to God.
News spread, and the entire countryside heard about these remarkable events.
People wondered what this child would accomplish. There was a hint of
expectancy in the air. This child, John the Baptist, would in his adulthood
burst onto the scene as a fiery prophet calling people to repentance and
preparing people for the coming of their king, God’s Messiah, Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment