December 11, 2005

Luke 1:5-25, 57-80 The Birth of the Herald of the Great King

Winter sunset near Lowell AR


5During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. 7But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old.
8It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, 9it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. 10The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. 11Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. 12Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.

13But the angel reassured him, "Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. 14You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you--many will delight in his birth. 15He'll achieve great stature with God.

"He'll drink neither wine nor beer. He'll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother's womb. 16He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. 17He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics--he'll get the people ready for God."

18Zachariah said to the angel, "Do you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."

19But the angel said, "I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. 20But because you won't believe me, you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth. Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time--God's time."

21Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. 22When he came out and couldn't speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.

23When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home.[ 24It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. 25"So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.


57When Elizabeth was full-term in her pregnancy, she bore a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives, seeing that God had overwhelmed her with mercy, celebrated with her.
59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child and were calling him Zachariah after his father. 60But his mother intervened: "No. He is to be called John."

61"But," they said, "no one in your family is named that." 62They used sign language to ask Zachariah what he wanted him named.

63Asking for a tablet, Zachariah wrote, "His name is to be John." That took everyone by surprise. 64Surprise followed surprise--Zachariah's mouth was now open, his tongue loose, and he was talking, praising God!

65A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighborhood, and in all that Judean hill country people talked about nothing else. 66Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, "What will become of this child? Clearly, God has his hand in this."

67Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,



68Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he came and set his people free.

69He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives,

and in the very house of David his servant,

70Just as he promised long ago

through the preaching of his holy prophets:

71Deliverance from our enemies

and every hateful hand;

72Mercy to our fathers,

as he remembers to do what he said he'd do,

73What he swore to our father Abraham--

74a clean rescue from the enemy camp,

So we can worship him without a care in the world,

75made holy before him as long as we live.



76And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest,"

will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways,

77Present the offer of salvation to his people,

the forgiveness of their sins.

78Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,

God's Sunrise will break in upon us,

79Shining on those in the darkness,

those sitting in the shadow of death,

Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,

down the path of peace.



80The child grew up, healthy and spirited. He lived out in the desert until the day he made his prophetic debut in Israel.

From "The Message" translation by Eugene Peterson 2002 all rights reserved