Zechariah’s Story

(Part 2 of 5 advent stories.)

Zechariah's Story

I know it was a foolish thing to say. Believe me, I know. I can’t forget that day. Without an angel, it already had become the greatest day of my life. I had been chosen by lot to burn incense on the golden altar for that day’s services. I had served more than forty years without the lot ever falling my way. And that’s it; once chosen, you are never given opportunity again. It is literally a once in a lifetime experience. 

Forgive me then if I wasn’t thinking straight. All my attention, all my energy was devoted to the task of placing the incense on the fire at the signal, which would then begin the day for sacrifices and worship. Such honor and responsibility – nothing was more momentous for me than this occasion.

And just after I laid the incense on the altar, and the smoke was rising as a symbol of God receiving the sacrifices to be offered, at that moment the angel appeared next to the altar. I wasn’t just startled; I was troubled; indeed, I was terrified. Had I done something wrong with the ritual? Was he going to slay me as Aaron’s sons were immediately slain for making a wrong offering? 

I just stood there, unable to move except for my uncontrollable trembling. Then, what he said was the last thing, the very last thing I expected him to say – Elizabeth was going to have a baby. Where did that come from? What did that have to do with the moment? 

A baby? He goes on about how much of a delight he will be to us. A baby? He will be great before the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. By the way, no wine or alcohol. Oh sure, whatever you say. A baby? He is to go in the spirit of Elijah and prepare the way for the Lord. Oh wow, that’s something. Did you say a baby? How can I really know this? My wife and I are old.

I know it was a stupid thing to say. I wasn’t thinking. You have a mighty angel appear out of nowhere in front of you while you are in the midst of the holiest act that you can do for your country, and then you keep your wits about you when he tells you that you and your wife in your old age will have a baby!

To be truthful with you, it wasn’t just that Gabriel brought up an unexpected subject. You have got to realize, we were childless. Do you know how I had longed to have a son? I like girls too, but a son to carry on my name – do you know what that means? After awhile you learn to keep your emotions in check and not to get your hopes up. We had long resigned ourselves that a child was not in God’s will for us. That’s okay. We were not bitter. But…well…anyhow…that’s why I questioned Gabriel. I knew better, but he had touched a nerve and I couldn’t help myself.

I suppose I got off easy being struck mute. My wife didn’t take it too hard, especially after she became pregnant. With Mary’s visit she had someone to talk with. When my son was born I expected to get my speech back. Gabriel had said that I would be mute until “these things” took place. I thought he meant my son’s birth. What more needed to be done? Oh yes…his name. I got a chuckle out of everyone’s perplexity when Elizabeth said he would be called John. When everyone inquired of me, I wrote, not his name will be or should be, but “His name is John.” There was no naming to do. He already possessed the name that the Lord had given, which I should add, means “favored of Yahweh.”

I did a lot of thinking during those months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. I thought about what Gabriel had said. He would be great in the sight of the Lord. My son would be great, my son! He would turn back many to God; my son would do this! And he would be filled with the Holy Spirit like the prophets of old, even like the mightiest of them, Elijah. My son! My son – now get this – my son would prepare the way for the Lord. The prophecies of Isaiah were about to be fulfilled. The Messiah was coming and my son would prepare the way!

Never was there a father more proud than I, holding him in my arms and prophesying over him.

    And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

           for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

    to give knowledge of salvation to his people

          in the forgiveness of their sins,

   because of the tender mercy of our God,

          whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

   to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

          to guide our feet into the way of peace.

To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins… is that not a beautiful mission? It never occurred to me that he would die young, beheaded in prison.

You would think that when you get older you would get wiser. Here I was a priest and one visited by an angel, and I still could not understand the price that comes with being “great before the Lord.” I’m glad I didn’t at the time. I was an old man when John was born and died before he began his ministry. I died believing that my son would triumphantly prepare the way for the Lord.

Now I know what it all meant. Now I know that there was another Father, who, while I held my infant son in my arms with delight, knew fully the price to be paid by his Son whose name meant “salvation of Yahweh.” Salvation, I learned, may be easy to receive, but it is so very costly to achieve. But my son and God’s Son played their roles well. My son did prepare the way for God’s Son, and God’s Son did deliver us from our sins. 

I am proud of my son, John. But I know now, there is a Father even more proud of his Son. For his Son – Jesus – because he delighted so much in his Father, because he delighted in doing his will, he became…well, as my own son one day would say – “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”