How you respond to God’s communication gives insight into your heart and spiritual path. When the Lord gives us guidance, wisdom, insight, and direction, we must trust Him. Sometimes, communication does not make sense to our human mind and requires faith.
Zechariah was a priest who was righteous before God and faithful. One day, as his division was on duty serving in the Temple, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Offering incense before the Lord was a great privilege and was a once-in-a-lifetime assignment. On this particular day, God sent the angel Gabriel to communicate a special message to him.
Luke 1:13God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.[1] The message given by the angel Gabriel must have seemed too good to be true.
Zechariah Struggles With God’s Plan
As Zechariah received the message, he knew that he and his wife Elizabeth were beyond the age of having children. Doubt began to creep into his heart. Although Zechariah was a faithful believer, believing what Gabriel told him was a struggle.
Luke 1:18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” [2]
Whether you are Zechariah or another fellow believer, there are consequences for not trusting the Lord’s communication. For Zechariah, he would be silent during the nine months of pregnancy until John was born. Through this time, God would work on Zechariah’s heart, showing God’s patience and compassion.
Elizabeth’s Response to God’s Plan
How did Zechariah communicate to Elizabeth about the message Gabriel gave him after he returned home? The text does not say. Luke 1:24 Soon afterward, his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” [3]
While Zechariah may have doubted, it was not long before Elizabeth conceived a child and was overjoyed. Being an older mother who had not had a child before did not seem to cause any doubt in her heart.
God speaks to us in different ways, such as through His word, the Holy Spirit, dreams, visions, and angels. We can follow the Lord’s guidance or let doubt consume us. Is the Lord speaking to you today? If so, what is He telling you? What action is He calling you to take? You can learn more about how you respond to God’s communication by listening here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/an-angel-surprise
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.