I always thought it was funny how the Book of John introduces us to John right away, only he is not the “John” of the title.  He is the one we call “John the Baptist”.  His story is told in Luke, Chapter 1, where we hear that he was born to a couple in their old age.  They were “very old” and had no children.  Zechariah, John’s father was a priest.  He was chosen by lot to burn incense in the Temple of the Lord.  According to Matthew Henry, this was probably the only time in his life he would have this honor because there were so many priests and, though incense was burned every day, it is likely that this event occurred on a Sabbath day since there were so many people at the temple (vs. 10).  In addition, this was not the Day of Atonement, the one day of the year where the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies (as I have always heard); instead this was the regular time of incense burning which took place in the Temple (which was just adjacent to the Holy of Holies).  Still, he was alone in there and an angel appeared to him.  And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him (Luke 1:12).  But isn’t the Lord good?  The angel told him not to be afraid – this is pretty much the same reaction that angels always get and the people are reassured and told not to fear.  Zechariah is also told that his wife will bear a son who will be great in the sight of the Lord…he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.  Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.  And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:15-17).  Now Zechariah and Elizabeth, his wife, were both from the line of Aaron, the family of priests, and both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly (Luke 1:6) and they knew of the prophecies, they knew of Elijah, so think of the blessing this would have been to them!  Zechariah is so amazed that he literally cannot believe it – he asks for a sign.  I love the reply: I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news (Luke 1:19). 

Long-prayed prayers answered for a couple to have a child, and that these godly people to would have a son who would walk in a way that pleases the Lord – what a blessing!  And beyond that, the long-prayed prayers of a people, the nation of Israel, would be answered…the Lord was coming…and their child would play a part in it!   But because he did not believe, the sign was that Zechariah was struck speechless until the birth of his son – he could not tell anyone the good news!  And such good news it was!  Where Zechariah could not speak, his wife, while pregnant would encourage Mary, the mother of Jesus with these words: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:42-45).  Likewise, their son could not be quiet.  In the book of John (and in all of the gospels), we see John the Baptist fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah (Is 40:3), saying, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘˜Make straight the way for the Lord'” (John 1:23).  This good news had to be shared, it could not be contained.

John was like a prophet of old speaking a message of repentance.   It had been over 400 years since the last prophet to Israel.  He was Malachi and he prophesied about the forerunner of the Lord: “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.(Mal 3:1).  And later, the reference to Elijah: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Mal 4:5-6)  And when he came, he was not to be overlooked.  He was a sight!  He came baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:4-8).  And, true to his word, when he saw Jesus approaching he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  This is the one I meant when I said, ‘˜A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”  Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.  I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘˜The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God” (John 1:30-34).

Two things jump out at me in all of this, the story of John the Baptist and his family.  One is when God comes to you, when He speaks to you, you must believe in order to receive the full blessing.  Second, you must be ready for God to speak through you.  I love the saying: You may be the only Bible some people ever read.  God has done marvelous things in my life – I must believe in Him to know that He is at the heart of every blessing I have ever known AND I must be ready and willing to share it, unapologetically.  The Word of God, Himself, He resides in me.  Let me not silence Him.  Let my life not distract from His message.  May my words and my life be an offering to Him, but beyond that, may they be a witness to who He is.

justAgirl…just like you