Luke the physician wrote how Zacharias and Elisabeth had a son that was promised by the “angel Gabriel”, “and it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of your kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea”, and in chapter one and verse sixty-six of his book Luke shared how, “all they that hear them laid them up in their hearts” where we read:
And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,
What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
The verse reads, “And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “and all they that heard them” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the people who were given the faculty of hearing, perceived, noticed and were made aware of the sayings pertaining to Zacharias and Elisabeth” “laid them up in their hearts” which means “set, placed, fixed and established the sayings within their souls or minds, as they are the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes and endeavors”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. Luke shared how the people who “heard” the “sayings” concerning Zacharias and Elisabeth “stored” them within their souls and minds while asking the following statement.
The verse goes on to say, “... What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.” Luke continued with the words, “What manner of child shall this be” which means “what kind of little boy will this boy exist as”! “And the hand” or “and the aid, help, might, power and activity” “of the Lord” which means “belonging to the one a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah” “was with him” or “was alongside and after the child named John”. Luke shared how the people who heard the “sayings” surrounding the event of John's birth knew he was a “special” child and God's “power and might” was “with him”.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how people who heard about the birth of John and the events surrounding his birth kept those “sayings” in their “minds and souls”. They knew this child was going to be a “special” child and Luke affirmed that “the Lord was with him”. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and because “John” was to be the “fore-runner” of the Lord, these events should make all who consider them marvel at the wonderful works of God. Let all who read these words yield their lives to Jesus whom God purposed would come through a series of events including the naming of his “fore-runner” John.
Next time Luke shares how, “his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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