Luke the beloved physician wrote concerning Zacharias, “there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him”, and in chapter one and verse thirteen of his book Luke shares, “the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias”, where we read:
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard;
and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
The verse reads, “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard;” Luke began with the words, “But the angel” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding, moreover and the messenger or envoy” “said unto him” which means “uttered, declared and proclaimed to Zacharias”, “Fear not” or “do not be afraid, struck with terror and seized with alarm”, “Zacharias” whose name means “remembered of God” and was “the father of John the Baptist”: “for your prayer” or “because, since and on account that your oration, supplication and worship” “is heard” which means “is given heed to, complied with, assented to and listened to”. Luke shared how the “angel” encouraged Zacharias not to be “afraid” because his “prayer” to God was given heed.
The verse goes on to say, “and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” Luke continued with the words, “and your wife Elisabeth” which means “and Elisabeth who was the female spouse of Zacharias” “shall bear you a son” or “will engender and birth a male child for Zacharias”, “and you shall call his name” which means “and Zacharias was to name his male child” “John” or “Jehovah is a gracious giver”. Luke shared how the “angel” told Zacharias that his wife, Elisabeth, would have a male child, and Zacharias was to name the child “John”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn about the comfort and message provided to Zacharias through this “angel”. Zacharias was “afraid” and “filled with terror” when he saw the “messenger from God”, and the first words of the “angel” was to encourage him to be at “peace”. Afterward, the “angel” let him know his “prayer is heard” which implies that Zacharias had been “praying”, and because the answer was that his wife Elisabeth would provide a son for him, we know God was listening to him. The name “John”, which Zacharias was to name his son, means “Jehovah is a gracious giver”, and when we apply that to God's character, we see how He desires to “give and provide” to mankind. John the apostle wrote, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), and those who study what the “angel” said to Zacharias and how God is a “gracious giver” do best to yield their lives to the only One who is able to save those who receive Him.
Next time Luke shares how the angel said, “you shall have joy and gladness”, 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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