4-5. Angel Gabriel Promises Baby Boys

December 23 or January 3

LINK: Luke 1:5-38 

STORYTELLING: Angels to Mary and Joseph

BACKGROUND

Both these events are so significant! God had not spoken through angels or prophets for four hundred years. The angel promises of baby boys to both Zechariah and Mary were phenomenal! The Messiah (Jesus) and His forerunner (John) had both been prophesied from of old. 

4.  An angel promises the birth of John to Zechariah: Luke 1:5-25

Zacharias was a member of the course of Abijah, one of the twenty-four clans or ranks of priests who maintained the Temple ritual (1 Chronicles 24:10). The 'courses' took turns in conducting the ceremonies of worship and each member usually had the privilege of presiding once in his lifetime (1 Chronicles 24:19). The opportunity of offering incense was the high point of Zacharias' career, for he was delegated to enter into the holy place of the Temple, where the altar of incense stood before the mysterious veil that concealed the Holy of Holies.  (Merrill c. Tenney, New Testament Times, p. 139)

Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people but were not able to have children, which was shameful in Jewish culture and a sign of the absence of God's blessing. But God had broken through the barrenness barrier to accomplish His purposes in the past (Isaac, Samson, Samuel), and He would break through it again to bring us a very key figure in the gospel narrative. 

Incense and prayers were offered twice a day, and while this happened prayers were offered by the people when they saw the smoke. Gabriel (Daniel 8:16, 9:21) announced that Zechariah's prayer for a son would be answered.  Note the six things said about John in Luke 1:14-17. One significant characteristic was that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. It should be noted that Luke refers to the Holy Spirit more than any other gospel author.

John would "go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah" (1:17). This is a reference to Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6 which speak of a messenger to be sent to clear the way before the Lord and who would turn hearts of children to fathers and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.  

Zechariah had a hard time believing when God broke through the barrenness.  Consequently, his punishment was that he could not speak until his son was born. 

"The Annunciation" By Paolo de Matteis (Saint Louis Art Museum official site) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

5. An angel promises the birth of Jesus to Mary: Luke 1:26-38

Mary was a poor, young girl (some commentators think as young as 12 or 13) from Nazareth, and God chose her to be the mother of the Messiah. WOW! The Greek word for "highly favored" comes from the root word charis, "grace." Mary was a recipient of God's special grace.

Note that Gabriel said, "Do not be afraid" to both Zechariah and Mary. He also told her of her Son's special characteristics, as he did to Zechariah. He was to be the "Son of the Most High":

The Septuagint often used the term “Most High” (hypsistou) to translate the Hebrew ‘elyôn (cf. v. 76). Mary could not have missed the significance of that terminology. The fact that her Baby was to be called the “Son of the Most High” pointed to His equality with Yahweh. In Semitic thought a son was a “carbon copy” of his father, and the phrase “son of” was often used to refer to one who possessed his “father’s” qualities (e.g., the Heb. trans. “son of wickedness” in Ps. 89:22 [kjv] means a wicked person). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, Volume 2, p.,205)

God promised David that his kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Jesus fulfilled this promise.  

The name Jesus is also very significant. It is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Joshua, which means "the Lord saves." Joshua led the people into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:1, 2), and Jesus would lead His people to salvation.

Unlike Zechariah, Mary was not punished for her questioning.  She asked how Jesus would be born to her if she was a virgin, Gabriel must have known the heart behind her question.

Mary's response is so beautiful: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).  I wish we could all have that response to God's will! 

Some commentators believe that Luke must have interviewed Mary personally because this account is so personal, reflecting her deep inward feelings. 

REFLECTION

I have never had an angel visit me, but this story brings back fond memories of a day during the Christmas season of 1991 when God told me that the baby due in January would be a boy.  Later that day, while driving to a performance of The Nutcracker, I told George about what God told me, and to my surprise, he said, "Carol, God told me the same thing this morning!" It was fun to tell our son that story on the way to see The Nutcracker again twenty years later! 

I think that this is confirmation that God does speak to us today, and we do not have to wait four hundred years for God to break through the silence.

APPLICATION

Here are some possible suggestions for application:

• Spend some time listening to God. That means shutting out the busyness of your life to really find some solitude and silence. Take some time to still yourself. It doesn't need to be a long and formal thing. Simply bow your head, connect to His presence, and listen.
• Try this Lectio Divina of the Angel Visiting Mary.
• You might like to follow with Interactive Gratitude journaling.

If you are starting your reading in December, I recommend The Nativity Story movie. It portrays Mary and Joseph's perspectives in a wonderful way!  (It is also written by Mike Rich, an Oregon State University graduate.)

Here is a picture of a meditation time in this passage with my "Wellspring" group (five ladies who gather to listen to God together):

Day 72 of #100Happydays - Wellspring time in Luke 1:26-38.

A photo posted by Carol Weaver (@carolfoasia) on Dec 3, 2015 at 3:54pm PST

PRAYER

Lord, I know You speak. Help us to be silent, to listen, to not be afraid, and to respond in obedience to what You tell us, like Mary. Amen.