It starts with meeting John's (the Baptist) parents and Mary and ends with seeing that John was growing to a man. In chapter 2, Luke regresses back to when Mary is about to give birth. I guess because Chapter 2 is the Christmas story, I never really paid much attention to Chapter 1, John's parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, and the detail of John's birth. Luke is very specific.
Zacharias was a priest and at this particular moment was given a very high priestly task. It was during the performance of this task - that the people of the temple were very aware of and watching - that the angel Gabriel comes to him while he is alone. His wife Elizabeth, like Sarah, was very advanced in years and without a child. Gabriel was there to let him know that his wife was going to be pregnant.
"Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord;...he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children..." v. 13-17
John, like Elijah, would take a bold and uncompromising stand of the Word of God. Also note, that John was filled with the Holy Spirit while in Elizabeth's womb, proving God's sovereignty in salvation - not of our works.
So, after being told this, Zacharias questions the angel. Honestly, I would have...that would have been a lot to believe! The angel punishes him by taking away his speech (makes him mute) until the time Elizabeth gives birth. Wow. But God needed to bring attention to Zacharias from the people in the temple who were waiting for him. So when he emerged, unable to speak, they realized he had seen a vision. Otherwise, the incident, most likely, would not have been believed and gone unnoticed.
After the baby was born and was circumcised on the 8th day in the temple, Zacharias "asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, 'His name is John.' And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them, and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, 'What then will this child turn out to be?' For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him." v. 63-66
I thought it was cool that he wrote on a tablet, like in the movies. LOL
"And you child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation..." v. 76-77
"And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel." v. 80
I love this dipiction of John from the movie, Godspell, from 1973. Enjoy and smile!
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