Luke 1:20 “And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
Much is made today of “gender reveal” announcement parties. And in this age COVID, many have gone virtual. There seems to be a competition to be the biggest and best, leading to the most explosive and tragic. I guess that in the age where there is so little good news, people just want to become an internet sensation with their expression of joy.
Weddings, baby announcements, engagements, new business openings, and graduations are things that people often celebrate openly and with joy. The expected behavior for these events is to tell everyone you know about your good news. We must want to tell everyone we know!
So imagine Zechariah’s position for a minute. He is a very godly man, a priest, one of the most prestigious positions in ancient Israel. And an angel of the LORD appears to him while he is doing his official duty. That is something to tell people about, isn’t it! But this isn’t the end of the good news.
The next piece of “I have to tell everyone news” is that his wife is going to have a child, even though she has not been able to have a child yet. They have been trying, but disappointment seems to have been the mood around their household. Zechariah has taken time to pray while he is doing his duty, and the LORD has heard it and sent an angel to deliver the message.
But Zechariah blows his chance to tell everyone. He is not sure if the LORD can intervene with his wife. Their repeated attempts to become pregnant have failed. I imagine they have all but given up hope, moving to sadness and hopelessness around pregnancy. Maybe they have had repeated miscarriages. We just don’t know.
So Zechariah asks the angel how he can be sure. He doesn’t want to get his hopes up, and he certainly doesn’t want to raise his wife’s hopes. He has seen her tears and he never wants to see those tears again. It would crush his heart. No one wants to see that kind of pain in someone they love.
The angel’s answer is hilarious. “I am Gabriel!” I can almost hear Gabriel say, “Come on, man. Use your eyes. Wake up and smell the coffee. How often have you seen an angel? I’m here, so take me at my word.” But the angel hears his plea for help believing and gives him proof: Zechariah won’t be able to speak in the time of his greatest joy. Ouch!
So Zechariah can’t speak. He leaves his duties and has to learn sign language very quickly. Have you been in a foreign country and not know the language, but had an emergency message you had to communicate? I have, and it can be very funny to watch. Picture China, diarrhea, and Imodium AD, pantomime, hotel staff and laughter, a mile jog, and a Chinese pharmacist. Note to self: Always pack Imodium ID when traveling.
The good news is that John is born. He prepares the way before Jesus. He is born and Zechariah speaks again. After nine months of silence his vocal cords begin to sing of the greatness of his God.
When was the last time you spoke of the greatness of your God?
The Arnold Journey 