Apr 23
16
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 17:1–19
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.’ Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, ‘Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.’ And God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’ And God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘Oh that Ishmael might live before you!’ God said, ‘No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.’” (Genesis 17:1–19, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 1:57-66
“Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, ‘No; he shall be called John.’ And they said to her, ‘None of your relatives is called by this name.’ And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, ‘What then will this child be?’ For the hand of the Lord was with him.” (Luke 1:57–66, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
I hope you do not grow tired of me reminding you of Luke’s stated purpose for writing this Gospel. When an author states their purpose for writing we should make note of it and not forget it, for it will help us greatly in understanding what they have written. Luke tells us in his opening words that he wrote so that Theophilus, and all who love God and Christ with him, would have certainty concerning the things we have been taught. We have been taught that Jesus is the Christ and that salvation is found in him. We have been taught that all who turn from their sins and trust in him will be saved. Theophilus believed this, as do most of you. And Luke wrote his Gospel to bring greater certainty to Theophilus, and to us, concerning Jesus the Messiah and our salvation in him.
We are only a short way into Luke’s Gospel but already we can see his method. He presents us with two types of evidence to prove that Jesus was and is the Messiah – the Redeemer – who was promised from long ago.
One, he presents eyewitness testimony to us concerning the miraculous things that God did when he brought Jesus into the world. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the temple. Zachariah was made mute for nine months because of his disbelief. His wife, Elizabeth, conceived and bore a son in her old age though she was previously barren. The angel Gabriel also appeared to Mary. Though she was a virgin, she conceived and bore a son in her womb. When Mary visited her relative, the child in Elizabeth leaped inside her womb. And then both women were moved by the Holy Spirit to give praise to God for the marvelous things he had done, and would soon do. So, you can see that Luke presents us with the facts concerning the things – the marvelous and miraculous things – that God had done.
Two, Luke also presents us with the Word of God as a witness to Christ. And by “Word of God” I mean, the Old Testament Scriptures. I hope you can see that the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel is saturated with quotations from and allusions to, the Old Testament Scriptures. Luke wants us to know for certain that Jesus was brought into the world, not only in a miraculous or supernatural way (which was itself a sign that he came from God above), but that he came in fulfillment of promises and prophecies previously made. I hope that you do not grow tired of hearing this, brothers and sisters. It is not simply something that I am “passionate” about – a hobby horse of the preacher, if you will. It is a central feature of the text, and so it must be proclaimed. To miss this feature, or to fail to proclaim it, would be to mishandle the text. Luke does not only present us with eyewitness testimony concerning the miraculous things that happened when Jesus the Messiah was conceived and born into this world, he also presents him to us as the fulfillment of the Holy Scriptures. When Gabriel spoke to Zachariah and Mary, he used the words of the Old Testament Scriptures which spoke of the eventual arrival of the Christ and of his forerunner. When Elizabeth and Mary erupted in praise, they magnified the Lord using Old Testament phrases and themes.
Luke recorded the supernatural events that marked Jesus’ birth, along with the Scripture-saturated words of Gabriel, Mary, and Elizabeth so that we might know for certain that Jesus of Nazareth was no mere man – he was the long-awaited Messiah, the Promised One, our Redeemer and Lord.
Notice that the same pattern is present in the passage we have now come to. In Luke 1:57-66 we find a record of the great and marvelous things that God has done. And in verses 67 through 80 we find the prophecy of Zachariah wherein he blesses the Lord God of Israel for the redemption and salvation that would be earned by Christ. Like Gabriel, Elizabeth, and Mary before him, his words drip with Old Testament quotations and allusions, for he had come to see and believe that the child in Mary was indeed the Savior who was promised in the Old Testament Scriptures. His son, John, would prepare the way for him. And in this, he rejoiced.
This morning we will consider only verses 57-66. Two miraculous events are recorded for us in this passage. First, Luke tells us that Elizabeth bore a son. Second, he tells us that Zacheriah’s mouth was opened and his tongue loosed. Let us now consider these things and their significance.
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The Birth Of John The Baptist
First, consider Luke’s account of the birth of John the Baptist.
Verse 57 says, “Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.” There is a lot of information packed into this single sentence. We are to remember that Elizabeth was advanced in years and that she had been barren. We are to remember the word that the angel Gabriel spoke to Zachariah when he appeared to him in the temple. The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1:13–17, ESV). Well, about nine months had passed, and “the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son”.
In verse 58 we read, “And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.” You should notice a theme developing. In those days people were taking notice of the great mercy that God was showing to his people, and this lead them to rejoice. Elizabeth noticed that Mary was blessed by the Lord (1:42), and she rejoiced. Mary agreed that she was blessed by the Lord (1:48), that God had done great things for her (1:49) and was merciful towards her (1:50), and she rejoiced (1:46). And now we hear that Elizabeth’s “neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.”
It is impossible to know how many of these neighbors and relatives knew about the words that the angel had spoken to Zechariah in the temple concerning the identity of this miraculously conceived child. I imagine they knew something about what was said to him. After all, some explanation would have to be given as to why Zachariah could not speak! By the way, have you ever wondered how Zachariah was able to communicate to Elizabeth the content of the message that was delivered to him by the angel, given that he was struck with muteness before exiting the temple? I think we find the answer in 1:63, which says, “And he [Zachariah] asked for a writing tablet and wrote…” This must have been his method of communication for those nine months. I bring up the question, what did Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives know?, because I wonder, what mercies were they aware of? and over what did they rejoice? Did they simply rejoice with Elizabeth because the Lord was merciful to give her a child in her old age after years of barrenness and to bring her through the trail of childbirth? Or did they especially rejoice with her because the Lord was merciful to bring the forerunner of the Messiah into the world through her? Certainly, the former was true. Perhaps it was the latter also.
Whatever the case, the neighbors and relatives of Elizabeth came to rejoice with her. And I think there is an application to be drawn from this fact. We ought to rejoice with one another concerning the mercies of God, be they common and earthly or special and saving. It seems that grumbling and complaint come more naturally to us, but we ought to give thanks to God for his mercies and to rejoice in them privately and together. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Paul says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In Romans 12:15-16 he says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another.” Think of how rich and God-honoring our lives would be if we would only make it our practice to rejoice with one another concerning the mercies that God has shown to us – the common mercies we enjoy in this life, and the special and saving mercies that are ours in Christ Jesus.
In Luke 1:59 we read, “And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.” Of course, John was not unique in this. Every male child who was born in the line of Abraham was to be circumcised on the eighth day in obedience to the command that was given to Abraham as recorded in Genesis 17:9ff. John was far from unique. But I think it can also be said that John’s circumcision, and especially Jesus’ (Luke 1:21), were particularly significant, for it would be through these men (and especially Jesus) that the sign of circumcision would be fulfilled. Jesus was the son of Abraham that everyone was waiting for. He was the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham in the covenant that God made with him (of which circumcision was a sign). Christ would be cut off for the salvation of his people through the shedding of his blood. Again, the circumcisions of John and Jesus were not at all unique, but they were filled with special meaning, for the covenant promises delivered to Abraham landed on Jesus and found their fulfillment in him, and John was to prepare the way for him.
As we continue now in verse 59 we learn that the people “would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, ‘No; he shall be called John.’” How did she know that his name was to be John? Some say that the Holy Spirit revealed it to her. Others think that Zachariah must have told her what the angel said – “your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:13, ESV). I think this second view is more likely. Either way, Elizabeth’s firm obedience to the word of the Lord is to be commended.
In verse 61 we see that the people were perplexed, “And they said to her, ‘None of your relatives is called by this name.’ And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they all wondered.” (Luke 1:61–63, ESV)
Notice three things about this passage. One, the name John means “God is gracious”. What a fitting name for the one who would prepare the way for the Lord’s Messiah. Two, notice the first statement Zachariah makes in the narrative of Luke after being struck with muteness is a kind of declaration of faith. “His name is John”, he says. Clearly, the Lord had done a work in his mind and heart during those months of silence. Three, notice that the people “wondered” or “marveled” over these things. And here is another theme to make note of. In this Gospel, people are, again and again, said to marvel, or wonder, over Christ and our salvation in him. Take, for example, Luke 2:33: “And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him” at the temple. And in Luke 8:25 we are told that the disciples “were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?’” Many more examples could be given. I think it is safe to say that Luke wants us to marvel over Jesus Christ and the salvation he has accomplished for sinners like you and me.
The birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah, was marvelous for it was marked by the miraculous. It was announced by an angel. John’s father, Zachariah, was struck with muteness. John’s mother, Elizabeth, conceived in her old age after years of barrenness, and she delivered without fail. Even the agreement between Elizabeth and Zachariah concerning the name of the child was astonishing. His name was to be John to signal the grace of God that was in those days being poured out.
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The Loosing Of Zachariah’s Tongue
Let us now briefly consider the second miraculous event recorded for us in this passage, and that is the loosing of Zachariah’s tongue so that he could speak once more.
In verse 64 we read, “And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.” When was Zachariah enabled to speak again? It was not at some random time, nor did he regain the ability progressively with the passing of time. No, after about nine months of silence, he was made able to speak again, immediately after he wrote the words, “his name is John.” Remember, “the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John’” (Luke 1:13, ESV). Zachariah doubted, and so he was struck with muteness. And it was not until he obeyed the voice of God as delivered by the angel and wrote, “his name is John”, that his tongue was loosed and he was able to speak again. And what did Zechariah do with his regained ability? He used his tongue in the way it is meant to be used, not to utter doubtful and faithless words, but to bless God.
In verse 65 we read, “And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, ‘What then will this child be?’ For the hand of the Lord was with him.” (Luke 1:65–66, ESV)
In a previous sermon, I noted that Zachariah was struck with muteness as a punishment for his disbelief, but there were also blessings in it. I can think of at least four blessings.
One, Zachariah was blessed by the muteness. He doubted the word of God delivered by Gabriel. But when the Lord’s chastised him in this way, it was a clear sign to him that the word of Gabriel was true. The muteness was a blessing because it was a sign, or proof, to him concerning the truthfulness of what was said. Also, being unable to speak, Zachariah was freed to think. And judging by the content of what he said after his ability to speak was restored (as recorded in the next passage), I think it is safe to say that he spent his time contemplating the Holy Scriptures. The Lord silenced him and brought him low so that he might fill his mind and heart with the Word of God. And when Zachariah was lifted up again and restored, he was ready to speak in a faithful and God-honoring way. He blessed the Lord. He gave praise to God for the salvation that had come.
Two (and I do not want you to take this the wrong way), Zachariah’s muteness must have been a blessing to Elizabeth. I’m sure she was grieved over the loss. I do not doubt that she wished to speak with her husband concerning the things that were happening to her and to them. But the muteness was a sign to her as well – a confirmation and reassurance that the things said to Zachariah in the temple were true.
Three, Zachariah’s muteness, along with the timely restoration of his ability to speak, were a sign to all who considered their testimony and looked in upon their household and their child. Fear (reverential fear) came upon all their neighbors. These things were talked about throughout the region. These things were treasured in their hearts as they wondered what this child would be, for they could see clearly that the hand of the Lord was with him.
Four, the blessings of Zachariah’s muteness have extended down through the corridors of time, have gone to the ends of the earth, and have come even to you and to me. For this miraculous event was a sign concerning the truthfulness of what God said and did in those days as he brought the Messiah into the world along with the Messiah’s forerunner, born to Zachariah and Elizabeth, whose name was John.
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Conclusion
I would like to move this sermon toward a conclusion by suggesting to you that perhaps Luke has set Zachariah before us as a kind of model for those who are uncertain and doubting. Luke wrote to Theophilus so that he might have certainty concerning the things he had been taught. And the very first character that Luke sets before us is Zechariah, the uncertain and doubting one. The good news was delivered to him, but he did not believe it. So the angel said, “behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:20, ESV). Zachariah’s doubting did not hinder God’s plans. No, they rolled along. Mary believed and was blessed. Elizabeth believed and was blessed. Zachariah was silent. He could only observe and marvel over the accomplishment of God’s plan and ponder the Scriptures. When he speaks again, he speaks with boldness and faith. It is as if Luke is encouraging the one who doubts and is filled with uncertainty to do the same – to refrain from speaking and to consider the marvelous works of God in light of the inspired Words of God previously given. Here is where confidence and certainty in the faith will be found – by seeing all that God has done in and through Christ Jesus as a fulfillment of prophecies and promises previously made.
To put it bluntly, brothers and sisters, it would be good for us to talk less and read the Bible more. It would be good for us to hold our peace and contemplate the Holy Scriptures with more and more care. And having done this – having contemplated the Scriptures with care, having believed them, and stored them up in our hearts – we will then be well equipped to speak of God and the glories of the salvation he has worked for us. By God’s grace, we will speak like Mary, Elizabeth, and Zachariah after his time of silence. By his grace, we will use our words to bless the Lord, to magnify him, and to rejoice in the salvation he has worked for us in Christ. By his grace, we will rejoice in the Lord in our own hearts and also with others as we marvel over the wonderful things that God has done for sinners.
Lord willing, we will consider the prophecy of Zachariah found in Luke 1:67-80 next Sunday. I’d like to read this passage now to conclude. Notice the change in Zachariah. No longer was he doubting. No, he emerged from his months of silence full of faith in the promised, and soon-to-be-born, Messiah. He “was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. [And to his son John, he said,] And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:67–79, ESV)
Thanks be to God for his covenant faithfulness and the salvation he has worked for us through Christ Jesus, the son of Abraham, the son of David, the son of Mary. And thanks be to God for John the Baptist too, miraculously born to faithful parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, to prepare the way for the Lord’s Anointed One, in whom we trust and through whom we are led in the way of peace.
