The Gospel of Luke opens by introducing us to “a certain priest named Zacharias…and his wife…Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years” (Luke 1:5-7). God chose this faithful couple, elderly and childless, to become the parents of John the Baptist.
Zacharias was performing his duties as a priest, burning incense before the Lord in the temple, when “there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11). The altar of incense was inside The Holy Place immediately in front of the veil which prevented access to The Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies and that but once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Naturally, when Zacharias saw the angel, he was both troubled and fearful. “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacarias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John” (Luke 1:13). We are not told exactly what his prayer was, but we can conclude from the context that he and his wife had prayed for a child. It is likely that those prayers had ceased long ago since they were both now quite elderly. Perhaps, he and his wife were resigned to the fact that they would have no children.
Yet the angel tells Zacharias that his prayer is heard. God never forgets the prayers of his children. He always answers them, either yes, no, or wait. Often, they are answered in a manner that is quite different than expected. But he answers our prayers!
Evidently, Zacharias had become so convinced with every passing year that he and Elisabeth would have no children that he could not bring himself to believe what the angel had said. “And Zacharias said unto the angel, whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years” (Luke 1:18). We must not be too hard on him. We know how our own confidence dissipates as time goes by and our prayers are seemingly unheard. Time, however, is of no consequence to God. He is the “same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
The ability of God to answer our prayers is never in question. The LORD challenged Jeremiah “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). Job, amid his great loss and suffering declared “I know that thou canst do everything” (Job 42:2).
God, in his grace, promised a son to Zacharias despite his unbelief. The angel rebuked him for his unbelief and failure to rest in the source of the promise. “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season” (Luke 1:19-20).
Child of God, your prayer is heard. Believe it.
From the Chaplain 