The First Domino: Luke 1:11-17
“11) And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12) Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. 13) But the angel said to him, “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. 14) You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15) For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16) And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17) 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, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”” Luke 1:11-17
The forerunner to the Messiah was about to be conceived. He would be the first domino in a series of events that would fulfill a volume of Old Testament prophecies and eventually lead to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Whenever God is ready to initiate a change in epochs, it is accompanied by four things: 1) something seemingly impossible, 2) prophetic fulfillment of a biblical magnitude, 3) angelic interaction, and 4) the birth of an extraordinary child. All four of these came into alignment with Zacharias.
As he was performing his priestly duties in the Holy Place, an angel of the Lord appeared to Him with a birth announcement. Elizabeth was about to conceive a child in her old age.
That theme should sound familiar. Unique birth circumstances happened surrounding the births of Isaac, Moses, Samual, Obed the grandfather of king David, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.
As the angel talked to Zacharias, he informed him of the very unique mission and call of the child about to be born to him and his wife Elizabeth.
First, his name would be John. That name was a total departure from his family heritage. He was to be marked for something special. John came from priestly linage, but his ministry wound be very unique.
Second, his birth would bring about joy and gladness. It was so unusual it would spark a candle of expectancy that God was at work after nearly 400 years of silence.
Third, he would like a nazarite from birth. He would drink neither wine nor strong drink. He was set aside for God.
Fourth, he would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. This was unprecedented.
Fifth, he would turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. He was destined to kindle the fires of revival and awakening in Israel.
Sixth, he would go as a forerunner to the messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah. (See Malachi 4:5)
Finally, God would use him to “turn the hearts of children back to their fathers, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Compare this with Malachi 4:6.
God was indeed keeping His Word. This was more than a birth announcement. It was the first domino in God’s plan for human redemption.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global.
Sent from my iPhone
“11) And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12) Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. 13) But the angel said to him, “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. 14) You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15) For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16) And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17) 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, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”” Luke 1:11-17
The forerunner to the Messiah was about to be conceived. He would be the first domino in a series of events that would fulfill a volume of Old Testament prophecies and eventually lead to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Whenever God is ready to initiate a change in epochs, it is accompanied by four things: 1) something seemingly impossible, 2) prophetic fulfillment of a biblical magnitude, 3) angelic interaction, and 4) the birth of an extraordinary child. All four of these came into alignment with Zacharias.
As he was performing his priestly duties in the Holy Place, an angel of the Lord appeared to Him with a birth announcement. Elizabeth was about to conceive a child in her old age.
That theme should sound familiar. Unique birth circumstances happened surrounding the births of Isaac, Moses, Samual, Obed the grandfather of king David, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.
As the angel talked to Zacharias, he informed him of the very unique mission and call of the child about to be born to him and his wife Elizabeth.
First, his name would be John. That name was a total departure from his family heritage. He was to be marked for something special. John came from priestly linage, but his ministry wound be very unique.
Second, his birth would bring about joy and gladness. It was so unusual it would spark a candle of expectancy that God was at work after nearly 400 years of silence.
Third, he would like a nazarite from birth. He would drink neither wine nor strong drink. He was set aside for God.
Fourth, he would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. This was unprecedented.
Fifth, he would turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. He was destined to kindle the fires of revival and awakening in Israel.
Sixth, he would go as a forerunner to the messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah. (See Malachi 4:5)
Finally, God would use him to “turn the hearts of children back to their fathers, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Compare this with Malachi 4:6.
God was indeed keeping His Word. This was more than a birth announcement. It was the first domino in God’s plan for human redemption.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global.
Sent from my iPhone
