Ever experience losing your voice? Though I have not but I have been around those that had lost their voices for a short duration. The frustration they go through trying communicate without a voice was challenging.
As we look further into Luke chapter 1, we read of Zacharias’ encounter with God in the temple. In my last post, I wrote on how our God was so caring that He notices our innermost unspoken need. And God shows his concern for our need in the strangest of places or times. Speaking to Zacharias on his desire for a child while Zacharias was making atonement for the sin of the nation ? It is almost like the head of the nation discussion with his army chief on how they should be facing the challenges confronting the nation. Here the army chief was armed with charts, reports and all sorts of data for the meeting. Halfway through his presentation, the head of state interjects and asks about his family’s welfare! In God, big things and small things are the same. It is us he is interested in.
The other question that I had grappled with for many many years was why was Zacharias struck dumb when he asked the “how” question. Mary did the same. She too asked “how” can this be since ……….
As I reread the passage the following struck me:
One – Zacharias vocation was a priest while Mary was not. The priest’s main function was to be the intermediary between man and God. That is, Zacharias has to be familiar with the things and ways of God
Two – Zacharias did not asked the “how can this be” question. He actually asked “are you sure this can happen”.
Three – In Mary’s case, there has never been a precedent recorded of a virgin birth, though there was the prophecy in Isaiah 7 about the virgin birth
Four – However there was a precedent in the Bible of an old man and woman who were way past their prime giving birth to a son who was called Isaac!
So in many ways, the questioned that came out from Zacharias mouth was really a reflection of his own spiritual state – a man serving a historical God. The action taken by the angel was then to confirm the spoken word – what is spoken shall come to be, and to restore Zacharias faith – the God of history is very much alive and active today and he can make whatever that is living die as easily as He can make whatever is dead to live!
Zacharias finally got his voice back 9 months later when he confirmed the name of his son as John. God’s ways are never punitive. It is always restorative. And this is the God we serve - seeking us out and restoring us back to Him. Amen.
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