Luke 1, a long chapter of eighty verses, with some marvellous revelations.
Luke 1, amongst other things, speaks of two angelic visitations from the archangel Gabriel, two names from heaven(Jesus and John), two prophetic songs(Mary first and later Zechariah) and two different generations involved in the coming of the Lord to earth.
Luke 1:3 states that he has carefully investigated(we know a brother who likes this book because he works as a senior investigator) the background to these events. We also know that Luke was a doctor and qualified to scrutinise the facts behind the story.
The story begins with Zechariah, an older priest, being chosen by lot, Luke 1:8, to burn incense in the temple of the Lord( no doubt a great honour). Incense speaks of prayer and when the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah the first thing he told him was, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah: your prayer has been heard. You wife Elisabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John’. We don’t know when or how OUR PRAYERS will be answered, but Heaven operates around our interaction with it. We are the only people on earth who can reach into the realm of God, Heaven!
The experienced and no doubt knowledgeable priest, Zechariah, couldn’t believe Gabriel’s message. Luke 1:18, he asked the angel Gabriel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well on in years(in case you don’t know). Gabriel then told him, because you didn’t believe my message you will not be able to speak until this happens(not be able to contradict the word of the Lord).
Luke 1:59, Fast forward, to the birth and naming of the the son. They were going to name him after his father but Elisabeth said no. Then they gave a writing tablet to Zechariah and he wrote, ‘His name is John. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak praising God’.
Zechariah wasn’t permitted to speak because his words might have contradicted the will of God spoken by Gabriel, who stood in God’s presence.
The child was born, word fulfilled, AND Zechariah’s tongue finally aligned with heaven, ‘His name is John’. Immediately HE agreed with God’s revealed word his tongue was loosed!
How many of us today are not speaking in line with what we know? God would not allow Zechariah to go out to the crowd and say, ‘I got this message, what do you think’? Our words can move us forward into the future God has for us or block His will for our lives, so be careful what you share and who you share it with? Speak according to Heaven’s will for our lives, even if the circumstances appear hopeless.
God bless you.