ttob1

The Testimony of Believers

Lesson One: by Christina Farris

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live in the days of Christ in the since of a by stander to the events that unfolded.
Would I have believed if I had seen all the events from the birth of John the Baptist to the birth of Christ, knowing these people in
a personal way, or is believing these stories from the evidence of prophesy enough to understand I might not of grasp the time in
which I lived in, no matter how faithful I was to God at the time of the events. One of the first people we want to look at in
examining the witness view of events and what they believed, will be Zacharias, but first we need to examine Old Testament
prophesy, to grasp the importance of the events unfolding.

Malachi 3:1 KJV
(1) Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come
to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 40:3 KJV
(3) The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for
our God.

Malachi 4:5-6 KJV
(5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
(6) And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse.

Knowledge of the forerunner of Christ was no secret. Actually all prophets, teachers, ministers are forerunners to the time of
Christ being born, and also to Christ second coming. However with the understanding of what is fixing to unfold was the
forerunner the Old Testament spoke about before the coming of the Messiah, we must examine who Zacharias and Elizabeth
were. Zacharias apart of the priesthood and Elizabeth a woman over the age of sixty and was barren were devote people and
righteous before God. They were people of faith.

Luke 1:5-7 KJV
(5) There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was
of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
(6) And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
(7) And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

Zacharias was fulfilling his priestly duties and it was his turn to go into the Holies of Holies. He would minister before the
Lord/before the ark inside the temple. It was special place only men with purity and of the priestly line could go to minister and
worship. No one else was allowed in this area. Each priest would take a turn and a rope would be tied to their waist, and if they
should die, they would be pulled out of the Holies of Holies. One could not enter this area with out faith and purity. God required
those in this area to be pure. Zacharias was praying when angel appeared to him. What a shock this must of been for Zacharias,
but even more so what it must of meant to Zacharias to be spoken to in such a manner. I doubt all the stories he had heard could
prepare him for his testimony of events that were unfolding in his life. For he did not believe at first and for this reason his mouth
would be shut. What the angel told him is he would have son and he would call him John. John was not a normal family name and
it would be odd name to be called by, for many offspring would be named after their father, or family members. For this reason
the Lord would not allow Zacharias to speak until Elizabeth brought forth this baby and Zacharias would declare his son name to
be John. Let look scripture.

However not only did the angel tell Zacharias his son name would be John, but that he would be like Elijah and he would lead
many people to repentance.

Luke 1:8-21 KJV
(8) And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
(9) According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
(10) And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
(11) And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
(12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
(13) But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and
thou shalt call his name John.
(14) And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
(15) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the
Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
(16) And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
(17) And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the
disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
(18) And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
(19) And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and
to shew thee these glad tidings.
(20) 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.
(21) And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

Zacharias hearing angel and Gabriel spoke out to tell him who he was and spoke of his title to administer these things of Zacharias.
It says Zacharias was trouble upon seeing the angel. He was priest, no doubt he had heard stories of appearance of angels as well
as the appearance of God to the men of old. Yet to experience for himself made him doubt. Have you ever had a shock, or a
surprise in your life time that you could not believe. The shock of America being attacked by the enemy on our shores was
shocking on 911, but never had America realized how often war department, CIA, FBI, Special task forces, ATF and more dealt
with small crimes of this nature every day. The reality effected Americans with the mass of death in our country due to war.
Though the appearance of angel to Zacharias was good news, it still was a shock Zacharias had possibly prepared himself for, but
never expected to see. Had he read the story of Sarah and hoped for his wife that she would perhaps still have a child. The reality
of God will take our breath away. When God moves in your life, you know the difference of fakery and God ministering to your
heart and soul. The pictures of events might be there, but the impact of what is unfolding will last a life time. Zacharias
experienced something many hope for and desire, yet not really understanding the price tag for that hope. No doubt we all hope to
be used by God in some special way. And yet each of us is called in many different ways and each experience of God’s calling is
unique.

The reaction of the crowd who seen Zacharias after his experience with the angel wonder if he had experienced a vision, yet he
could not tell them what it was.

Luke 1:22-23 KJV
(22) And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he
beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
(23) And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

Zacharias would go home and make love to his wife and she would conceive. No doubt that Zacharias would wonder about these
events.

Luke 1:23-25 KJV
(23) And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
(24) And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
(25) Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

Elizabeth upon conceiving waited five months in solitude before appearing to her tribe mates. Perhaps she did this to confirm she
was pregnant, or desired not to be a spectacle to her friends and surrounding areas, of the grace God had shown her by allowing
her to conceive. She understand that God had taken her reproach away and had honor her to a have a special child much like
Sarah, who bore Isaac.

Elizabeth no doubt was excited about this baby, and no doubt must of wonder until her husband could speak about the vision
Zacharias had. God does not desire us to be a reproach to our neighbors, but sometimes we suffer at the hands of our neighbors
that do not understand. Yet no doubt news spread quick after those five months of not seeing Elizabeth of her coming joy. At five
month Elizabeth would be showing.

A couple blessed by God, yet hinder not by a lack of faith, but hinder by the reality of the promise given in a disbelief and shock.
No one expects God to speak to their hearts, much less have angel appear before them. Yet no doubt when God speaks to your
heart you know and are moved into belief in your heart. Mind might not completely grasp God is speaking, but yet over a course
of time you will know God has spoken to you when you believe. If God speaks to you just say Lord I am listening.