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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.