Today, December, 09 2010 I started a tour of the bible. The tour is 20 weeks long, broken down into two week sections. I start in Luke 1, chapter 1. I am reading a NIV Student Bible, and todays reading is on Preparing for Jesus's arrival.
If you have never read Luke before, it is a interesting book of the Bible, Luke decided to go around and talk to eye witness' about what they saw and hear. He compiled all of his research into these chapters for us to know in great detail. I personally enjoy reading Luke, simply because I am a history buff, and I love to know how the little details.
Well I want to inform you all, that as most of you know, I am not a pastor, and what I discuss after reading the Bible is my own thoughts, I do not want to lead anyone in the wrong direction. Also, all this discussed, are a discussion, please feel free to post replies in the comments below of your thoughts. Moving on.
Luke 1 Chapter starts off with the birth of John The Baptist (foretold). Herod was the king of Judea and there was a priest name Zechariah, He was married to Elizabeth (who is Mary's sister), they wanted to have children, but Elizabeth was barren, and both where in there old age. Zechariah had been praying for a son, and God had answered his prayer. When Zechariah went into the temple, God sent the angel Gabriel down to tell Zech, that he would have a son. Zech did not believe the angel, which made the angel upset. Gabriel then made it so Zech could not speak until his son was born.
Hold the phone, Ok. Guys think about when you found out that you where going to have a child. What did you do? Who did you talk to? I can remember when I found out. I talked with my best friend for 6 hours at deans dinner, let alone all the talking you do with your wife. Informing friends and family, talking about how you are going to raise him, this and that. Zechariah could not speak, for 6 months. That is crazy! Moving on.
Later in the chapter, We find out that Elizabeth's sister Mary has been blessed with a baby as well. She will be giving birth to a son as well, whom she will name Jesus. Although bought Zech and Mary where scared when the angel came and spoke to them, Mary did not argue with the angel, instead she said that she is the servent of the Lord.
So think about this for a second, A women does all the work in giving birth, she carries the baby, deals with the pains of growing the baby, and Mary just says, I am the Lords servant. But yet Zechariah, does not believe the angel? Wouldn't you think it would be the other way around, Mary's should be been, Wait! Hold on a min. I'm going what? You are who again? Are you sure? Why me? Nope. Not a single thing, just Ok. Sure. No problem. WOW. Ok, that is awesome in it self. Moving on.
We do not learn to much more in the chapter, other than Mary goes visit Elizabeth and that John grows to be a strong man who lives in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.
So I have been thinking about this, and trying to think how I could take anything from this passage. I think one of the biggest things pointed out in this chapter is listening. Listen to Giod, or in this case his angels, but Listening is a hard thing to do. These days it is even harder, With everything that we have going on, but everything that we want to do, it is very hard to listen to God. I met with a small group this pass Tuesday, and we spoke about Peace, and how to get inner peace. One of the biggest points made, was prayer, and that is the same here. The more you pray and talk to God, the more youyou will be able to hear what God is saying, and sometimes showing.
This chapter was a short one, and not full of a whole lot of discussion points, but You have to start some hwere, so I hope you choose to read and follow along with my tour that I am on. Tomorrow, we will be reading Luke 2; The stor of Jesus' Birth.
God's Blessings,
Eric
My first thoughts on this chapter are basically this. There is this older couple who have always wanted to have children. They always obeyed the law, but it seemed their prayers were going unanswered. So the man is "important". He's someone who is respected and well known. Here he is in the temple going about his duties and an angel appears and freaks him out. THEN the angel lays this huge deal on him and his first reaction is disbelief. I can understand this. I would probably have reacted the same. But this story sounds kind of familiar. Seems Zechariah would realize this is very similar to what happened to Abraham, ya know?
ReplyDeleteSo, because his reaction wasn't immediate obedience, his voice is basically taken from him. But where this seems like a punishment, the people outside recognize this immediately as something big.* They know he's had a "vision". He can't even go home and explain to his wife! So when she discovers she's pregnant, she is thrilled! She makes a comment that interests me though.
Luk 1:25 says this: "So the Lord has dealt with me in the days in which He looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."
Strong defines as this: "notoriety, that is, a taunt (disgrace): - reproach."
Elizabeth had not only been sad that she went her life with no children, other people teased her, belittled her and probably looked down on her. She felt shamed and embarrassed. So when this miracle happened, she must have realized this baby was special, saved for a special time and special purpose.
How many times have we asked for something we desperately wanted or needed, and seems we are ignored. We review our lives and think "I'm not a bad person, all I want is (insert need here). Why not?"*
A second miracle happens and a young girl becomes pregnant. And better yet, she's a virgin! She's confused at first, but doesn't deny the possibility, and then welcomes the news. She's told her cousin is pregnant too, even though Elizabeth is really old. Mary then runs off to visit and as soon as she calls out hello, Elizabeth's baby reacts so strongly, Elizabeth herself is filled with the Holy Spirit! Just from one "hello" she knew Mary was pregnant, and the baby is her Lord and Savior. Not "will be" but "is". Can you imagine that feeling? To be one of the first to be in the presence of Him?
ReplyDeleteMary then explains that she is not important at all. God is the one who is responsible. Mary then goes on to explain how awesome this is and how wonderful God is to have shown His love for someone as "lowly" as she feels. She explains some of the Mighty things God has done and then explains that this Baby is the one Promised.
Zechariah was the next one to proclaim the coming of Jesus. When John was 8 days old and all the angel proclaimed to John that day in the temple came true, Zechariah was able to speak. And the beautiful words to come out of his mouth...
God kept His promise. He is saving the world. And John is the one to point the way.
***When we wonder what it is that God must be thinking, we can't understand why. To try to imagine God's will, beyond what is explained in the Bible, is impossible. We can't know, that is faith. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed and prayed, until they gave up. But it was in God's time their prayers were answered. Not when it would have been handy for them, not when they were young enough to chase a little boy around, but when He saw fit. How better to show how important John would be, than to have his birth surrounded by this mystery and strangeness? The better to get the attention of the people who needed to hear the news. Can you imagine today, if a couple in their 70's or 80's were pregnant and then had a baby? Better yet, if the man of that couple were famous, important people already? Now, apply that to the idea that most women who had their first children were probably in their teens? Very sensational! It would be all over CNN.
Those are all great points Toni. I like to think about what you said there in your second comment, About what if, A older, famous couple in there 70's had children today, it would be all over the news. I never really knew that John, and Jesus where so close in age. I always figured that John was much older, but he's only a few months.
ReplyDelete