18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How
shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the
angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of
God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able
to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my
words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and
marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak
to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he
beckoned to them and remained speechless. 23 So it was, as soon as the days of his
service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth
conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the
days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
And so, it is that as Zacharias comes out to the people praying, he is unable to speak to them, and the people likely seeing the amazed look on his face perceive that he has seen a vision while ministering in the Temple, for he beckons them to come to him while he remains speechless before them.
After Zachariah’s days of service were completed, he departed to his own house, and just as the angel had told him his wife Elizabeth conceived. And she hid herself away from public view for five months (vs. 24), saying: “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” vs. 25 Now Elizabeth’s doing so may have been born out of not wanting to be a public spectacle, or come under public scrutiny as she had been previously when barren, thus she chooses rather to stay hidden away for five months and rejoice in the Lord’s kindness towards her in her old age and remain sanctified for Him alone.
Scripture Quotations
Commentary:
Vs. 18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How
shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
Now Zachariah in
hearing the angel’s declaration to him cannot fathom how this can happen since
both he and his wife Elizabeth are old and Elizabeth is well advanced in years
(meaning well beyond normal child bearing years). Zachariah’s doubts though
seemingly understandable to some are inexcusable at a time such as this, since
as a priest of God, serving in the Temple of God, and while offering the holy incense
to then have God send an angel to him during this once in a lifetime moment for
him to declare His Word to him should’ve been more than enough to have him believe
and simply say, so let your word be established (or something similar) as Mary
will say when the angel appears to her (Luke 1:34-38). Instead Zachariah doubts
the angel’s word by looking at these things through the natural eyes of
“reason|”, and not through the Spiritual eyes of faith. Something that is not
unique to him. Therefore, we all must guard ourselves from this and remember
that it is believing trusting faith that alone is pleasing to God. Everything
else then is to be born out of it (consider Heb.11:6, also Luke 17:6; Phil. 4:13 etc.).
Vs. 19-20 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I
am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and
bring you these glad tidings. 20 But
behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take
place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their
own time.”
Therefore, upon
hearing Zachariah’s doubts the angel now announces to him that he is Gabriel,
who stands in the Presence of the Lord, and that he was sent to Zachariah to
bring these glad tidings to him (vs. 19). Nonetheless because Zachariah did not
believe his words the angel Gabriel now tells him that he will be mute until
his words are fulfilled in their own time (vs. 20). Zachariah then will be a
sign to all whom he encounters until the fulfillment of God’s Word which was
spoken to him.
Vs. 21 “And the
people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the
temple.”
Unaware of what
was transpiring inside the people marvel that Zacharias is taking so long. For
the incense offering should’ve taken place by now.
Vs. 22 “But when
he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a
vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.”
And so, it is that as Zacharias comes out to the people praying, he is unable to speak to them, and the people likely seeing the amazed look on his face perceive that he has seen a vision while ministering in the Temple, for he beckons them to come to him while he remains speechless before them.
Vs.
23-25
“So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed
to his own house. 24 Now
after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months,
saying, 25 “Thus
the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take
away my reproach among people.”
After Zachariah’s days of service were completed, he departed to his own house, and just as the angel had told him his wife Elizabeth conceived. And she hid herself away from public view for five months (vs. 24), saying: “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” vs. 25 Now Elizabeth’s doing so may have been born out of not wanting to be a public spectacle, or come under public scrutiny as she had been previously when barren, thus she chooses rather to stay hidden away for five months and rejoice in the Lord’s kindness towards her in her old age and remain sanctified for Him alone.
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
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