Before Jeff comes and shares God's Word, let's look to the
Lord. The time of prayer, just one
verse. I would like to read Hebrews
chapter 12 and it says this. Let us lay aside every weight
and the sin which so easily ensnared us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith.
Let's pray. Father God, we come before you
this morning acknowledging Father, the sacrifice that your
Son made for us in the cross of Calvary, and this morning we
were able as a company of your people through the emblems
before us. Remember the body that was
broken and the blood that was shed, and because of that great
sacrifice that each and everyone who has called upon your name
and come to know you personally as our Lord and Saviour could
access your very presence. For this Lord God, we give you
our thanks. And as Mark prayed a prayer of
confession earlier. Lord, in this service right now,
a lot I'd like to just bring upon bring to remembrance for
each and everyone of us alone. Sometimes the weight that we
bear, and as Hebrews talks about it here, for each and everyone
of us, the Lord, have a heavy burden.
And the weight that we bear, the weight of family
responsibilities, the weight of our jobs, Lord, the weight of
the things that we have to do in this world, and those other
things, the Lord God that can easily sow burden us.
And sometimes as students, the weight of our studies, and as
parents, the weight of our responsibilities towards our
children and Father God the the cares that we have sometimes for
them. All of those things, as Hebrew
says, can be wait. That's can sometimes a lot
hinder our walk with you and our prayer Lord God this morning
that he will help us to cast all of these things upon you as a
scripture says by faith, knowing a law that we cast these things
upon you for we know Lord God that you care for us.
So help us Lord to unburden these things upon you and by
faith to know law that you will take care of all of these
things. So help us a lot, God run the
race that is set before us, Father, to look onto you, to
look onto our Saviour who is the author, and not only the author,
but also the finisher of our faith.
And as the apostle Paul prayed that he knows that which he has
committed to you a lot, his own way of life that you completed
at the day of retention. So help us a lot, God, to know
that, to understand that he is the author and the finisher of
our faith. So we play a lot at this morning
as Jeff comes and shares with us Your word that you are Lord.
God would open our eyes to Your word that Your word may have an
impact in our lives and help us, Father God, to live our lives
that is always conned into Your will and Your plan and Your
purpose. You also pray for our little
children here who are going for Sunday school.
Father, we pray for each and everyone of them and our desires
to see all of them grow up a lot to be men and women who are not
only called upon by you, but also men and women a lot who
would rise up to walk with you. So our prayers for each and
everyone of these kids and also the Sunday School teachers as
they teach these kids. We pray a lot that you will be
with them. They do blessed him a lot and
bless the ministry, the tremendous ministry that they're
involved with. So we commit all of these things
and we ask these things in the Saviours pressures and it is
worthy name. Amen.
Thanks, Rita. Well, good morning everyone.
We're gonna be after last week's introduction.
You should know where we are. We were in the book of John.
No, I'm only only kidding. It's already been.
A running joke already. This morning we're in the.
Book of Luke so. We're going to go to Luke and.
If you have your bibles. If you can start making your way
there, that would be fantastic. And we're going to look at in
this section, we're gonna. Look at four key characters.
There's gonna be Zechariah his. Wife who was called Elizabeth.
And then the main. Focus of the passage.
Is gonna be on the one that's coming, which whose name is
John, and then we're gonna be looking at an Angel of the Lord
as well. And so that's what we will see
in this passage. And so, yeah.
Last week we just covered. From Luke, this is 1 to 4 this
week we're gonna go from 5 to 25.
And what I'm going to do this morning is rather than.
Just read through the. Passage and then try and focus
on things. We just going to walk.
Through it together. And we're going to comment as we
see and see what you get from the text itself and then in the
end what I'm wanting. To do is really highlight.
Some some things that are in there that I think are just
magical that as I've been going. Through the passages.
Seeing some of the connections and it's a really interesting.
Book so if you have. Your Bibles.
We're going to start in verse 5 of Luke chapter 1 and it just
starts in this way. It says in the days of Herod,
king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the
division of Abuja and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron
and her name was Elizabeth. So straight off we were
introduced, the two individuals, Zachariah and Elizabeth.
Now what we're told about. Elizabeth is that she's.
From the lineage of Aaron. So that's her.
Where she's come from or through the the.
History. But we also read that Zachariah
Zachariah was a priest for Zechariah 2.
Have been a priest he means he also was from the line of
Zechariah from Aaron he's from the Aaron priesthood.
You can't be a priest all and the.
Tribe. There was a tribe.
Of Levites and then that there was a priestly section under
Aaron, so not all. Levites were priests.
However, the opposite is true all priests.
Are Levites and so we find by the way that they've defined it,
they're both Zachariah and Elizabeth are from the House of
Aaron the through that that line, but we also find another
one. There, that says that Zechariah.
Particularly was from the the division of Abuja.
And why does Luke want us to know that?
What's the significance about BJ one-on-one Chronicles 24?
It's actually King David, the King David.
Will divide up the the tribe of. Levi and he'll do it into 24
courses or 24 sections. There will be 1.
High Priest There will be 24. Chief priests.
And then there will be 24 common priests, and each division would
take a turn for a period of about two weeks to take care of
the daily functions that would be in the temple.
Now the duties of the common priests were chosen by lot.
So they'd get it by. Allotments and it would be quite
possible. For.
A priest to have only 1-2 week stint in his entire lifetime to
serve in the temple. And this is where Zechariah is.
Zachariah is of the division of Abuja and it's.
As has his. Period.
That's coming in. So he's a common priest.
Verse 6 then goes on to say and they were both.
Righteous before God they're. Talking about Zachariah and
Elizabeth, now both righteous before God, walking blamelessly
and all the commandments in the statutes of the.
Lord. If you're wanting an application
or an example, here's one in verse. 6 These two are of.
Old like they're advanced in years, as we're going to see.
But it says that both. Of them were right.
Before the Lord, that's their. Position in front of.
God, they're right before the. Lord and they walk to
blamelessly so if you're wanting something.
To follow this is a. Really good example and all of
the commandments and the statutes of.
The Lord. And so it's really interesting,
but they didn't have their, they didn't not.
Have life without their difficulties.
Because in verse 7 it says but they had no children.
Because Elizabeth was. Barren and both were advanced in
years now while he was. Serving as a priest before.
God when his division was on duty.
According. To the custom of the priesthood,
he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn
incense. So this is Zachariah's job for
two weeks. So Zachary's function.
Would be exactly. That and so every morning.
He would take a hot. Coal from the.
Altar of the Sacrifice outside the building.
Which would be in the courtyard. And he would.
Bring that hot coal. Into the first room of the
temple, it's called the Holy Place.
And then there he would sit down that hot coal on the altar of
incense that would stand in front of the thick curtain.
That separated the holy place. From the holy of Holies.
Then after sitting down the coal, he would drop some incense
on that, causing a sweet smelling smoke, and it would
descend and penetrate through the thick veil that was in front
of him and it would go. Into the Holy of Holies.
Now because of an incident that happened way back in Leviticus
chapter 10. So, Aaron?
Is the first priest of the tribe of of the Levites of Israel.
So he's there, but. He has two sons, if you can
remember, 1 was called Nadab, 1 was Abihu, and they offer
incense to the Lord and God's strikes them dead right as they
have the incense and. So because of that, there was a
Jewish. Legend that said that.
Before a priest. Ohh, sorry.
Going back a bit, so there was yeah, what happened to Nadal,
B&B, who and. So the thought was that if you.
Offered and this is actually in the writings of the the tail
moved from the time of Zechariah's time.
If you would go there. And you would burn incense.
You had to do it properly because God would strike you
right? As he did with Native and Abbie
who? So that's the pressure on the
person they. They get to this role for two
weeks. Okay, so that's him, but.
There's also a Jewish. Legend and you've probably
heard. It.
That there was before the priest would go into.
The holy place, he would have a rope.
That would be tied around his leg and he would go in there and
that was just in case he was. Struck.
Dead by burning the. Incense because of.
Again, going back to Leviticus Chapter 10.
But there was also something in their legion, it said before
that would happen. What you.
Would see is an Angel. Of death.
Standing on the right hand. Side of the altar.
That was what the legend said. So Zechariah is going in.
If he has got. This rope on his leg he goes in
does the incense and then you're always wary to like keep aware
of the things that are happening on the right hand side of the
altar. So what was that Chris boomed
the incense we see in verse 10 it says and the.
Whole multitude of the people. We're praying outside at the
hour of incidents now. This is really good symbolism.
So at the time that he would do this and the smoke.
Would go through it represented. And that's.
What the people did as. Outside of the temple they would
be praying to the Lord at the same time and the symbolism of
the smoke going into the presence of the Lord.
The idea was that the people would also.
Be praying and. Their prayers would reach
through to who God. Is but what is also interesting,
it was done twice a day. Now you can see why guys like
Daniel prayed at the times they did.
One in the morning, one in the evening, but it's ties.
In with these two sacrifices. Daniel was even more than that.
He would pray also in the middle of the day.
And that's just another, really. Clear.
Or good way to think? What your prayer life is like.
This is what they did. At the time.
Of just before Jesus. Was coming.
It was this tradition was to pray three times a day and it's
just a good thing for us to think of.
We think of prayer. We often just think of praying,
but do you set aside like special times during the day to
to commit to the law just to check in with them as they did
in the ceremonies that we're we're going back then.
So and verse 10 again though, the praying is the people were
outside of the ancients. And then versus 11, we start
seeing this verse 11 and there appeared to him an Angel.
Of the Lord. Standing on the right side of
the altar, what's he going to think if you know the legend and
if the legend is true and especially.
If you have a rope. Tied on your leg and you go
there and then all of a sudden on the right hand side of the
altar, you see the Angel of Death.
Well, you're not gonna. Be too like yeah.
You're gonna know what what the the legend says, but however
we'll see what he actually what happens.
To Zaki say how will. Zakari respond and verse 12.
And say Zechariah was troubled, That's a really polite way of
saying Zachariah was. Now whatever words came into
your head, shame on you because that's not hell.
Zakari responded the way Zechariah responded because.
He's righteous and because he's good, it just troubled him.
But whatever you thought of, yeah was probably more to the
case. Of things.
That you would have thought. If that actually happened, so
troublesome and then. It says that spear.
Fell upon him. However, the message of the
Angel that he's thinking maybe even of death hasn't come to
give judgement and death, but he's actually talking to him
about blessing and new life. It's actually the opposite of
the the. Legion or the tradition.
So I'm verse 13. We see these at the verse that
says. But the Angel said to him, do
not. Be afraid, Zechariah, for your
prayer has been heard. We don't have in this.
Part of the passage the the record of what's.
Zachariah was praying. But because of the result.
Of what we're going to see, it's not that he's actually doesn't
look like he's actually praying for an ear for himself, but what
it may be that he's praying for his wife.
His wife is Baron and his we'll see later on she's.
Like it's a it's a bit. Of a shame to her.
So as it's going on, he may have been praying at the same time
for his wife, and asking for the favour of the Lord upon her.
And the reason I say. That is, if we keep.
Reading the way that Angel's gonna answer the prayer is not.
Going to be like Zechariah's. But it's going to come across in
the way that he'll speak. Maybe for Elizabeth, your prayer
has been heard and your wife Elizabeth will be your son and
you will call his name John. Now I just want you to pick up
on that. We're going to highlight this as
we get to the end. But why would God?
Call his name John, or especially the Angel he's
calling. Whenever God gives someone a
name. It's hugely significant in the
Bible. It's not just a random I like
the name of, It's hugely significant.
What is the meaning of John verse 14?
It says and you will have joy as talking to Zachariah and
gladness and many. Will rejoice at his birth.
John's name doesn't mean to have joy, it doesn't mean to rejoice,
and it doesn't mean to have gladness.
And none of those things is the meaning of John.
That will. Be the response of the.
Parents. But it's not the meaning of
John. And so it's an interesting what
what is why we given him this name And we'll we'll carry on,
but it'll make sense hopefully in a few minutes.
So then following on from here, we look at the in a few verses
the angels gone into real. Reveal to Zachariah.
Certain things about the sun that he's gonna father so five
times so inverses the next few verses from 15 to 17.
The Angel is gonna say he will or your entitled as well.
You'll see he must, he will, he must.
And then it's going to conclude in verse 17 with the purpose of
why John the Baptist is coming. And so we'll have a look at
those in these next few verses. So in verse 15 we have the first
He will. It says he will be great before
the Lord. Now that's something every
parent. Would love to hear that God
would say to us that the child would be great.
So that's. The first thing that.
Zechariah here is. This one, John is gonna.
Be great before. The the Lord the second He well
has also invested 15. It says he must not drink wine
or strong drink. John is gonna be a Nazarite from
Booth. That's the significance.
Of what it actually is. The Nazarite vow was usually a
voluntary 1 where someone would. Dedicate their lives to the.
Lord, and it would usually be done on a voluntary basis.
Only two people that I can think of and the Old Testament were
ever called to be Nazarites from birth. 1 is Sampson and the
other one is Samuel. Both of those.
And what's interesting about Samuel that is that his mother,
Hannah, was also unable to conceive, if you remember.
The story She would go there and she.
Would pray at the temple and then the.
Eli is the high priest. Of the time and then he would
say to. Her what?
Whatever. You're praying, I pray that God
would grant you the praise of your heart.
And then she does conceive and she dedicates.
He becomes the idea of the Nazarite.
Val becomes dedicated to the Lord.
And now John the Baptist is the third person appointed to be a
Nazarite from his birth. And that's why he's not to drink
any strong drink or wine. In fact, they they abstained
Nazarov Val abstained from anything from the grape and then
you also. Look at the other
characteristics. Of John and it definitely.
Looks like he's. Following the Nazarite vowels,
the next he will also on 15 it says that he is going to.
Be filled with the Holy. Spirit, even from his mother's
womb. Now we're getting a little bit
closer to the meaning of his name.
He's gonna be. Filled with the Holy Spirit.
From inside the womb and so we it's an interesting way that
it's saying they're 16 has the next he will and it's actually
going to be his. Task.
And it says he will turn many of the children of Israel.
To the Lord, to their. God now he's gonna start a
repentance movement as we come in the next few weeks, you're
gonna see him starting. This, this idea of people, the
Jewish people. Turning from their sin by the
means of repentance and the preaching of John, and then.
Lastly, the last he. Was in this first part of 17 and
it says. He will go.
Before him and the spirit and the power of Elijah to turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to
the wisdom of the just. So in some respect he's going to
go in the spirit of Elijah. What does that mean?
That he's going to go in the spirit?
Of Elijah Elijah is a. Prophet from the Old Testament
and then in that you can see what he did in the Old
Testament, but there's more of a correlation and that the key.
Is is there's two other. Prophecies in the Old Testament
that talks about John the. Baptist, so Isaiah 40 talks
about. This forerunner that would come
which is identifying John the Baptist, but there's another one
and Malachi chapter 3 verse one. Which also talks about the.
Forerunner The problem with Malachi is that in Malachi 3
verse one it talks about John the Baptist as being the
forerunner but in chapter 4 of Malachi it.
Also says before the Lord's. Coming it's.
Malachi 4-5 it. Says before that happens, Elijah
is coming. So what?
The Jewish people. Have done and it's still.
What they? Do today do you know the Jewish
people and the frame of reference that always expecting
to see Elijah before the Messiah comes?
And it's still today. If you know the Passover meal,
you know the last cup. It's the Cup of Elijah.
But still expecting that. And the reason they expect that
even from the Old Testament is that they've taken one verse.
Malachi, 31, seen Elijah's name and.
Malachi 4, verse 5. And gone the one that comes as.
Elijah OK, so that's why they have that.
It is. True that Elijah's coming again,
but not at this time. He is coming before the second
time that the Lord Jesus comes. But that's how they've made the
correlation between what some Malachi 3124 and they're saying
Elijah comes. This is why the angels sang
this. He says he will go.
Before him in the spirit and the power of Elijah.
Their understanding is that Elijah comes first.
But the actual key? Verse is actually.
Speaking not of Elijah and this instance, it's Speaking of John
both in Isaiah chapter 40 and in Malachi chapter 3.
And then next we're going to see.
His purpose? What is the?
Purpose of John John the Baptist, and that's in the last
part of verse 17 and it just says to make ready.
For the Lord of people prepared so.
That the purpose of John's task is going to.
Be to have a group of people that would be.
Repentant and they're ready to believe on the Messiah once he's
identified, that's what. His purpose is.
So after being told. All this good news, you've got
the five. What he's going to do?
His task, His purpose? How?
Is Zechariah going to be respond from all that news?
Well, that's what we read in the next first and verse 18 it says,
and Zechariah said to the Lord, how shall I know this?
For I am an old man and my wife has advanced in years.
And the angels said, answered him and said, I am Gabriel.
Now we're introduced to the name of the Angel that's been
speaking to him. But why would he put?
His name now, like he's saying, Zachary's asking you a question
and then the answer to the question is I am Gabriel.
Why? Like what is what's?
The purpose of saying your name. Well give Gabriel was 2 parts of
Hebrew, so give her our. Give her means man, and all is
the shortened form for God. So give our means the man.
Of God, that's the way. We translate it into the the
English, but that's the meaning of his name.
Now watch what he says next, which will actually expand and
he actually says his name. So I'm Gabriel, I stand in the
presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you to bring this
good news. That's the meaning of his name.
Gabriel's. Position is that he stands in
the presence of God and at certain times God will speak to
Gabriel and then his message all that's the meaning of his name.
His he goes to man to deliver the message that's from God and
we see him often in the Bible because that's his primary role.
What's the meaning of his name? And that's why we will see him
throughout the Bible and the reason for it.
And then he says. Yeah, that's.
Where I stand, I stand in God's presence.
Now what we also see in verse 20, it says and behold, you will
be silent. Ohh sorry, carry on from where I
said I am Gabriel. He said, I stand in the presence
of God and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this
good news. And behold, you will be silent
and unable to speak until the day that these things take
place, because you did not believe my.
Words which were. Fulfilled in their time, which
will be fulfilled in their time. O what looks like Zechariah's
question in verse 18 that says how will I know this?
It seems like a genuine question.
It's not actually a question. It's Zachary's expression of his
unbelief. Because the Angel says because
you spoke and unbelief and you responded that Zacharias would
now no longer speak until the birth of his son and the
fulfilment of the promise. Now we're getting even closer to
the meaning of John's name. Something to do with all this
waiting for the promise of the fulfilment.
Yeah, so we we get. Closer to that now, because the
conversation with the Angel had taken so long.
That people outside would have. Started thinking ohh like what's
what's actually become of security?
And that's what we see in the next verse.
So in the next verse. It says.
Verse 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah and they
were wondering at his delay in the temple.
So this point you start going. What are we do with the rope?
So if he has this rope. And he's taking a delay.
There's an Angel standing at the right hand side of the altar.
That's the reason nobody wants to go into the Holy place,
especially when you see an Angel of death.
So the idea is that's the the thought.
Of the legend. And so they've got the rope, I
don't know how many. What do you do in there?
Maybe like a diver, you start giving it A tag or flicking it.
I don't know what you do, but you're trying to reference
something to say. Zechariah, what's going on with
you? Are you still?
There sort of thing. Well, verse 20.
Two, we actually see. It says and when he came out, so
that's the good news. And when he came out, he was
unable to speak to them and they realised that they had seen a
vision in the temple. And he kept making signs for
them and they remained mute. And when his time of service was
ended, he went to his home. Now there's another Jewish
legion that says that Zechariah. Was a real talker.
He was a babbler, he never was quiet and he talked so much that
like no matter what, whoever came around to his place or
whoever was there, he would just talk so much.
They were just annoy the ears of everyone.
Well, for the first time. Elizabeth could relax.
So after all this time, he talked so much there for the
first time. Because he's now mute, he's no
longer able. To speak, Elizabeth.
Relaxes, and then she conceives. No, that's not actually true.
But not in the. It's not actually in the.
Bible neither. Is it a Jewish legend?
It's actually Jeff's. Legend.
So I'm trying to start up a new one.
But for whatever. Reason we're not told what that
is. It's more obviously it's the
miraculous, but for whatever happens, we read in the next
verse in 24 after these days Elizabeth conceived and for five
months. Ohh, sorry.
Conceived and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
Thus says the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on
me, to take away my reproach among people so.
She did have that representation of the.
Reproach. But now she's pregnant, it's
advanced in years, and now she's yeah able to give it.
And they will. Absolutely rejoice.
So now I just wanted to focus in on something that I found really
interesting, and that's this guy.
So again. If we go to Gabriel.
That was quite easy. Give her our meaning, the man of
God, the connection between the one that stands in God's
presence and goes to man. No problems, He's alright.
We can deal with him. Now we're going to actually look
at the name that he gives to John, which is John, sorry, not
too John. So the name that he gives is
going to be John. What does John mean?
John's name is in Hebrew, Yochanan.
Ya is the shortened form for God.
Kanan means grace. So it's God is gracious.
Now this this name troubled me for a long time.
It really did like I. Just couldn't put together in
the real basic level I could understand that he was being.
Gracious to Elizabeth. Because she wasn't able.
To bear a child. And so I understand that like
maybe that's the reason that. He was called God is gracious
because of His grace to Elizabeth.
But I think it's far more significant than that.
And so we'll have a look at some of these things.
But yeah, his name means God is gracious.
I mean, you gotta think. God's not very gracious.
To John and the fact that he will die at the same around the
same age as Jesus, he doesn't get a long life.
He's beheaded. And so God doesn't seem very
gracious in that respect to John, but even more so, He is
the one that it doesn't see the death and the resurrection of.
The Lord Jesus Christ O Axe chapter 2 is.
The beginning of the Church. With the holy.
Spirit and dwells the believer. You know John will not be part
of that. That also.
Doesn't seem in my eyes that when we're looking at the.
Idea of grace. That he wouldn't be part of
that. He would actually be part of the
Old Testament Saints. And so why would God?
Give him the name. He is God is gracious.
And we could. We could.
Use it. Really.
Simplistically again and say, well, you could look at any
period in time and God is gracious.
But then it's very generic, and it's very.
Just like. God.
God is gracious and we use that term all the time.
You know, that's true. But when God gives the name,
it's usually really definitive of why.
So I just want to look at two other names.
Before we go there, Zachariah is Arcadia, so Zahir.
Is to remember Yas the sword and shorten against form of God.
So Zaharia, it means that God remembers.
And then the one I just wanna focus on now is Elizabeth, and
Elizabeth is Ellie Shiva. So that's the Hebrew name.
Ellie is again the shortened form for Elohim.
Ali is God. Shiva means God's oath, so it
means that's what the meaning of her name is.
Now she's advanced in years and we've already talked about
Samuel. His mother was Hannah and she
was also unable to conceive. And there are others in the.
Bible like Elijah. That would go to a woman and
then she would conceive. But can you think of another
woman in the Bible who was advanced in age that was no
longer able to bear children? This is the case with Elizabeth.
There is someone else in the Bible also.
That has exactly. That same can you think of
someone in the Bible where an Angel or God himself?
Would go there. She would not be able to
conceive, and then there would be a promise made, and that's
this grouping of people, Abraham.
Abraham is promised. That he would receive.
These promises that the the and one of them is that he would
have a a descendant from him who would start and there would be
this Jewish nation. Well, Abraham actually at the
time you know the famous first Abraham believes Gordon was
accounted term for righteousness that happens in Genesis chapter
15 at the time of the covenant between God and Abraham.
So Abraham has told that. He believes that he believes.
That God's going to do what he's going to do.
But as we carry on, it's taking a bit long.
And so the idea is yes it. Says from Abraham so Sierra goes
well I know what we can do we can my handmade she can also
marry Abraham and then through Abraham it's and Abraham would
have gone. Yes, God did promise that
through me. There would be a seed.
That would come. And so that's the idea of Hagar.
Hagar will Mary Abraham, and they'll have a son called
Ishmael, but he is not the one of promise.
And then what's even more interesting is that after that
happens, Abraham and Syria, they will carry on and God will say
it's not through Hagar and he says it's going to come through
Sierra. And you know what happens in
chapter, I think it's 17. I think it's the way it is in
Genesis chapter 17. Abraham laughs.
I know, if you remember that we always recognise that Syria
laughed, but Abraham laughs first.
He laughs. Even though he's told that, he
said it's not gonna come through.
Hagar, but he's got. But you promised me a seed, and
I've got one. It's not coming through, Hagar.
And he laughed. Because it was told.
That it was going to go through Sierra the next chapter, I think
Genesis 18 as. We're Sarah also laughs.
And So what God? Does is he has the last laugh?
And he names Isaac. Guess what?
That Yitzhak. The meaning of Yitzhak is
laughter. That's why Isaac's name.
Is what it is. His name means laughter, and
it's exactly the same. And that's the connection.
Now you can. See why he was called.
That both of them laughed, and God.
Has the last laugh. And he says your son will be
called. And again, it's the same
instance like what happened to Elizabeth.
It's not that they're naming Isaac.
It's not Abraham and Sarah doing this.
It's actually God's saying that, just like what we're seeing with
what God's doing with Elizabeth. Okay, so that's really good.
But then we've got Abraham. He has his son and his son's
name is Isaac. But Isaac, his wife Rebecca.
Is also unable to conceive now. Isaac will pray for Rebecca.
And it'll be 20 years that she's barren, she is unable to give
birth, and then she will give birth.
But what's even more interesting is that Rebecca also has two
sons, but they're not too different.
Or Isaac will have two. Sons with Rebecca, but they're
not going to be from different woman.
They're from the same one. In fact they're twins.
It's Esau and Jacob, so from the same bloodline.
But God will only pick one son to be the Son of promise, which
is going to. Be Jacob.
K. So even though it's the same
woman twins, only one son has chosen.
And then we get to Jacob. Now, Jacob, Well, he'll have. 4
wives. The first one is Leah.
Then he has. Mary's Rachel.
Rachel is. Baron, another one that's not
able to conceive and so they think something similar along
the lines. Of what, Sarah?
Did and they give their ones that were soothing them also to
marry Jacob so Jacobins up with Leah, Zulfa, Bila and then.
Rachel was also the other. Wife.
That's of Jacob and she's unable to conceive, but again through
praying and will at the time. Then finally Jacob Rachel will
conceive now if I was to. Ask you.
Who is the mother of Israel? When you see it in the Bible
now, you might remember from certain verses.
Or if you were. Asking a Jewish audience who is
the mother of Israel, they're always gonna say.
They're gonna say Rachel. They don't say Sierra.
They don't say Rebecca. Why?
Why do you say Rachel? Because she.
Is the last one that starts it off.
Every son of Jacob. Is part of the Jewish nation.
Abraham has two sons. Only one will be.
Chosen Isaac has 2. Sons only one has chosen at the
conclusion of Rachel with the last two sons, all of them the
descendants from. Rachel are Jewish.
And this is the point. God made a promise to Abraham,
and he was absolutely. Faithful, but it took.
A few generations for it to see its fruition.
Sierra didn't see it, so she. Wasn't sure what to do.
Rebecca also with the the. Delay in the 20 years and also
with. Rachel, there was this whole.
Delay. And that's the thing if you ever
wondered. Why God says He's the.
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It's because you need the three
to connect you to the promises of.
God for it to see. It start working.
It's not just in the Abraham, he's the promises to Abraham,
but then it's not fulfilled until we get to Jacob and
that's. Why those three are so?
Connected and the way that it works and the intertwining of
them. And so also there's many verses
that are given there. I'm just going to go to one.
We don't have time, but one of the verses that are given to
Abraham is this Genesis 12 three, and this still stands
today if the Abrahamic covenant is still standing today.
It says I will bless those, they'll bless you.
And in him who dishonours. You I will curse.
And end use shall all of the nations of.
The earth be blessed. This is the promise that
everyone was waiting for, the anointed One, the promise of the
Messiah. When will this take place?
It's been such a long time for. Sarah to give birth.
Such a long time for Rebecca such does God ever keep his
promises? Does God?
Does he faithful to the things that he?
Says. And then we come back to just
tying it up into the meanings of their names.
Zechariah means, God remembers. Elizabeth means.
God's Oath. And John means God.
Is gracious, so just by. Chance will not change it, but
just putting it in God remembers.
His oath, for he is gracious. That's the point of John the
Baptist. God is coming, not.
Because of it, but. He's what he's wanting to do is
start the promises that we're way back in Abraham's time and
all the way through everybody saying we want the Messiah to
come, but he's not coming. And they have all these
different means and we do all lots of things to try and hurry
up the plan of God or do it rather than just trust in his
word. And but God is he does remember.
He remembers the promises that he.
Makes because he is gracious. And I think that's why we even
see that Zachariah and Elizabeth and why they're.
The focus of this part of the. Passage is to remind us.
That they were right and. Blameless in front of God, it's
the. Package of the.
Three of them. He's using them as a as a.
Picture like a typology to show us that.
He is gracious and now is the one that's coming.
It's not John the Baptist, he's the Forerunner.
But because God remembers his promises and he's gracious, he
sent the Forerunner, which will then herald in for next week the
one that we're waiting for. And I think that's the
significance. Of the passage that we.
Have and I think. It's really good for.
Us to to think whatever you think on things that are still
to come. Don't think of concepts or what
people think or what this family said or what this one know.
What you believe because the tick says it.
Trust in the promises of God, not in the thoughts of man or in
the. The groupings of this group says
this. This group says.
That it's a major problem. We've gotta.
Trust in the promises of God. Just see what he says and.
See what you can say. Why you believe what you
believe? Just like this from the text, no
other trains of. Thought what does it say?
Those things are great to help us think about text, but you
know when you stand before God, it's going to be.
Like, why do you believe what you believe?
And you can't. Say ohh, Jeff said this.
Or someone else said that or it's going to.
Be What do you believe? The tick says, and that's why
it's so important that we actually just remember what God
says. God is faithful to his promises.
We might not always get it right on how he's going to work that
out. We might try to hurry up God
sometimes. We might try to intervene on
God's behalf sometimes. But God is absolutely.
Perfect in his promises and it's really good for us just to
remember that as we start going through.
Luke God is faithful. He's just.
And he'll keep it exactly the way that he will say it will be.
It's close. And for you, Father, we just
thank you for the yeah, the privilege again to to come into
your word. We thank you for.
The text that's before us. But most of all, Lord, we thank
you for your promises. Lord, we thank you for the
promises that we have that you promised us.
You journal life that you promised us.
The indwelling of your Holy Spirit we thank.
You for Lord, just you're. So many blessings and the things
that you have promised and you are faithful.
To keep them Lord. We're sorry for the things that
we do, Lord and we. Try to hurry up your.
Plans. Or we try to to.
Reinvent it or try to do other things with them.
Lord, I just pray that we might just really trust in your word
and that we might just take a deep rooted understanding of the
promises that you've given Lord, and that we can really trust on
those because you are faithful. Lord, it might seem like a long
time as Rachel, as Sarah. Would have waited, or Rebecca.
Or Rachel would. But especially even for
Elizabeth, the passage that we're in where she was waiting
and Lord, you promised that at certain time the Messiah would
come and we just ready to see the next week.
Lord, the promise of the one, the anointed one, the one that
was always promised way back. Though as far as we.
See in Genesis. So Lord, we just thank you, help
us to trust in you, and we just. Thank you for all you.
Give us in Jesus name I mean.