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Zacharias and Elizabeth - A Short Bible Study
(Luke 1:5-7) 5 "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. "
I believe there is an important lesson here in these few verses. The scripture says both Elizabeth and Zacharias were both righteous and blameless before the Lord. How many people today can say such things about us? But notice as the scripture continues we find out that Elizabeth was barren. During old testament times being barren was almost considered a reproach upon you from God. It meant your lineage was going to die out and your specific family would be no more. In Fact barreness was used as a punishment for sin by God in the book of Genesis. King Abimelech had taken Sarah, Abraham's wife to become his own. As punishment God closed the wombs of Abimelech's wife and all the females servants that belonged to him. It was only after Abraham prayed for them that God restored them. (For full account Read Genesis 20)
So what does Elizabeth's barreness tell us? We know she certainly wasn't barren because of any sin on her or zacharias' part, because scripture confirms this. So why then is She barren? There are two reasons and the first one you are not going to like.
1) Bad things happen to good people. Just because we walk in righteousness and integrity does not guarantee that we will have smooth sailing throughout our lives. Anyone who tells you the Christian life is an easy breeze is a liar and false teacher. Its hard to understand why God doesn't always bless us because of our obedience to him. But that is because we see through the jaded glass of society and greed. In this world people only seem to do things if it somehow benefits themselves. When we spend time at a job, we expect to get paid. When we help the next door neighbor, we expect that someday they will be able to help us in return. And so when we are obedient to God, we expect good things to fall on us, as if God were thanking us for doing what we ought to be doing already.
But the point I think God wants to make is that while being obedient to Him opens up the storehouses of Heaven to bless us, it does not mean God is forced to bless us. Our obedience and submission to God should always come out of our love for Him and never out of thought of reward. If that be the case then self, and not God, is what holds dominion in our hearts.
If your parent asks you to wash the car and gives you $20 to do it, then it is easy to be obedient. Though deep in your heart you are only being obedient for the sake of the reward and not for the sake of the rewarder. Your obedience is motivated out of love for yourself. Now if the parent asks you to wash the car with no money in return and you do it joyfully with gratefulness in your heart for what your parent has already done for you, then you are being obedient out of love and thankfulness. This is how all Christian's heart should be.
The Second point I would like to make is this, and this point is a lot more joyous.
2) Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
Elizabeth's barreness was allowed by God, I believe, to test both her and Zacharias's hearts and faith. The barreness of Elizabeth's womb did not deter her or Zacharias from following after God with their whole hearts. Eventhough they believed God was going to allow their family line to die, they still acted in ways that were righteous and blameless before Him. They did not complain at their present conditions but bared it with grace and humility. They had decided in their hearts, whether their family line went on or not, that they were going to serve the Lord. Their barreness worked together for the good of both Zacharias and Elizabeth as it refined them to the parents that God had called them to be. For unto them God was going to Give John the baptist, the one who would prepare the way for Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."
This one verse gives us two insights. First it shows us that Zacharias was a man of prayer. And secondly, and more importantly, it shows us that God still answers prayer! For Zacharias had been praying for a son and God graciously answered him. Not just with any son, but the son in fufillment of prophecy who would make way for the true Messiah.
God waited till both Zacharias and Elizabeth were old and past the point of bearing children. That is when He answered them. Often times we will not receive what we are praying for until it seems impossible for the prayer to be answered. God wants to make sure that our ultimate affection is Him and not just what we are seeking for.
Do not be dismayed when there comes a time when what we are asking for, seems impossible for us to receive. That is often times when God will answer prayer. When all humanly avenues have been exhausted and it is impossible through the efforts of man for our petition to be answered. That is whats called a trial of faith. Often as painful as those positions are, it is exactly where God wants us to be because he is testing our faith. We serve a God who does not know the definition of "impossible." But so often we limit what God can or can not do because we simply can not comprehend who He is. He is the Creator of all things and His ways are higher than ours. That is why we can trust Him. He is bigger than you and I and can help us in any situation, no matter how dire it may be. Even giving children to the barren, who are not just barren, but well past the age of even being able to conceive.
Never let go of faith. When the devil, the world, and even those closest to you tell you to give up, never let go. We must be patient with God. He will answer in His due time. But it is His timing that we must trust in. If we truely trust God, then our faith will stand the test of time and we will not falter. For Zacharias and Elizabeth, this was God's timing. It was at that hour that He answered their prayer. He changed the natural laws, and what was impossible he made happen. Never give up your faith in God, no matter how long it takes. In the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth we find that those who wait upon God in Faith, will be rewarded. For He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(Luke 1:5-7) 5 "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. "
I believe there is an important lesson here in these few verses. The scripture says both Elizabeth and Zacharias were both righteous and blameless before the Lord. How many people today can say such things about us? But notice as the scripture continues we find out that Elizabeth was barren. During old testament times being barren was almost considered a reproach upon you from God. It meant your lineage was going to die out and your specific family would be no more. In Fact barreness was used as a punishment for sin by God in the book of Genesis. King Abimelech had taken Sarah, Abraham's wife to become his own. As punishment God closed the wombs of Abimelech's wife and all the females servants that belonged to him. It was only after Abraham prayed for them that God restored them. (For full account Read Genesis 20)
So what does Elizabeth's barreness tell us? We know she certainly wasn't barren because of any sin on her or zacharias' part, because scripture confirms this. So why then is She barren? There are two reasons and the first one you are not going to like.
1) Bad things happen to good people. Just because we walk in righteousness and integrity does not guarantee that we will have smooth sailing throughout our lives. Anyone who tells you the Christian life is an easy breeze is a liar and false teacher. Its hard to understand why God doesn't always bless us because of our obedience to him. But that is because we see through the jaded glass of society and greed. In this world people only seem to do things if it somehow benefits themselves. When we spend time at a job, we expect to get paid. When we help the next door neighbor, we expect that someday they will be able to help us in return. And so when we are obedient to God, we expect good things to fall on us, as if God were thanking us for doing what we ought to be doing already.
But the point I think God wants to make is that while being obedient to Him opens up the storehouses of Heaven to bless us, it does not mean God is forced to bless us. Our obedience and submission to God should always come out of our love for Him and never out of thought of reward. If that be the case then self, and not God, is what holds dominion in our hearts.
If your parent asks you to wash the car and gives you $20 to do it, then it is easy to be obedient. Though deep in your heart you are only being obedient for the sake of the reward and not for the sake of the rewarder. Your obedience is motivated out of love for yourself. Now if the parent asks you to wash the car with no money in return and you do it joyfully with gratefulness in your heart for what your parent has already done for you, then you are being obedient out of love and thankfulness. This is how all Christian's heart should be.
The Second point I would like to make is this, and this point is a lot more joyous.
2) Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
Elizabeth's barreness was allowed by God, I believe, to test both her and Zacharias's hearts and faith. The barreness of Elizabeth's womb did not deter her or Zacharias from following after God with their whole hearts. Eventhough they believed God was going to allow their family line to die, they still acted in ways that were righteous and blameless before Him. They did not complain at their present conditions but bared it with grace and humility. They had decided in their hearts, whether their family line went on or not, that they were going to serve the Lord. Their barreness worked together for the good of both Zacharias and Elizabeth as it refined them to the parents that God had called them to be. For unto them God was going to Give John the baptist, the one who would prepare the way for Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."
This one verse gives us two insights. First it shows us that Zacharias was a man of prayer. And secondly, and more importantly, it shows us that God still answers prayer! For Zacharias had been praying for a son and God graciously answered him. Not just with any son, but the son in fufillment of prophecy who would make way for the true Messiah.
God waited till both Zacharias and Elizabeth were old and past the point of bearing children. That is when He answered them. Often times we will not receive what we are praying for until it seems impossible for the prayer to be answered. God wants to make sure that our ultimate affection is Him and not just what we are seeking for.
Do not be dismayed when there comes a time when what we are asking for, seems impossible for us to receive. That is often times when God will answer prayer. When all humanly avenues have been exhausted and it is impossible through the efforts of man for our petition to be answered. That is whats called a trial of faith. Often as painful as those positions are, it is exactly where God wants us to be because he is testing our faith. We serve a God who does not know the definition of "impossible." But so often we limit what God can or can not do because we simply can not comprehend who He is. He is the Creator of all things and His ways are higher than ours. That is why we can trust Him. He is bigger than you and I and can help us in any situation, no matter how dire it may be. Even giving children to the barren, who are not just barren, but well past the age of even being able to conceive.
Never let go of faith. When the devil, the world, and even those closest to you tell you to give up, never let go. We must be patient with God. He will answer in His due time. But it is His timing that we must trust in. If we truely trust God, then our faith will stand the test of time and we will not falter. For Zacharias and Elizabeth, this was God's timing. It was at that hour that He answered their prayer. He changed the natural laws, and what was impossible he made happen. Never give up your faith in God, no matter how long it takes. In the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth we find that those who wait upon God in Faith, will be rewarded. For He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.