And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
By lot in the order of his priestly course Zacharias entered the temple into the holy place to burn incense before the golden altar, while the whole multitude of the people prayed outside without. The people were gathered outside the sanctuary in prayer at the time of incense, as pious Jews were earnestly longing for the coming Messiah. The rising cloud of incense ascended together with the prayers of the people of Israel before God, for the incense service took place at a time of public prayer. That hour was a special time when the prayers of penitent people, with confession of sins, ascend to heaven.
The prayers then offered, by the people and by Zacharias on their behalf, were for pardon of public and national sins and for the long-expected coming Messiah and Redeemer. They included Zacharias's own prayers offered for many years for the coming of the Redeemer, which were then about to be answered by the sending of heaven's messenger. When Zacharias delayed inside, the people waited to learn whether God had shown approval and then feared the delay signaled displeasure. He emerged with his face shining with reflected heavenly light but unable to speak, signaling that an angel had appeared and that his unbelief had left him speechless until the prediction was fulfilled.
At the altar of incense, standing at its right hand, the angel announced to Zacharias that his aged and childless wife Elizabeth would bear a son John who would bring joy. He would be great in the sight of the Lord, drink neither wine nor strong drink, and be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. He would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn many of the children of Israel to God and 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. Because John's work required sound physical, mental, and moral strength, his habits were to be carefully regulated from infancy, and his parents had to train him in harmony with God in retirement from city temptation, showing parents' serious responsibility to shape their children's health and character. The foretold work was preaching repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, which is referred to in the parable of the two sons, where open transgressors afterward repented and went while those who professed obedience refused.
By lot in the order of his priestly course Zacharias entered the temple into the holy place to burn incense before the golden altar, while the whole multitude of the people prayed outside without. The people were gathered outside the sanctuary in prayer at the time of incense, as pious Jews were earnestly longing for the coming Messiah. The rising cloud of incense ascended together with the prayers of the people of Israel before God, for the incense service took place at a time of public prayer. That hour was a special time when the prayers of penitent people, with confession of sins, ascend to heaven.
The prayers then offered, by the people and by Zacharias on their behalf, were for pardon of public and national sins and for the long-expected coming Messiah and Redeemer. They included Zacharias's own prayers offered for many years for the coming of the Redeemer, which were then about to be answered by the sending of heaven's messenger. When Zacharias delayed inside, the people waited to learn whether God had shown approval and then feared the delay signaled displeasure. He emerged with his face shining with reflected heavenly light but unable to speak, signaling that an angel had appeared and that his unbelief had left him speechless until the prediction was fulfilled.
At the altar of incense, standing at its right hand, the angel announced to Zacharias that his aged and childless wife Elizabeth would bear a son John who would bring joy. He would be great in the sight of the Lord, drink neither wine nor strong drink, and be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. He would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn many of the children of Israel to God and 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. Because John's work required sound physical, mental, and moral strength, his habits were to be carefully regulated from infancy, and his parents had to train him in harmony with God in retirement from city temptation, showing parents' serious responsibility to shape their children's health and character. The foretold work was preaching repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, which is referred to in the parable of the two sons, where open transgressors afterward repented and went while those who professed obedience refused.