The Angel Appears to Zacharias in the TempleBible World
1:11Luke 1:11
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
In the holy place of the Jerusalem temple an angel from heaven appeared beside the golden altar of incense on its right side, while the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel ascended before God and the multitude prayed outside at the hour of incense. Zacharias was then executing his appointed priestly course, having received by lot the duty to burn incense and to pray for pardon for the public and national sins and earnestly for the long-expected Saviour, and he and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all commandments and far advanced in years. The place where the angel stood was an indication of favor and brought a conscious sense of divine presence and heavenly light, yet Zacharias was startled and troubled with fear and self-condemnation, questioning whether he had offended God and whether the messenger had come to reprove or condemn him, until the angel reassured and cheered him. The angel came as heaven's messenger with the answer to prayers offered for many years for the coming of the Redeemer, announcing that they were about to be answered and marking the nearness of Christ's coming. His announcement was that Zacharias's prayer had been heard and Elizabeth would bear a son named John, who through the Holy Spirit would turn many in Israel to God and prepare a people for the Lord.
Angel at the Altar
The appearing took place inside the Jerusalem temple in the holy place before the golden altar of incense, while the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel was ascending before God and the whole multitude was praying outside at the time of incense. Zacharias was there executing his appointed course of the priesthood, having received by lot the duty to burn incense and to pray for pardon for the people's public and national sins and to pray earnestly for the long-expected Saviour. He and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all commandments and ordinances, and were far advanced in years.
The angel from heaven, Gabriel, stood beside the altar on its right side, and his standing there was an indication of favor. His coming brought a conscious sense of divine presence, and his appearance reflected heavenly light upon Zacharias. Zacharias when he saw him was startled, surprised and troubled, and was filled with fear and self-condemnation, taking no note of the favor. As a conscientious God-fearing soul he questioned whether he had offended God and whether the messenger had come to reprove him or to condemn him in judgment, for God's mercy was too great for him to credit. But the messenger had come to cheer him, and reassured him with the answer to his prayer.
Because of unbelief he was left unable to speak, which kept him from telling the people what had happened until the angel's prediction was fulfilled.
Promise of the Forerunner
The angel came as heaven's messenger with the answer to prayers offered for many years for the coming of the Redeemer, announcing that they were about to be answered. That announcement marked the nearness of Christ's coming.
The announcement was that his prayer had been heard and Elizabeth would bear a son named John. He was to be the forerunner, who through the Holy Spirit would turn many in Israel to God and prepare a people for the Lord. His birth as the forerunner was foretold while his father was serving before the altar in the Jerusalem temple.
The promised child's habits were to be carefully regulated: he was to abstain from wine and strong drink and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This preparation was needed for the important work ahead, which required physical health and mental and moral strength. It shows that God regards parents' responsibility for a child's welfare as a matter of great importance. The appearing instructed Zacharias and Elizabeth how they should train and educate their child so as to work in harmony with God in preparing a messenger to announce the coming of Christ. It laid upon the parents faithful cooperation with God in forming such a character in John as would fit him to perform the part God had assigned him as a competent worker.
The angel's words to Zacharias were often repeated to John by his God-fearing parents, so that from childhood John knew the mission entrusted to him and accepted it. The appearance in the temple connected with John's birth was a manifestation of God and a remembered sign of His presence and power. It helped people recognize the divine significance of John when he later appeared as a prophet. The revelation to Zacharias was joined to his prophecy pointing to his child as the Messiah's herald. In the tumults and changes of thirty years these things had in great measure been lost sight of, though some still recalled them, and the excitement concerning John's ministry called them to mind and pressed the question of John as the announced herald.
In the holy place of the Jerusalem temple an angel from heaven appeared beside the golden altar of incense on its right side, while the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel ascended before God and the multitude prayed outside at the hour of incense. Zacharias was then executing his appointed priestly course, having received by lot the duty to burn incense and to pray for pardon for the public and national sins and earnestly for the long-expected Saviour, and he and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all commandments and far advanced in years. The place where the angel stood was an indication of favor and brought a conscious sense of divine presence and heavenly light, yet Zacharias was startled and troubled with fear and self-condemnation, questioning whether he had offended God and whether the messenger had come to reprove or condemn him, until the angel reassured and cheered him. The angel came as heaven's messenger with the answer to prayers offered for many years for the coming of the Redeemer, announcing that they were about to be answered and marking the nearness of Christ's coming. His announcement was that Zacharias's prayer had been heard and Elizabeth would bear a son named John, who through the Holy Spirit would turn many in Israel to God and prepare a people for the Lord.
Angel at the Altar
The appearing took place inside the Jerusalem temple in the holy place before the golden altar of incense, while the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel was ascending before God and the whole multitude was praying outside at the time of incense. Zacharias was there executing his appointed course of the priesthood, having received by lot the duty to burn incense and to pray for pardon for the people's public and national sins and to pray earnestly for the long-expected Saviour. He and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all commandments and ordinances, and were far advanced in years.
The angel from heaven, Gabriel, stood beside the altar on its right side, and his standing there was an indication of favor. His coming brought a conscious sense of divine presence, and his appearance reflected heavenly light upon Zacharias. Zacharias when he saw him was startled, surprised and troubled, and was filled with fear and self-condemnation, taking no note of the favor. As a conscientious God-fearing soul he questioned whether he had offended God and whether the messenger had come to reprove him or to condemn him in judgment, for God's mercy was too great for him to credit. But the messenger had come to cheer him, and reassured him with the answer to his prayer.
Because of unbelief he was left unable to speak, which kept him from telling the people what had happened until the angel's prediction was fulfilled.
Promise of the Forerunner
The angel came as heaven's messenger with the answer to prayers offered for many years for the coming of the Redeemer, announcing that they were about to be answered. That announcement marked the nearness of Christ's coming.
The announcement was that his prayer had been heard and Elizabeth would bear a son named John. He was to be the forerunner, who through the Holy Spirit would turn many in Israel to God and prepare a people for the Lord. His birth as the forerunner was foretold while his father was serving before the altar in the Jerusalem temple.
The promised child's habits were to be carefully regulated: he was to abstain from wine and strong drink and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This preparation was needed for the important work ahead, which required physical health and mental and moral strength. It shows that God regards parents' responsibility for a child's welfare as a matter of great importance. The appearing instructed Zacharias and Elizabeth how they should train and educate their child so as to work in harmony with God in preparing a messenger to announce the coming of Christ. It laid upon the parents faithful cooperation with God in forming such a character in John as would fit him to perform the part God had assigned him as a competent worker.
The angel's words to Zacharias were often repeated to John by his God-fearing parents, so that from childhood John knew the mission entrusted to him and accepted it. The appearance in the temple connected with John's birth was a manifestation of God and a remembered sign of His presence and power. It helped people recognize the divine significance of John when he later appeared as a prophet. The revelation to Zacharias was joined to his prophecy pointing to his child as the Messiah's herald. In the tumults and changes of thirty years these things had in great measure been lost sight of, though some still recalled them, and the excitement concerning John's ministry called them to mind and pressed the question of John as the announced herald.