Gabriel Appears to Zechariah at the Incense AltarBible World
1:12Luke 1:12
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
While taking his priestly turn to burn incense in the holy place as the cloud of incense rose with the prayers of Israel and the multitude prayed outside, Zacharias was engaged in prayer for pardon and for the long-expected coming of the Redeemer. He suddenly became conscious of a divine presence, for Gabriel stood on the right side of the altar of incense with his glory concealed, a position indicating favor that Zacharias did not recognize. At the sight he was surprised and troubled and fear fell upon him, feeling as a conscientious God-fearing soul self-condemnation and wondering if he had offended God and if the messenger had come to reprove or condemn him in judgment. Though heaven had sent its messenger in answer to his many years of prayer, the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit and believe. The angel then bade him not fear and announced that his prayer was heard and Elizabeth would bear a son John to bring joy and gladness as the forerunner to make ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ at His coming.
Temple Scene and Fear
Zacharias was executing the priest's office before God in the order of his course, his lot according to custom being to burn incense in the temple of the Lord. He stood before the golden altar in the holy place of the sanctuary as the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel ascended before God, while the whole multitude prayed without at the time of incense. He was then praying for pardon for the people's public and national sins and for the coming Savior, having prayed for many years for the coming of the Redeemer whom they expected.
He suddenly became conscious of a divine presence, with the angel Gabriel standing on the right side of the altar of incense, having concealed his glory. The angel's position on the right side was an indication of favor, but Zacharias took no note of it and did not recognize this. When Zacharias saw him he was surprised and troubled, and fear fell upon him. That troubled fear at the sight filled him while he was serving in the temple.
As a conscientious, God-fearing soul he felt self-condemnation and questioned whether he had offended God and whether the messenger had come to reprove him or in judgment to condemn him. Though heaven had sent its messenger to announce that his prayers for the Redeemer were about to be answered, the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit and believe.
Promise and Fulfillment
To his fear the angel answered, fear not, for his prayer was heard and his wife Elisabeth should bear him a son John who would bring joy and gladness. That answer announced the nearness of Christ's coming and set forth John's life and work as forerunner and herald of the Messiah. His work was to make ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ as the Son of God at His coming.
That making ready was John's clear-cut reproof of sin and all hypocrisy, going before to prepare the way for the first ministry of the gospel of Christ, the very work Christ pointed to in the parable of the two sons. The visit bore the encouraging testimony that John would be great in the sight of God, showing heaven watching with intense interest the preparation through John for the mission and work of Christ. True greatness is therefore measured by Infinite Wisdom's estimate of that work, not by human appearance, riches, or outward show. The visitation was a manifestation of God to Zacharias, yet his disbelief of the angel's words cost him the power of speech until it returned at John's birth.
His God-fearing parents often repeated the angel's words to him, so that from childhood John was taught his mission and accepted it as a holy trust. The temple revelation concerning the coming child pointed to him as the Messiah's herald, and though after thirty years of tumult and change it had in great measure been lost sight of, it was remembered when John appeared as a prophet and was called to mind again by the excitement over his ministry.
While taking his priestly turn to burn incense in the holy place as the cloud of incense rose with the prayers of Israel and the multitude prayed outside, Zacharias was engaged in prayer for pardon and for the long-expected coming of the Redeemer. He suddenly became conscious of a divine presence, for Gabriel stood on the right side of the altar of incense with his glory concealed, a position indicating favor that Zacharias did not recognize. At the sight he was surprised and troubled and fear fell upon him, feeling as a conscientious God-fearing soul self-condemnation and wondering if he had offended God and if the messenger had come to reprove or condemn him in judgment. Though heaven had sent its messenger in answer to his many years of prayer, the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit and believe. The angel then bade him not fear and announced that his prayer was heard and Elizabeth would bear a son John to bring joy and gladness as the forerunner to make ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ at His coming.
Temple Scene and Fear
Zacharias was executing the priest's office before God in the order of his course, his lot according to custom being to burn incense in the temple of the Lord. He stood before the golden altar in the holy place of the sanctuary as the cloud of incense with the prayers of Israel ascended before God, while the whole multitude prayed without at the time of incense. He was then praying for pardon for the people's public and national sins and for the coming Savior, having prayed for many years for the coming of the Redeemer whom they expected.
He suddenly became conscious of a divine presence, with the angel Gabriel standing on the right side of the altar of incense, having concealed his glory. The angel's position on the right side was an indication of favor, but Zacharias took no note of it and did not recognize this. When Zacharias saw him he was surprised and troubled, and fear fell upon him. That troubled fear at the sight filled him while he was serving in the temple.
As a conscientious, God-fearing soul he felt self-condemnation and questioned whether he had offended God and whether the messenger had come to reprove him or in judgment to condemn him. Though heaven had sent its messenger to announce that his prayers for the Redeemer were about to be answered, the mercy of God seemed too great for him to credit and believe.
Promise and Fulfillment
To his fear the angel answered, fear not, for his prayer was heard and his wife Elisabeth should bear him a son John who would bring joy and gladness. That answer announced the nearness of Christ's coming and set forth John's life and work as forerunner and herald of the Messiah. His work was to make ready a people prepared to receive and believe in Christ as the Son of God at His coming.
That making ready was John's clear-cut reproof of sin and all hypocrisy, going before to prepare the way for the first ministry of the gospel of Christ, the very work Christ pointed to in the parable of the two sons. The visit bore the encouraging testimony that John would be great in the sight of God, showing heaven watching with intense interest the preparation through John for the mission and work of Christ. True greatness is therefore measured by Infinite Wisdom's estimate of that work, not by human appearance, riches, or outward show. The visitation was a manifestation of God to Zacharias, yet his disbelief of the angel's words cost him the power of speech until it returned at John's birth.
His God-fearing parents often repeated the angel's words to him, so that from childhood John was taught his mission and accepted it as a holy trust. The temple revelation concerning the coming child pointed to him as the Messiah's herald, and though after thirty years of tumult and change it had in great measure been lost sight of, it was remembered when John appeared as a prophet and was called to mind again by the excitement over his ministry.