Gabriel Appears to Zechariah at the Incense AltarBible World
1:9Luke 1:9
According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
This verse belongs to the account of Zacharias and Elizabeth, a faithful and righteous couple who were promised a son destined to go before the Lord and prepare His way. It shows Zacharias ministering in Jerusalem in the order of his priestly course. Priests served for a week twice each year.
According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot when he went into the temple of the Lord was to burn incense. The service was performed inside the holy place at the golden altar with solemn reverence. Incense was offered there daily morning and evening.
While he offered the incense, the whole multitude of the people were praying outside. The people waited in the outer court praying and confessing their sins until the priest should come out and dismiss them with his blessing, and the cloud of incense ascended before God with the prayers of Israel. That service included praying for pardon for the people's public and national sins and earnestly praying for the long-expected Savior.
As he ministered, heaven answered his many years of prayer for the coming of the Redeemer by sending its messenger. While he was thus executing the priest's office, the angel Gabriel appeared standing beside the altar of incense, on the right side as an indication of favor, between the altar and the table of shewbread. Zacharias was filled with fear and self-condemnation because the mercy seemed too great to credit.
The angel foretold the birth and work of John the Baptist, who would be great in the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, and go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turn many in Israel to God and make ready a people prepared for the Lord, the same work of calling to repentance John later did in the wilderness that exposed the Pharisees as those who said they would obey but did not. The visitation gave Zacharias, identified as the father of John the Baptist, with Elizabeth the instruction and duty to faithfully cooperate with God in training their promised son as the messenger to announce Christ, which they fulfilled by moving to a retired place in the country where he would not be exposed to city temptations and by giving him counsel and instruction that would keep him from departing from God's purpose.
This verse belongs to the account of Zacharias and Elizabeth, a faithful and righteous couple who were promised a son destined to go before the Lord and prepare His way. It shows Zacharias ministering in Jerusalem in the order of his priestly course. Priests served for a week twice each year.
According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot when he went into the temple of the Lord was to burn incense. The service was performed inside the holy place at the golden altar with solemn reverence. Incense was offered there daily morning and evening.
While he offered the incense, the whole multitude of the people were praying outside. The people waited in the outer court praying and confessing their sins until the priest should come out and dismiss them with his blessing, and the cloud of incense ascended before God with the prayers of Israel. That service included praying for pardon for the people's public and national sins and earnestly praying for the long-expected Savior.
As he ministered, heaven answered his many years of prayer for the coming of the Redeemer by sending its messenger. While he was thus executing the priest's office, the angel Gabriel appeared standing beside the altar of incense, on the right side as an indication of favor, between the altar and the table of shewbread. Zacharias was filled with fear and self-condemnation because the mercy seemed too great to credit.
The angel foretold the birth and work of John the Baptist, who would be great in the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, and go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turn many in Israel to God and make ready a people prepared for the Lord, the same work of calling to repentance John later did in the wilderness that exposed the Pharisees as those who said they would obey but did not. The visitation gave Zacharias, identified as the father of John the Baptist, with Elizabeth the instruction and duty to faithfully cooperate with God in training their promised son as the messenger to announce Christ, which they fulfilled by moving to a retired place in the country where he would not be exposed to city temptations and by giving him counsel and instruction that would keep him from departing from God's purpose.