When Herod was still king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zecharias and his wife Elizabeth.  Both of them were upright in God's sight and they kept all the Lord's commandments faithfully.  However, they had no children and now were getting old.  One day it was Zecharias's turn to be on duty in the temple and he went into the temple to burn incense.  As he was busy, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zecharias.  When Zecharias saw him, he was startled and was filled with fear.

The angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zecharias, your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.  You are to give him the name John.  And he will be a joy and delight to you and will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth and will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God."

Zecharias asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this, since I am an old man and my wife getting old?"  The angel answered, "I am Gabriel and I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to tell you this good news.  And now you will not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words!"

Meanwhile, the people outside the temple were waiting for Zecharias and wondering why he stayed inside so long.  When he came out, they realised he had seen a vision, for he kept making signs to them but was unable to speak.  Can you imagine what it was like because it was nine long months before he would be able to talk again.  What a terrible and frustrating time that must have been!

All he could do was just point to things and wave his arms about trying to get across what he wanted.  In those days they didn't have a sign language and so Zacharias must have got angry and stamped his feet many times!  At last his time of duty was completed and he returned home.  His wife Elizabeth in due time gave birth to a son.

Her neighbours and relatives gathered together to celebrate the birth, and were going to name the baby after his father Zecharias.  Elizabeth said, "No, he is to be called John."  They said to her, "But there is no one among your relatives who has that name."  They made signs to his father to find out what he would like to name the child.  He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."

Immediately he could speak again and began praising God.  The neighbours were amazed and this story spread throughout the hill country of Judea.   Everyone who heard this wondered, "What is this child going to be?"

His father Zecharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, "And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him (Jesus), to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins."

And the child grew and the Lord was with him.  He lived in the desert and ate locusts and wild honey until he started preaching to Israel as John the Baptist.

Boys and girls, it's wise to listen to what God says and promises.  God always keeps His Word and never lies.  Zecharias refused to believe, and was struck dumb for his unbelief.  God doesn't want us to be like Zecharias.  He wants us to listen and obey what He tells us to do in the Bible.  God wants us to believe and trust Him to keep His word, and His many promises.

God bless!