Luke 1:5-25 reads,
1:5
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 1:6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 1:7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. 1:8Now it happened, while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division, 1:9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 1:10The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.1:11
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 1:12Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell on him. 1:13But the angel said to him, "Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 1:14You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. 1:15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 1:16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. 1:17He will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to 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."1:18
Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."1:19
The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. 1:20Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."1:21
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he delayed in the temple. 1:22When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 1:23It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 1:24After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 1:25"Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men."
Even The Righteous Before Yahweh Can Be Childless
Doesn't 1:6 show that both Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous before Yahweh, walking blamelessly in all his commandments and ordinances? Nevertheless, doesn't 1:7 still show that they were childless, seeing that Elizabeth was barren? Isn't it therefore the case that being righteous before Yahweh does not guarantee that one will indeed have children? Isn't it therefore the case that one can still be barren despite one being righteous before Yahweh?
Why Some Righteous Servants Of Yahweh Are Barren
Why are some righteous servants of Yahweh barren? Is it on account of their sin, or that of their parents, or on account of the future manifestation of Yahweh's glory in their lives?
Isn't it also the case that both Zacharias and Elizabeth were passed their time for conceiving and bearing children, seeing that they were well advanced in years?
Wasn't John a child for Yahweh's glorification, seeing that he would be born to Zacharias and Elizabeth despite their both having passed the normal time for child conception, bearing and giving birth? Did not Yahweh miraculously ensure that John was born to Zacharias and Elizabeth?
Believe Yahweh Words Even When Their Fulfilment Appears Unlikely
Isn't it important for us to believe Yahweh's words to us through his servants, however unlikely their fulfilment appears to human eyes? Is anything too hard for Yahweh, that he cannot give a child to a barren couple passed their normal child conceiving, bearing and giving birth ages?
Did not the angel Gabriel tell Zacharias that his request had been heard, and then proceeded to tell him that his wife would indeed conceive and bear a son? Did not Zacharias' response indicate that he had not at that particular point in time made a request to Yahweh that he be given a son? Didn't he disbelieve the message Gabriel delivered to him, indicating that he had not at the time he went into the temple to burn incense make request to Yahweh to be given a son?
Then why did Gabriel tell Zacharias that his request had been heard?
Was it because Zacharias had made this request a long time ago and had probably forgotten about it at the time Gabriel appeared to him? Isn't it plausible that he had forgotten it due to the advancement in years of both he and his wife? Nevertheless, isn't it also the case that Yahweh does not forget the requests we make to him, however long ago it was that we made the requests to him? Doesn't it therefore appear that Gabriel was indeed right that Yahweh had heard Zacharias' prayer, and was now answering that prayer according to Yahweh's appointed time, rather than the time Zacharias and Elizabeth might have thought they would receive answer? Doesn't Yahweh respond at his appointed times rather than our own?
Elizabeth's Barrenness Was For Yahweh's Glorification
Doesn't it appear that Elizabeth was childless for several years for Yahweh's glorification, seeing that Yahweh had appointed that she would bear Yahweh's prophet who was to prepare the way before his anointed one, the Messiah?
It Is A Reproach For A Woman To Be Barren
Isn't it clear from Elizabeth's words in 1:25 that it is indeed a reproach among human beings for a woman to be barren? Wasn't Elizabeth in reproach among humans despite having been a righteous woman before Yahweh, walking blamelessly in Yahweh's word? Doesn't this show that some righteous women are indeed in reproach among humans? Doesn't this show that some are in reproach on account of being barren?
Yahweh Facilitated Elizabeth's Conception, Bearing And Giving Birth
Isn't it clear that it is Yahweh who facilitated Elizabeth conceiving, bearing and giving birth to a son, and doing this at a time when she was passed the normal time for so conceiving, bearing and giving birth? Shouldn't human beings rely on Yahweh to provide them with children, seeing that those he provides with children have them, and those he denies do not have them? Shouldn't human beings understand that the conception, bearing and giving birth of children is a matter for Yahweh to determine, and not for human beings? Shouldn't human beings leave such matters to Yahweh, rather than attempt to interfere in an area that is not theirs, seeing this area belongs to Yahweh?
Isn't it also the case that we should believe whatever word it is that we receive from Yahweh, seeing that disbelieving Yahweh's word has adverse consequences? Didn't Zacharias become mute on account of disbelieving Yahweh's word? Shouldn't we therefore fear to disbelieve Yahweh, lest some adverse consequence befall us?
The Hearts Of Fathers Should Be Turned To Their Children
Doesn't 1:17 imply that the hearts of fathers should be turned to their children? Who are the fathers whose hearts were to be turned to their children? Who are the children referred to? Are the children the children of Israel? Are their fathers Yahweh the Father and Yah'shuah the Son, also called the Everlasting Father? Wasn't John to turn the hearts of Yahweh and Yah'shuah towards the children of Israel, when the disobedient - the children of Israel - repented of their sins and turned to Yahweh and Yah'shuah?
Shouldn't the hearts of parents be turned to their children? Shouldn't children listen to their parents to facilitate their parents' hearts being turned towards them? And shouldn't parents provide for their children to facilitate the hearts of their children being turned towards them?
Prophecy Concerning Yah'shuah's Birth
Luke 1:26-38 reads,
1:26
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 1:27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 1:28Having come in to her, the angel said, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!"1:29
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 1:30The angel said to her, "Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 1:31Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ 1:32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father, David, 1:33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end of his kingdom."1:34
Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, seeing I am a virgin?"1:35
The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 1:36Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 1:37For no word from God will be void of power."1:38
Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word."The angel departed from her.
Yahweh Facilitates Conception By The Holy Spirit
Doesn't the word of Gabriel to Mary show that Yahweh facilitates conception of women in impossible human circumstances by the power of the Holy Spirit? Wasn't this the manner Mary conceived Yah'shuah while she was still a virgin? Isn't this the manner that Elizabeth's conception was facilitated even though she had ceased from ability to conceive after the manner of women? Isn't it truly the case that no word from Yahweh is void of power?
Yahweh Magnified His Mercy Towards Elizabeth
Luke 1:57-66 reads,
1:57
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son. 1:58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her. 1:59It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father. 1:60His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."1:61
They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." 1:62They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.1:63
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."They all marveled. 1:64His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 1:65Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 1:66All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
How Yahweh Magnified His Mercy Towards Elizabeth
Doesn't 1:58 state that Yahweh had magnified his mercy towards Elizabeth? Wasn't the manner Yahweh so magnified his mercy towards her removing her reproach from among humans, seeing that she had been childless for many years? Isn't the removal of reproach over one the manifestation of Yahweh's mercy over one?
Was Sin Involved In Elizabeth's Barrenness?
Doesn't the magnification of mercy towards one imply an element of forgiveness of sin? Might not this suggest that Elizabeth's barrenness might have existed on account of sin, possibly that of her ancestors, and that Yahweh now forgave this sin by giving her a child? Doesn't this suggest that Yahweh's mercy is essential in the removal of a reproach a person bears?
Cry To Yahweh For The Removal Of Your Reproach
Shouldn't Yahweh's faithful servants in reproach, however caused, cry out to Yahweh to show his mercy towards them, to remove them from their reproach? Shouldn't Yahweh's servants in reproach believe his word concerning his manner of removing them from their reproach? Shouldn't Yahweh's faithful servants act upon Yahweh's word that their reproach might indeed be removed from them at Yahweh's appointed time?
John 9:1-7 reads,
9:1
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 9:2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"9:3
Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents. But, that the works of God might be revealed in him, 9:4I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work. 9:5When I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 9:6When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud, 9:7and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means "Sent"). So he went away, washed, and came seeing.Isn't it clear that the man was born blind not on account of his sin or that of his parents, but that Yahweh's works might be revealed in him?
Why Some People Apparently Suffer From Curses
Doesn't it therefore appear that it is not always the case that when a person appears to be suffering from a curse it is the result of his sin or that of his parents? Don't some apparent curses exist that Yahweh may indeed work his works in those people so afflicted? Don't some apparent curses exist that Yahweh may glorify his name, even as he did in the cases of Sarah, Manoah's wife, Hannah and Elizabeth?
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