Y3 Day 274 – Luke 1; John 1:1-18

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1. What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
4. How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture? 

Luke 1

I am gaining more understanding as to why Gabriel chastised Zechariah for his disbelief.  First of all, Zechariah, who had spent his whole life serving God as a Levite, had no faith.  Though he prayed for a child, he was clearly past the point of believing it could ever happen.  Not even the impossible fact of God’s angel, Gabriel, standing before him was enough to kindle the fire of his faith. 

I have noted this before.  This morning, however, I see more.  Gabriel said to Zechariah, “And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children” (Lk. 1:17a).  This is straight from the final words we read from Malachi.  As a Levite, Zechariah should have been well versed in Malachi’s prophecies.  Yet he missed it.  Instead of realizing that God was about to make him and his wife part of His promised plan, all Zechariah could think about was that they were too old to bear children.  No faith!

Another tie to the ancient prophecies of hope and restoration that Zechariah missed is John’s name.  It means, “God is gracious”.  This is a phrase that stood out to me when reading through the post exile books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  Thus, John’s name, given by God, was an indication that His promised restoration was coming.  

John 1:1-18

I love this first part of John.  It is so profound!  It’s hard to believe that a simple fisherman wrote it.  Yet that is just as Jesus said.  “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.” (Matt. 11:25).  We even see this in Luke 1, which we just read.  Learned Zechariah was the one who lacked faith, while simple Mary from Nazareth understood and believed.