"A Childless Couple Conceives
During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old."
Zachariah. "He who remembers Jehovah or he who Jehovah remembers..."
Elizabeth. Bearing the name of her forerunner, Aaron's wife.
Both of priestly families.
Both honourable, loving people.
Both childless.
How deprived did they feel? Was Zachariah resigned: no son to carry out his name, no child to inherit his name....
And Elizabeth? The ultimate disgrace, let alone no son to care for parents in old age.
Time had passed. All chance was gone and now, just old age.
And yet....
"It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear." Luke 1:5 - 12
This pinnacle of life, the chance to serve God in his holy temple. Aah. This was the culmination of a life's dream, surely outweighing any earthly desires. This is what Zachariah had been born to.
And then an angel came and ruined this holy moment....
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