Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends. Christmas 2021 is now only four days away. Perhaps you measure the approach of Christmas by the number of shopping days, or maybe by the number of days till Christmas break from school or work? Let’s remember that in the original “Christmas story” no one had even the slightest idea that those days were any different from the days, years, decades, even the past four centuries of time! Life in the Roman Empire was harshly predictable. UNTIL suddenly!
The Christmas story, as you know, is told by two Gospel writers… Matthew and Luke. It really begins in Luke 1. Dr. Luke, was a Gentile physician, and he wrote with careful detail, to the Gentiles across the Roman empire audience, while Matthew wrote primarily to the Jews scattered across the Empire. Thus we’ll notice Matthew quotes frequently from Old Testament prophets, while Luke gives us details of what was going on in the Roman Empire, at the time of the Christmas events. Luke gives us three identifiers which help us identify WHEN, WHERE and WHY the Christmas events happened as they did. First, in Luke 1:5… “In the time of Herod king of Judea…” This is Herod the Great who ‘reigned’ in Jerusalem over the region known as Judea, from 37bc-4bc. This man had great ambitions and he loved big building projects. In Jerusalem the expansion of the large Temple mount and refurbishing of the Temple was his great achievement. But he also led a massive expansion project of the harbor at Caesarea and the construction of a magnificent mountaintop retreat in the southern desert called ‘Masada’. In Jerusalem, the stone wall today sometimes called the “wailing wall” is a portion of the “western wall” of that original Herod Temple Mount.
Secondly, Luke tells us in Luke 2:1,2 that “Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census which took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.” This was a taxation census. Like all governments, the Roman Caesar’s use of resources almost always outpaced the inflow of resources and thus taxes were increased from time to time, and censuses were needed to be sure everyone was being taxed. Syria was the eastern military front of the Roman Empire and Quirinius was assigned there twice on mission from the Roman Caesar. First from 12bc-4bc Quirinius was governing all Roman military activities in the region, based in Syria. It was during this time Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem to register in the tax census. Soldiers were responsible to make sure the census happened properly and deal with any refusals.
From 6-12ad, following another assignment elsewhere, Quirinius was again assigned by the Caesar to Syria, this time as resident governor of the entire region. During this time a second census was ordered and it is referred to in Acts 5:37. This is why Luke clarifies that the Christmas events happened during the first of two censuses which Quirinius oversaw from his governing position in Syria.
Finally, Dr. Luke makes it very clear there were two reasons WHY Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem at that particular time: First, a required Roman tax census. Because the Jews were not normally Roman citizens, they were not required to serve in the Roman military, but they were required to register & pay their taxes. Secondly, Bethlehem was Joseph’s ancestral hometown, thus it was there he was required to report for the census.
Dr. Luke’s description of an encounter between Zechariah and the angel Gabriel in the Jerusalem temple is the first event of our New Testament, and the event which ended the 400 year silence of God which began with Malachi’s final prophecy in Malachi 4. I left you yesterday in the Holy Place of the Temple where old Zechariah, probably for the first time in his life, was standing at the Altar of Incense. He had been chosen by lot for this privilege and had taken hot coals from the large Altar out in the Temple courtyard, and brought those coals, and some fresh incense into this Holy Place. After placing those hot coals on the Altar of Incense, Zechariah sprinkled the incense on those coals and smoke wafted up with that pungent but glorious smell. Zechariah prayed… for himself and his wife, for Jerusalem and Jews scattered all across the Empire. And Zechariah prayed that God would soon send the two men who would fulfil all those ancient prophecies. First the ‘messenger’ mentioned in Malachi who would prepare the way, and then secondly the long awaited Messiah. And while Zechariah was praying… it happened! Unexpectedly, powerfully, personally… just like it did with Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3) or Isaiah in the temple (Is. 6)!
The record says: “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord… he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from birth… And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17)
Look at Zechariah… very similar to how both Moses and Isaiah responded to their encounters with God! Speechless, overwhelmed, filled with awe and wonder. The angel had called him by name and assured him that his prayers had been heard by God. Zechariah knew the Old Testament prophecies well, and it was very clear this miracle son John would be the fulfilment of Malachi’s prophecies! Suddenly Zechariah, even though old, had renewed life purpose! He would be father, mentor, teacher to a boy born to his old dear wife Elizabeth, who would need daily instruction in order to understand his role as the forerunner of Messiah. But this boy would also need a mentor dad who could teach him to know God in a deeply personal relationship. Just the thought of it all was overwhelming.
The angel paused and just looked at Zechariah. Finally Zechariah found a few words to express what his heart and mind were struggling to comprehend. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years?” (Luke 1:18) I can’t blame him for asking HOW this could happen, can you? It was a preposterous possibility for an old priest who perhaps thought this would be his last time of service in Jerusalem before retirement. The angel’s response is very important: “I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.” I believe the angel paused. He had a name… Gabriel. He had a very special, sacred position… standing in the holy presence of God, close to God’s throne. He had been sent from God directly to Jerusalem, to the Temple, to meet with one man, Zechariah, as he prayed at the Altar of Incense! And he had a very specific, special message. But he also had one more thing to say: “And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.” (Luke 1:19,20) I suspect Gabriel did not rush out. While we have no record either of them said anything more, I wonder if Gabriel just stayed, lingering a little longer, so Zechariah could bask in this holy encounter. It would mark the rest of his life and shape his legacy!
The record continues by simply saying that Zechariah came out of that Holy Place unable to speak, trying to make gestures explaining to the people and his fellow priests what had happened in there. Then, after his week of ministry was completed, Zechariah went home, and being unable to speak, tried to explain to Elizabeth what had happened to him. Then Dr. Luke writes this: “After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.” May I ask you, what do you think Zechariah and Elizabeth did during those five months alone? I suspect they poured over all the Old Testament Scriptures looking for any and all prophecies that would help guide them as parents to the forerunner of Messiah!
No other human being would ever have that life purpose… they needed to get this right! Hour after hour they prayed, they shared their thoughts with each other, probably Zechariah using a writing tablet. And then suddenly a knock came at their door… and they heard news from young Mary. She needed their help as she tried to understand an even greater miracle than what they were living!
Tomorrow we’ll look at that part of the remarkable Christmas story. For today, spend some time in quiet reflection on what Zechariah and Elizabeth were experiencing. Do you strongly believe God hears your prayers, knows everything about you? Do you believe God is wanting to involve you, this Christmas season, in what He is doing around the world to accomplish His purposes? Are you ready for your invitation from God? I wonder what God will say to you, in these very special days? Here’s a song to help you consider hearing God’s Word for you. . .
Today’s Scripture is Luke 1:5-25.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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