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Commentaries
English
Luke
  
8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the alter of incense.12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.17He will also go before Him 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."


Public worships were attended at the temple of the Lord every day at nine o’clock in the morning before making the burnt offering and at three o’clock in the afternoon after the same offering (Acts 3:1). During both occasions many prayers met to praise altogether the glory of the Holy One and to pour their hearts before him. It occurred that the eighth priestly division stayed for a complete week in Jerusalem to perform all the services of the temple.
The Lord chose Zacharias by lot to minister at the alter and make the offering of incense in the temple. As the people joined in hymns of prayer, the elder moved forward to the holy place and burnt the incense in token of their prayers and praises ascending to the Lord (Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4). However, the ministering priest fell down in adoration to the near All-Hearing God, summing up in ritual words the communal pleas. He had the privilege of bringing sacred personal pleas before the Lord. God answered his prayer in a wonderful way. The elder immediately saw a luminous angel standing in bright glory on the right side of the alter out of which the smell of incense ascended in the midst of the darkness of the holy room. And then the priest was troubled, for any appearance of a spiritual person signified punishment and judgment. None is righteous of himself before God. So do not ask your Lord for the appearance of angels or Christ, but repent as long as it is called "Today" and believe in Christ so that he may fill you with his Holy Spirit who is God himself.
The angel did not come for judgment, but gave good tidings to Zacharias of the beginning of the age of God’s grace. No man can realize the principle change in his Lord’s plan, therefore God sent an angel in order that Zacharias might realize the spiritual change to come. The brilliant angel comforted the troubled priest and ordered him not to be afraid. The statement, "Do not be afraid" appears 365 times in the Holy Bible. It orders us according to the number of the days of the year not to be afraid at all.
The reporter confirmed that God answers prayers maybe late according to our feeling, but punctually according to his prudent loving will. Then rest assured that no word or statement of your prayers is forgotten. The good Father does not neglect the pressing needs of his children, but answers in prudence and due time. Do you believe that each word of your pleas is answered according to the will of your Lord’s mercy?
The angel was a person speaking understandable words. He brought us good tidings of days of joy and gladness, for the meaning of the name "John" is the Lord is gracious. The Creator healed the sick body of Elizabeth so that she might be able to conceive. Would that the Lord touches the dry bodies of churches so that they might be filled and the children of God be multiplied.
Many promises of the Old Testament had their accomplishment in the coming of John the Baptist (Malachi 3:1,23,24; Isaiah 40:1-4). All angels and believers rejoiced at his coming, for his appearance indicated a new age in the entire creation of God. Since childhood, John was devoted, consecrated and engaged to the Holy God who filled the forerunner of his Son with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb so that he might be able to carry out his hard service. Thus John was the greatest among those born of women. He surpassed philosophers, kings and prophets. Yet, in spite of his excellence, he was not born of the Holy Spirit, but in a normal manner of Zacharias his father. He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the great.
God had prepared two services for the Baptist: First he had to call the multitudes to repentance so that they might discover their sins, and to baptize the brokenhearted with the baptism of forgiveness in the Jordan. So John cultivated all the people with his sharp word, prepared the hearts for the new plant and kindled the great movement of repentance. Here his second service began. He did not call himself Christ or founder of a new age, but confessed that he was only a forerunner in the hands of the coming Lord to guide people to him. He taught all the Jews that a prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah should be sent before the day of the Lord. Later on Jesus testified openly that the spirit and power of Elijah worked in the Baptist as an indication of the truth of Christ (Matthew 17:11-13).
The Holy Spirit led those prepared of the elders who were deep-rooted in the Law into conversion that they might follow the new generation following Christ and enter altogether into the open doors of the age of grace.
At the same time, the Holy Spirit broke the obstinacy of disobedient young people and led them into God-fearing, humility and obedience. In this manner, the Spirit of the Lord calls you to repentance and conversion so that you may please God by accepting the Gospel. He who realizes his sins, confesses them penitently and forsakes them by accepting Christ’s salvation becomes a living member of the people of God who are spread in all nations and tongues that are called today Christians. Are you a servant of the Lord in your surroundings distinguished in humility and activity?

Prayer
Thank you Lord for sending John the Baptist and opening the age of grace through him. Please lead us to true repentance so that we may be converted and filled with your Spirit and become living members of your holy people.
Question
How did the angel appear to Zacharias? What are the promises of the Old Testament for John the Baptist? What are the principles of his service?