Zechariah was a priest. He and his wife Elizabeth were righteous, walking blamelessly in all the Lord's commands, and they had no children. Once in his life, perhaps, the lot fell to him to burn incense in the holy place. While the people prayed outside, the angel Gabriel appeared beside the altar and told him his prayer had been heard: Elizabeth would bear a son, and he would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.
Zechariah asked how he could know this, since he and his wife were old. Because he did not believe, Gabriel said, he would be silent until it happened. He came out unable to speak. Nine months later, when the neighbors asked what to name the baby, he wrote on a tablet, His name is John. Immediately his mouth was opened, and he blessed God.
“
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
Name means
“The LORD remembers” (Hebrew)
Home
The hill country of Judah
Role
Priest of the division of Abijah
Read in
Zechariah the priest's story
The altar of incense
Beginning
Blameless and childless
A faithful priest with no son, now old.
High point
Gabriel at the altar
His prayer has been heard.
Low point
How shall I know?
He doubts and is struck silent.
Turning point
His name is John
He writes the name on a tablet, and his mouth is opened.
Ending
The song
Filled with the Spirit, he blesses the God who has visited his people.
Starts as a faithful priest who had stopped expecting. Ends as a father singing of the sunrise from on high.
Where Zechariah the priest lived and went
Only places Scripture records. Softer, dotted pins are traditional or uncertain sites. Tap a pin for the passage.
HomeMinistryKey momentTraditional or uncertainPinch or use + to zoom. Tap a cluster to spread it out.
How Zechariah the priest is wired
The Reformer
Enneagram 1, Helper wing
To be blameless before God.
Scripture doesn't give us much here, so treat this as a best guess.
At their best, toward 7 Under stress, toward 4
Why we think so
1
Careful obedience. He walks blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes. ()
2
Faithful in duty. He is serving in his order when the angel comes. ()
3
Needs proof. He asks for a way to know the promise is true. ()
His song is full of mercy for others: light for those in darkness. ()
The Enthusiast. He breaks out in Spirit-filled praise. ()
The Individualist. He doubts when God's word goes beyond what seems possible. ()
The case for 6
Asking for proof could reflect a 6's need for certainty. Scripture shows us too little to decide.
Other lenses
Big Five. Read from what he says and does in the Gospels and Acts.
ReservedOutgoing
SteadyReactive
ChallengingAccommodating
SpontaneousDisciplined
TraditionalCurious
DISC style: Careful, faithful, slow to believe and quick to praise.
Strengths & struggles
What's good in Zechariah the priest
Lifelong faithfulness (). Kept praying (). Obeyed when it counted (). Praised God openly ().
Where Zechariah the priest struggles
Doubted God's word when it finally came ().
What Zechariah the priest wanted most
A son, and the redemption of Israel ().
What Zechariah the priest feared most
He was troubled and afraid when the angel appeared ().
Zechariah sang of a sunrise from on high. Jesus is that light.
His song says the sunrise shall visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness (). Jesus said, I am the light of the world (). The priest whose mouth was closed for doubt was opened to praise the one who forgives doubters too.
Questions to sit with
1
Zechariah had prayed for years. Have you stopped expecting God to answer something?
2
His silence ended in praise. What has a hard season taught you to say about God?
Study Zechariah the priest with your group
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