September 22 – John the Baptist

September 22 – John the Baptist
Luke 1:57-80

The Old Testament is filled with stories of the births of children who would grow to change the world.  The New Testament’s stories are different.  After we learn of the births of John and Jesus, we don’t see other stories of children being born.  Once the Son of God arrives on the scene, no one else’s birth is quite as important in the story of salvation.

However, there is one more story before we get to Jesus … the story of a child who is born to an older couple, who is raised to serve the Lord and who will prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah.

Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that he was going to have a son.  Now, he and Elizabeth weren’t young and that part of their life had long since become a priority.  Zechariah simply couldn’t believe it, and consequently the angel took away the power of his speech until the child would be born.  Elizabeth became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.  In the sixth month, Mary discovered she was also pregnant and went to spend time with Elizabeth.  She stayed for three months and then went home.

When it came time, Elizabeth had a son.  Eight days later, the circumcision was to happen.  The rabbi was going to name the child Zechariah after his father, but Elizabeth told them to name the child John.  That was strange since there was no one in the family with that name.  They tried to sign to Zechariah, because they simply couldn’t believe Elizabeth about this.  When Zechariah wrote out the name John, he began to speak again. His speech was praises to God.

Luke tells us that everyone heard about this event and wondered what the child would become.  It was obvious the Lord’s hand was on him.

John was the link between the Old Testament and the New.  He prophesied in the style of the Old Testament prophets, calling for repentance and condemning the actions of the Jews.  At the same time, though, he proclaimed that the Messiah was coming and he was only there to prepare the way.  When Jesus came, John baptized him in the Jordan river and everyone saw the Holy Spirit and heard the voice of God from heaven.  The old had passed and new life had come to the world.