John the Baptist Part 5

E. Zacharias was doubtful about the promise and was struck dumb in judgment. vs. 18-25. 1. His doubt concerned perceived human limitations. a. Often, our moments of weakness of faith follow this pattern and hinder us from living freely and fully by the promises of God. b. Our inadequacies and limitations are the very instruments of God bringing glory to Himself. 2CO 12:9-10. c. Believers need help with their own unbelief and this is something to pray about. MAR 9:24. 2. In Zacharias’ defense, his doubting was little different from Abraham’s. GEN 17:17. 3. “...thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed...” (v. 20). a. God, Who can make a dumb ass speak (2PE 2:16) can also make a speaking man mute, and can stop the mouth of a gainsayer. TIT 1:11 c/w MAT 21:27; ACT 4:14. b. If it seems strange that a good man through unbelief should lose the ability to speak, consider that it is not uncommon for a man who speaks the language of unbelief to also lose the language of praise and thanksgiving. c. “...these things...” must refer to vs. 13-15. See vs. 63-64. d. Zacharias would be speechless during John’s conception and gestation, also unable to lead his family in devotional prayers. 4. Zacharias’ faith recovered enough that he acted appropriately in spite of a chastening, something we all do well to remember. HEB 12:5-11. 5. Elisabeth conceived as promised: the unbelief of man does not thwart the faith of God. ROM 3:3-4. F. This chapter describes three people as being filled with the Holy Ghost relative to John the Baptist: Zacharias, Elisabeth and John himself. vs. 15, 41, 67. 1. Under this fullness, their words and actions were definitely spiritual and not according to the flesh. GAL 5:17. 2. We may conclude our words and actions spiritual when they accord with the Spirit’s revelation and instruction. GAL 5:22-23 c/w ROM 8:5. 3. As special as were these individuals, none of them had the fullness of the Spirit to John the Baptist 6-29-25 Page 7  the same degree as Jesus Christ. JOH 3:34. 4. It is interesting, though, that such a concentration of sinners being filled with the Holy Ghost at this time was the preparation for Christ Whose Spirit would come to fill, feed and flow from believers of all makes. JOH 7:37-39 c/w ACT 2:4, 16-18; 11:15-18. G. The personality (the fact of being a person as distinct from a thing) of the conceived unborn is evident from the events of vs. 39-45. 1. Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist. LUK 1:36. 2. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost and spake (vs. 41-42), terms descriptive of inspired prophecy. c/w LUK 1:67. 3. What she went on to say was by inspiration from God. 4. Like David, she in spirit called the Messiah Lord. c/w MAT 22:42-45. 5. Therefore, her description of the babe in her own womb (v. 44) was not mere poetry. a. The babe LEAPED. This is personally initiated action. b. AS SOON AS THY VOICE SOUNDED, the babe leaped. This is responsive action. c. The babe leaped FOR joy. This is purposeful action. d. The babe leaped for JOY. This is emotive action. 6. This unborn babe manifested the attributes of personality: intelligence, purpose and emotion. 7. The case of John the Baptist in the womb also shows that the Spirit of God is able to work His power on sinners prior to birth, instruction, faith, works, etc. JOH 3:8; 6:63 c/w ECC 11:5. H. Elisabeth gave birth to a full-term child, a very special production for a woman of old age, and he was evidently of good health and mind That she in old age was saved in childbirth and her child hale and whole were further expressions of God’s grace and mercy to that family. vs. 57-66. 1. Zacharias and Elisabeth continued in their righteous, blameless conduct (LUK 1:6) and circumcised John according to the Abrahamic order. c/w GEN 17:12. 2. They also at that time officially named him John. c/w LUK 2:21. 3. As a good and godly wife, Elisabeth insisted on honoring the design of God and her husband over the suggestion of friends and family. Zacharias had no fear of spoil with this good wife. vs. 59-60 c/w PRO 31:11. 4. “And they made signs to his father...” (v. 62). He was dumb, not deaf. Folks are funny sometimes. 5. “And he asked for a writing table...” (v. 63). This was a table which could be as easily immersed as a pot for washing. c/w MAR 7:4. a. NOTE: Where there is a will to do good, obstacles need not be complete barriers to the performance. 2CO 8:1-5. b. Little Zacchaeus climbed a tree (LUK 19:3-4); godly friends figured out a way to get the palsied man an audience with Jesus (MAR 2:1-5). Paul learned to be content and committed in spite of personal challenges. 2CO 12:7-10; PHIL 4:11-13. c. Zacharias’ faith had not been crushed by his chastening but fortified. He was adamant now about the angel’s message: “His name is John.” d. The chastening of dumbness promptly ended and he praised God (v. 64), a curious example of “...I believed, and therefore have I spoken...” (2CO 4:13). John the Baptist 6-29-25 Page 8  6. All this created a great fear and stir in the hill country to a people who had for centuries looked for signs to confirm prophets. vs. 65-66 c/w PSA 74:9. 7. Of John, “...And the hand of the Lord was with him” (v. 66). a. This was similarly said of his type, Elijah. 1KI 18:46. b. He was “...filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb” (LUK 1:15) and never cast away that strength as did the other Nazarite, Samson. JDG 16:20. c. The hand of God which had written the Law on Sinai was upon John who would baptize Christ Who fulfilled the Law for us. ROM 10:4. I. Zacharias erupted in praise to God first for Messiah, as noted earlier (vs. 67-75) and then prophetically addressed the child, John. vs. 76-80. 1. He would be “...called the prophet of the Highest...” (v. 76), conspicuously by Christ Who identified John as such in fulfillment of the promised messenger of the LORD in MAL 3:1. See MAT 11:9-10. 2. He would “...give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us...” (vs. 77-78). a. Christ is the Sun of righteousness which arose with healing in his wings, per MAL 4:2. b. John constantly informed the people that Christ was the true salvation of sinners. JOH 1:7-9, 29. c. Sins would be remitted (forgiven, pardoned) according to mercy, not sinners’ works, which Christ eventually did by his own blood, terminating the futile offerings for sin under the Law. MAT 26:28 c/w ROM 3:25; HEB 9:12, 22-28; 10:18; TIT 3:5. d. “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death...” (v. 79), beginning in Galilee of the Gentiles. MAT 4:12-16 c/w 2TI 1:9-10. 3. “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit...” (v. 80). a. Compare this with what was said of Christ as a child. LUK 2:40. b. The scriptures are given for spiritual strengthening, that God-loving children may find Christ in them all. 2TI 3:15 c/w ACT 10:43. John the Baptist 6-29-25 Page 9