The Annunciation by Gabriel to Zacharias of the
promise of the birth of John the Baptist in
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What Came Before:
AT the time when the story of the New Testament began, the
land of Israel, called also the land of Judea, was ruled by a king named Herod.
He was the first of several Herods, who at different times ruled either the
whole of the land, or parts of it. But Herod was not the highest ruler. Many
years before this time, the Romans, who came from the city of Rome in Italy, had
won all the lands around the Great Sea, the sea which we call the Mediterranean
; and above King Herod of Judea was the great king at Rome, who was called
"Emperor," ruling over all the lands, and over the land of Judea among them. So
Herod, though king of Judea, obeyed his over-lord, the emperor at Rome. At the
time when this story began, the emperor at Rome was named Augustus Caesar.
At this time the land where the Jews lived was full of people. Jerusalem was its
largest city, and in Jerusalem was standing the Temple of the Lord, which King
Herod had begun to build anew, taking the place of the old Temple built in the
time of Zerubbabel which had long needed repair. There were also many other
large cities besides Jerusalem. In the south was Hebron, among the mountains; on
the shore of the Great Sea were Gaza, and Joppa, Caesarea, and many more...
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THE ANNUNCIATION BY GABRIEL OF THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
Luke 1:11-25
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ONE DAY, AN OLD PRIEST NAMED ZACHARIAS was leading the service of worship in the
Temple. He was standing in front of the golden altar of incense, in the Holy
Place, and was holding in his hand a censer or cup full of burning coals and
incense; while all the people were worshipping in the court of the Temple,
outside the court of the priests, where the great altar of burnt-offering stood.
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Annunciation To Zacharias
Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1490 |
Zacharias And The Angel
William Blake |
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Suddenly Zacharias saw an angel from the Lord, standing on the right side of the
altar of incense. He felt a great fear when he saw this strange being, with
shining face; but the angel said to him:
"Do not be afraid, Zacharias; for I have come from the Lord to bring you good
news. Your wife Elizabeth shall have a son, and you shall name him John. You
shall be made glad, for your son John shall bring joy and gladness to many. He
shall be great in the sight of the Lord; and he shall never taste wine nor
strong drink as long as he lives; but he shall be filled with God's Holy Spirit.
He shall lead many of the people of Israel to the Lord, for he shall go before
the Lord in the power of Elijah the prophet, as was promised by Malachi, the
last of the old prophets. He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and those who are disobeying the Lord to do his will."
As Zacharias heard these words, he was filled with wonder, and could hardly
believe them true. He was now an old man, and his wife Elizabeth was also old;
so that they could not expect to have a child. He said to the angel, "How shall
I know that your words are true, for I am an old man, and my wife is old?"
"I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God," said the angel, "and I was
sent from the Lord to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. But because
you did not believe my words, you shall become dumb, and shall not be able to
speak until this which I have said comes to pass."
All this time, the people outside, in the court, were wondering why the priest
stayed so long in the Temple. When at last he came out, they found that he could
not speak a word; but he made signs to them, to tell them that he had seen a
vision in the Temple.
After the days of his service were over, Zacharias went to his own home, which
was near Hebron, a city of the priests, among the mountains in the south of
Judea. When his wife Elizabeth found that God was soon to give her a child, she
was very happy, and
praised the Lord.
As the angel had said, to the aged woman Elizabeth was given a son. They were
going to name him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother said, "No, his
name shall be John."
"Why," they said, " none of your family have ever been named John." They asked
his father Zacharias, by signs, what name he wished to be given to the child. He
asked for something to write upon; and when they brought it, he wrote, "His name
is John."
Then all at once the power to hear and to speak came back to Zacharias. He
spoke, praising and blessing God; and he sang a song of thanks to God, in which
he said, "You, O child, shall be called a prophet of the Most High; to go before
the Lord, and to make ready his ways."
When John was growing up, they sent him out into the desert on the south of the
land, and there he stayed until the time come for him to preach to the people,
for this child became the great prophet John the Baptist.
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