57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby. She gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her. They shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day, they came to have the child circumcised. They were going to name him Zechariah, like his father. 60 But his mother spoke up. “No!” she said. “He must be called John.”
61 They said to her, “No one among your relatives has that name.”
62 Then they motioned to his father. They wanted to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 Right away Zechariah could speak again. Right away he praised God. 65 All his neighbors were filled with fear and wonder. Throughout Judea’s hill country, people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it. And because the Lord was with John, they asked, “What is this child going to be?”
67 John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. He prophesied,
68 “Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has come to his people and purchased their freedom.
69 He has acted with great power and has saved us.
He did it for those who are from the family line of his servant David.
70 Long ago holy prophets said he would do it.
71 He has saved us from our enemies.
We are rescued from all who hate us.
72 He has been kind to our people of long ago.
He has remembered his holy covenant.
73 He made a promise to our father Abraham.
74 He promised to save us from our enemies.
Then we could serve him without fear.
75 He wants us to be holy and godly as long as we live.
76 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for him.
77 You will tell his people how they can be saved.
You will tell them that their sins can be forgiven.
78 All of that will happen because our God is tender and caring.
His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.
79 It will shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
It will guide our feet on the path of peace.”
80 The child grew up, and his spirit became strong. He lived in the desert until he appeared openly to Israel.
Read Luke 1:57-80 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
John the Baptist’s birth was anything from ordinary. From having parents who were well past typical child bearing years all the way to a father who was struck mute for the duration of the pregnancy, from the very beginning of John’s life, it was clear that he was destined to become someone significant in the course of Jewish history.
Not only did John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, grasp this truth, but following John’s entrance into the world and Zechariah’s restored voice, we read the reaction their neighbors had. “All his neighbors were filled with fear and wonder. Throughout Judea’s hill country, people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it. And because the Lord was with John, they asked, ‘What is this child going to be?’” (v. 65-66)
From the moment Zechariah was struck mute, people took notice; from the point when John was conceived, even more people took notice; and from the point when John was born, the story of what was happening was spreading across Judea.
From his birth, John had an immediate reputation that he was to do something big for God, and perhaps this is why we read the verse that concludes this passage: “The child [John] grew up, and his spirit became strong. He lived in the desert until he appeared openly to Israel.” (v. 80)
Possibly following his twelfth birthday, or maybe if his parents died a little before or after that time, John moved away from the town and into the desert. Perhaps this was to get away from people watching him, or perhaps it was to simply have alone time with God to prepare.
From the moment of John’s birth, people knew God was beginning to step back into history, and from his birth, people knew John’s life would be special and significant. In our own lives, while we likely didn’t have a mute father while in the womb, and while we likely didn’t have someone give a prophecy about our life when we were born, each of us is alive because God has a special plan for us. In God’s eyes, you and I are special and significant like John the Baptist.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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