Wednesday 2 December 2020

Day 2 - Zechariah

Today's picture shows an Angel Silhouette
 on the window at the Manse!

 The first Angel that heralded the Good News didn't appear in Nazareth. Gabriel went to the Temple, where an old man was performing his priestly duties. He and his wife had never had children - a source of pain to them both. For Zechariah and Elizabeth, it now seemed too late - despite his earnest prayers, they were both now past the age of parenting. Despite this cause of sorrow to them, life carried on; and during this time of his service in the Temple, he was selected for an important duty - to go and burn incense on the Altar. And there, in front of him, was an Angel. Gabriel would have been no smiling cherub; this was a tall, shining, imposing figure - inspiring awe and not a little fear. But the message he delivered that day was Good News: Zechariah's prayer had been heard. Elizabeth would bear him a son, and not just any son - one who would be great in God's sight, one to prepare God's people for what was to come. And his name would be John. And then, he left - leaving Zechariah quite literally speechless. He would not speak again until the naming of his son - when he would raise his voice in praise to God, adding his voice to those of the Angels in Heaven.

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