“Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him.” (Luke 1:66, NIV84)

The birth of John the Baptist had occurred. The family all thought that the child should be named Zechariah after his father. Why was the family involved? Well, in the Jewish culture the family is always involved! 🙂 But in this situation, Zechariah was stricken mute when he was in the temple with the angel, and the family thought they needed to run interference because Elizabeth was trying to name the child John. Zechariah grabbed a writing tablet and wrote the name John. The family was shocked, but that was nothing. Once Zechariah wrote the name John on the writing tablet, God opened his mouth and gave him the ability to speak again. Zechariah now verbally stated the name John and then, filled with the Holy Spirit, broke out in praise for all that God had done and was about to do. What an amazing event!

The response of the family and the people attending John’s circumcision was the same question, “What then is this child going to be?” Everyone knew that this was no ordinary child. Too much divine interaction had occurred. They knew full well that God was doing something big. And that He was! He was preparing the way for the birth of His Son and our Savior. John would be born a believer. He was filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth. He would grow up in such a way that everyone could tell that God’s hand was on him. He preached the redeeming message of repentance and preparation for the Messiah’s arrival.

Today, let’s marvel at the distance God is willing to go to make sure that our lives would be touched by the life and death of Jesus.

Peace!

Pastor Tom
www.firmlyrooted.org