Click to watch the video https://youtu.be/SR0QgOm3PBg GREATER GLORY OF GOD   Presents  Advent Special  JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM  Twenty-First Day in the company of Zechariah Let’s know Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth and the Father of John the Baptist   • In the days of King Herod of Judea  • a priest named Zechariah, belonging to the priestly order of Abijah  • His wife, Elizabeth, was a descendant of Aaron • Both of them were righteous before God,  • living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.  • But they had no children • because Elizabeth was barren • and both were getting on in years.    An old man without any child   A sense of hopelessness   Mind-set – having been faithful to the Lord, but the Lord seemed to have been unfaithful    Children are God’s gift – bible Psalm 127:3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,     the fruit of the womb a reward.  Situation   Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty   he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.    Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Appearance of the Angel Gabriel and Zechariah’s reaction  o Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord  o standing at the right side of the altar of incense  o When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him Reason for fear  - a long gap for any message from God – drought of God’s message - seeing the angel is equal to death – no one can see God and live  o But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah” message about the birth of John   When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.  13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.   Zechariah’s doubt  - Human inability – human naturality   18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.”    - Nothing new – examples of Abraham & Sarah   Punishment for doubt because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”   The Birth of John and the prophesy of Zechariah  Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy   Jesus through the eyes of the Zechariah     Zechariah’s Prophecy  Because of his disbelief, Zechariah had lost his speech and after the birth of John, the faith of Zechariah was restored and so his speech.  We are called to speak of the wonders the Lord has done for us.  Now he is prophesying about the Saviour