Broken Silence
Malachi 4:5-6; Luke 1:5-25, 57-79
PrefaceIn the last verses of the last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament, the final words of God to the people of Israel are recorded. He wouldn't speak again for over 400 years.
Malachi 4:5-6
5 “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. 6 His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”SilenceEvery conversation begins in silence, if even for a moment. The instant before you pick up the phone, the pause as you ask, "Anyone there?," the waiting for the email to hit your inbox. But relationships that live in silence are, perhaps, the most uncomfortable conversations we have. How do we start? What do we say? How will they respond?
Zechariah was a man that knew silence. He was a priest of God, born in the line of Aaron. From birth, he was destined to serve the Most High. And he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. His name meant, "The Lord remembers." As a priest, he relied on the rest of the people for his livelihood. His home, his robes, even his food was provided by the offerings of the people he served. And, in return, he served God on their behalf. But he had nothing to call his own. Except for his wife, Elizabeth. She, too, was in the lineage of Aaron. And she loved the Lord. While she never officially served in a priestly role at the Temple, she served God and established him at the center of the family. Throughout the countryside, they were known for their devotion to the Lord. Yet, even in their devotion, God remained silent. How they yearned for a child, a son, that would carry on the legacy of faith! He would be called Zechariah, after his father, and grandfather. But, Elizabeth was barren, and God had not heard their cries for hope.
By this time, the people of God were accustomed to his silence. It had been, what, 400 years since he last sent a prophet? He had promised another prophet to come, one as strong as Elijah, perhaps Elijah himself! Over the years, the people had resigned themselves to fulfilling their Temple duties, and not much else. Generations passed, and the hope that God would speak dwindled.
But Zechariah served faithfully in his duties. Even as he watched his friends become parents, and then grandparents. But he never grew bitter against God. Some things just weren't meant to be. And while he never stopped serving God, as he grew older, his prayers for a son became irregular, and then nearly non-existent. I'm too old, he thought. Elizabeth too grew silent over the years. She had noticed the looks of pity from her friends as they shared stories about their grandchildren. And, while no one said it aloud, she knew they wondered what sin she had committed against God that would warrant such disgrace. She would occasionally wonder too, before sweeping such thoughts away.
And so, Zechariah, along with the rest of Judea, found themselves silently performing the duties they had been given. Their hearts turned away from any hope that God would send another Elijah to stir their souls.
MessengerYears ago, days like today would be filled with anticipation. The division of Abijah, an order of priests which Zechariah was included, was on duty at the Temple. This only happened two times a year, and was the highlight of any priest's service. Every day for a week, the division would cast lots to see who would offer the incense at the altar. Doing so was literally a once in a lifetime opportunity. Offered twice daily, the fragrant aroma lifted to the heavens, a symbol of the continual prayers and conversation between Israel and God. And, while Zechariah was one of the oldest priests in his division, the lot never fell to him. He feared that he may never have the chance to enter into the holy place. Some priests, years younger than he, had already had their time. What an honor it must be to be so close to the seat of Jehovah! Yet, God had not willed such an honor upon Zechariah.
He had to look twice when he saw that the lot had fell to him. He stood shaking, not sure if it was old age or surprise, as he was called forward. He rehearsed what he must do in his head while the congregation gathered to offer up their prayers. "Just get in and get out, no need to delay," he thought. "The longer I'm in there, the higher the likelihood that something will go wrong." He paused for a moment as he entered, to take it all in. And, as he approached the altar, he began to pray, on behalf of the people, and even on behalf of himself. This was the closest he would ever be to God. Just beyond the altar, behind the veil, lied the Holy of Holies, the seat of Jehovah.
Still trembling, he sprinkled the incense upon the altar. It was a marvel to behold. The altar was small, maybe 3 feet tall, but covered in gold. And the incense, fragrant and sweet and warm as it passed his face, seemed to settle his nerves. He muttered, "Amen" as he turned to leave. Then fear gripped him. An intruder! But this was no intruder. Inexplicably, Zechariah knew this was something else. An angel of the Lord? Could it be? Before he could sound alarm, the figure spoke:
13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”Did he say Elijah? Turn the hearts? The coming of the Lord? Did the Lord remember after all these years? No one has yearned more for this prayer to be answered, but the timing is all wrong. Even if God is able to deliver us a son, how are we to know how he will grow up? We may never even see these promises fulfilled. Others around us have spent their years enjoying their children and grandchildren. We will never have that opportunity. After years of waiting, I'm going to need a little more proof.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”As he spoke, he noticed the angel's eyes narrow. He was a sight to behold, unlike anything he had ever imagined.
19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”As he attempted to protest, to claim his belief, he found that the words would not come. And, now, he was alone again. He stumbled out of the Temple, and met the chief priest. "What's taken you so long?" he inquired. "Well, speak up!" But Zechariah was unable to talk. He began pointing, first to the altar, and then upward. The division leader came. "A vision?" he asked. And Zechariah nodded. "What was it like?"
But, after years of longing for the silence to be broken, Zechariah found himself unable to speak.
HopeAt the end of the week, the priests of Abijah packed their things and headed home. No one else who entered the Temple saw a vision. Some wondered how long Zechariah would be committed to the joke. He never went very long without saying something. Surely he would give it up before he saw Elizabeth. But he remained committed to the ruse, saving every scrap of parchment he could in order to carry on a conversation. He himself wouldn't have believed it, save for the evidence that, no matter how he tried, sound eluded him.
Elizabeth knew something had changed the moment she saw him. He appeared taller, or younger, she wasn't certain. And, as he worked out his story in signs and writing, she knew why.
Friends didn't see her for months afterward. "Ashamed of her husband, I'm sure," they said. She couldn't bear the humiliation of his recent lapse from reality. But, as she emerged from her home one day, they were amazed. She was pregnant! Her joy spilled over to anyone she came across:
25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”Zechariah's next trip to Jerusalem was much different. Everyone clapped him on the back and gave him their congratulations. "Way to go, old man!" He simply smiled and nodded. They, too, noticed something different. Hope, years lost, had been found.
BirthIn due time, Elizabeth had her son. The countryside rejoiced with her. God had visited them, it was impossible to deny. The family line would continue, the child would be called Zechariah to remind the people that "the Lord remembers." At his circumcision, the priest didn't even bother to ask the name of the child. "Let him be called Zechariah," he exclaimed.
"No," cried Elizabeth. "He is to be called John."
"But, there is no one in your family named John. Are you certain? It is custom, especially in miracles like this, for the child to be named after his father."
Zechariah was making signs again. "It looks like he's run out of parchment," someone said. "Here, you can borrow my tablet." They saw him scribble something quickly on the tablet. As he turned it to face them, the crowd was shocked. He had written:
"His name is John."
Even more amazing, they heard Zechariah speak. "His name is John," he said hoarsely. And he began laughing--loud, unencumbered laughing that rang out praises to God. Laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face, rejoicing in what God had done. Everything he promised, he delivered. Soon, others joined in his laughter and praise. Even over the cries of the newly circumcised child, the laughter rang out.
The crowd dispersed, and, soon, the countryside was buzzing with the news of John's birth. They knew the hand of God was upon him. "What will come of him?" they asked. After years of waiting for God to act, their hope was renewed.
RememberFor the first time in centuries, God's spirit moved in spectacular ways. Zechariah himself, full of God's spirit, knew the word he had waited nine months to speak, the words he should have spoken when he had the chance:
68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— 73 the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.Turning to John, he dedicated him, saying:
76 And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”The Lord does remember his promises. Even in times of silence. In times of waiting. He is faithful to deliver us.
I got to see Spider-Man 3 at the IMAX in Los Angeles this year. Overall, the film was pretty disappointing. The villains were cool, but Emo Parker was lame. But one bandwagon I'm not ashamed to admit I've jumped on is Heroes. It's one of my favorite TV shows. Some complain that the writing sucks, but I don't think those people ever read a comic book. The dialog is going to be contrived, the plot is going to be convoluted, and everything is going to end "The End?" No one who dies is dead forever.
My favorite movies of the year? There were few that I saw in a theater. I would recommend 300, Hot Fuzz, Zodiac, Ratatouille, and The Mist. Pretty much everything else was forgettable.
I think that video games have replaced film as my media entertainment, and for one reason alone: Xbox Live. I've spent a lot of time this year playing Crackdown, Guitar Hero, Halo, and (most recently) Call of Duty 4. The best games are the ones where I can log on with some friends and shoot stuff. But I think the game of the year is going to go to Guitar Hero, just because of how much fun it can be to pull off the solo of Cult of Personality.
