Zechariah’s prayers of many years for a son were about to be answered. As he presented a special sacrifice in the temple, Gabriel, the archangel, appeared to deliver spectacular news: Zechariah and his long-barren wife, Elizabeth, would soon be expecting a baby…a special child who would be the forerunner of Israel’s Messiah!


So what does old Zechariah do? Jump for joy? Nope! Fall prostrate with glad worship and grateful praise? Hardly! Aghast, Zechariah’s response went something like this: “What! Are you serious? I’m ancient…and Elizabeth is no spring chicken either! This can’t be true!” For that answer Zechariah was struck dumb…never uttered a word until after his son, John, was born.


But don’t we often do the same thing? We pray, we beg, we plead with God for something, and when He says “yes” we can hardly believe it! During his nine months of silence, Zechariah had much time to reflect, to remember that what almighty God says He’ll do will indeed come to pass… even when to us it seems nearly impossible!