Christmas, Then and NowShembull

# The Sign Have you ever felt like God just isn’t saying anything? Israel certainly felt like that – after all, it was over 400 years since He had last spoken through a prophet – Malachi. Zechariah and Elizabeth had their own personal experience of God not speaking, too. They experienced the pain of longing for children, yet never having them; and despite their godly life, God still hadn’t answered them. But all that was about to change. By New Testament times there were far too many priests for them all to have permanent roles; so not only were they on duty for just two weeks a year, they cast lots to determine if they would have an actual role and what it would be. Imagine Zechariah’s delight, therefore, when the privilege of burning incense fell to him. His waiting was over! But his waiting was over in bigger ways than he could ever have imagined. For an angel appeared to him, telling him that his wife was about to become pregnant – and not just with an ordinary child, but with a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah, just as Malachi had promised (see Malachi 4:5-6). Despite their many years of calling out to God, Zechariah found it hard to believe that God had now actually answered their prayers; and his unbelief was met by him being stuck dumb until the child was born and named (see Malachi 1:62-64). His dumbness would be a sign to him that waiting can sometimes rob us of faith, so never give up hope. You just don’t know when God might break in.