Zacharias and Mary Response to Angel Gabriel
Devotion
While reading Luke 1 this is what popped out at me, how the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and Mary. He told them about the future births of their babies. Both births were to be unusual; both sons would be fulfillment of God’s plan and of OT prophecies.
Their responses to what was told to them are what got me to think. Luke 1:18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in year.” In Luke 1:34 Mary response was, and then Mary said the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
Zacharias’s response was doubt; he would lose the power of speech until the child was born. We should never doubt what God tells us, it seems to me when we have unbelief it seals the lips, and they remain sealed until faith returns and burst forth in praise and witness. Mary’s in other hand, her response was a question, “How can this be?” It was one of wonder but not doubt. How can she conceive when she has not know (had relations) with a man? She believed!
Zacharias was married and both him and his wife were both old, they must have known the story of Abraham and Sarah. Mary was very young maybe 15 or 16 of age and had no husband. Mary knew that God would have to take care of her because in those days if they had no husband and were pregnant she would have been stoned. Mary had faith!
What is doubt, a status of belief and disbelief, involves uncertainty or distrust or lack of sureness of an alleged fact.
What is faith, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
There are times we do doubt what God promises us or what He is doing in our life, but no matter what, God is faithful and His plan will be fulfilled. It’s all about Him being glorified.
We are saved by faith: Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
God created a special messenger and God had prepared good works beforehand for him. John, who, because of his ministry of repentance and baptism, will later be known as John the Baptist. John prepared the way for Jesus.
Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God and Second person of the Trinity became flesh. He left His rightful place in heaven to be in this world, He died on the cross for our sins, was risen in 3 days, and now we can live with Him in heaven forever.
Believe and know you are saved, believe and know that God has good works for you! As Jesus came down to be a bond servant, we to need to be a bond servant, so He can be glorified.
Angel Gabriel (strong one in God, God is great) An archangel who acts as the messenger of God; he is mentioned in the Scripture only as one who stands in the presence of God and who brings messages from God to man…… Gabriel was created for His purpose.
Resource: Holy Spirit, Bible, Believers Commentary
