Luke 1:18-23 KJV
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

Yesterday lesson an angel of the Lord came and spoke to Zacharias. In this lesson today we learn that angel's name is Gabriel. Gabriel had told Zacharias yesterday lesson that his wife would conceive his old age, they would have a son name John, who would be the forerunner, the evangelist that would prepare the people for the coming Messiah. Most people know the observance of Hanukkah was the last day in November and the first of the week of December. As a Christian it is a holiday that can be observed because it falls between Old and New Testament, having to do with the dedication and purification of the temple and the oil not running out. Holy Spirit makes an appearance before Christ coming several hundred of years before Christ. No actually the word came and the believers when they did their dedication with both Christ(the word of God present and the Holy Spirit). God never left his people. When Christ the Messiah(the word of God in human flesh would come, a man filled with the Holy Spirit before birth would come to announcing the Messiah coming and beginning of ministry. Angel Gabriel is part of the picture of God preparation of spreading the good news of the coming of the forerunner of Christ, and Christ himself.

Zacharias response is how will I know this for he is old and his wife is striken in years. Gabriel tells Zacharias who he is, and that he is being sent to bring good tiding to him, the proof will be your inability to speak(dumb/mute) reason was because he did not believe the angels words that would be fulfilled in their season. How many of us would of believed with the appearance of an angel. It takes man of much unbelief to become a believer. It takes man perhaps longer then it should to believe. No doubt the appearance of angel not only frightening, but a bit puzzling. Why was God choosing Zacharias for this moment, what made him special, in yesterday scripture reading we know that Zacharias were righteous people and obeyed the laws and ordinance. I often think they coming of Christ no matter how prepared as Christians we should be, some of us are going to be quit startled at the event, before joy floods are soul. Was God punishing Zacharias perhaps to harshly or in away that when Elisabeth became pregnant, that he could not shout from the mountain tops, but would have to deal with his unbelief and why would a priest as a person of faith had not believed the first time the angel told him?

Some religious orders they take a vow of silence from time to time. I know I remained silent for a time period in my own life, as God was doing a work in my life, I will never forget, nor be able to tell it all over again. Zacharias would have nine full months to process that he be a father. He would have nine month to process why did he not believe the angel, and is struggling now with the inability to speak. This would be a time of faith building for Zacharias no doubt.

Our unbelief though it is sin, it does not mean we are unsaved, unless we have never receive Christ as Savior, it means we are trying to comprehend what we are being told, or processing an impossible event that is becoming reality by faith in God. After all do we not hear events in our life and sometimes it takes a little longer to process the reality of the truth of God's word. There is alot of good words, and truth hidden in scripture to meditate on. Obeying the law and religious rules were simple enough by Zacharias life style. Yet this reality of first apparent meeting of an angel and the angel speaking and then him going mute was something to take note of. His silence maybe not have been unheard among the brethren. Silence of prophecy was unfolding might of been thought best to be hidden because of Zacharias age. However that not what scripture says. It says the angel said he would be mute because of unbelief.

There are radical Christian groups that prophecy Christ second return coming through media waves, with a doubt of Christ physical appearance. Why is this so important to know, well the angels told disciples in Acts 1 that Christ would return the very same way he left, you better believe it. His coming will be in the glorified body of the Messiah. It is important to understand the reality of those words in Acts. When we think it is only in a since of the word coming again and not all of the fullfillment in the since of Christ glorified body, we become blind to what God has declared and truly a false doctrine of faith. Perhaps that why some Christians leaders took up the cause to legalize certain drugs that were consider dangerous back in 60's and 70's without studying the benefits these plants might have for one's health, and pain. Faith and science are two things that are much like our government, it belongs in our life, but not to control, to dictate, to munipulate our life beyong the evidence that synethetics of man works to ease man trouble, heartburn and suffering from those that believe not in the power of God. Yet even God told Moses to create the serpent pole and if anyone looked at it, they would be saved. What is technology and science but serpents in our world concerning healing. Science declares a pill is a solution and it works. Now will a witch doctor cure sometimes work or never work? It only works if it something our bodies can heal itself naturally over time. Yet a witch doctor can not heal diabetes only treat it, in hopes that science will figure out a way to solve the issue. Yet mean time God still heals people from diabetes miraculously, but we have to wait on God's timing for it, meantime take what is provide for the cure by those seeking proof of a cure. Jesus said he did not come to take away the doctors work. Most healings come to call the sinner to repentance and to bring a revival of faith to the unbelievers we see today.

What God does miraculous can be duplicated often times and then not necessarily. Zacharias problem in his day was how was his wife going to become pregnant. No doubt he was wondering as he went homeward bound. Yet the crowd that was praying because of the burning of incense in the temple, learned real quick he could not answer their inquiries or questions of what happened inside the temple, though they preceive he had at least a vision, because he beckon them to come. He could not speak. He better be glad he did not speak for people would of been watching him like a hawk to see his wife conceive. No privacy within the bridal chambers so to speak. Sometimes our silence is good. It protects our innocents and privacy. Yet their things that world needs to hear, and the world would hear about John will be discover in tomorrow's devotion.

Dear Heavenly Father, we look at your word, we want to believe all that is in it, help our unbelief, and allow our lips to praise you as we wait for Christ's coming, and in this story we thank you for the coming of one you spoke about that would be the forerunner of Christ. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Mark 2:17 KJV
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.