Zacharias

Zacharias was an elderly priest at the time that Jesus was born.

Zacharias and his wife, Elisabeth, had not been able to have children.

The Angel Gabriel visited Zacharias while he was in the temple, and told him that he and Elisabeth were to have a son, and they should name him John.

From the time that the Angel visited him until the time that Elisabeth had John, Zacharias was not able to speak.

When Zacharias was finally able to speak again, he prophesied saying “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people…”

In The Bible:

Luke 1:66-69

And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

Brother Branham Said:

And now, Zacharias, a just man, a holy man, a devout man, he and his wife had prayed, and believed that someday God would give them children; held onto God. And then, at this particular time, while he was waving this incense in there, Gabriel, the Angel, appeared before him and told him: After the days of his ministration at the temple, he was to go home and be with his wife, and she was to conceive and bear a son, and they would call his name John. 50-0115

Zacharias

Over 700 years had passed since the prophet Isaiah predicted the coming of the Messiah. Back then, the Hebrew people didn't know that His Name would be Jesus - they just knew that someday God would send them a Saviour.

Over the years, many people had forgotten about God's promise to send the Saviour, but Zacharias the priest was different. He and his wife, Elisabeth, served God the best way that they knew how, and always put Him first in their lives.

Zacharias and Elisabeth had always wanted to have children, but they were never able to. It was a sad thing for them, but they kept believing in God and looking for the Messiah to come. Then one day everything changed.

Zacharias was in the temple burning incense when suddenly, an Angel of the Lord appeared. Zacharias was terrified, but the Angel said, "Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shall call his name John."

The Angel told Zacharias all about the special son that he was to have. As the Angel finished speaking, Zacharias asked him how he would know that this was the truth, because he and his wife were too old to have children. The Angel told Zacharias that because he questioned his Word, he would not be able to speak until his son was born.

Zacharias left the temple and headed for home. He must have wondered how he was going to tell his wife that they were going to have a son. Would she believe him? Would she think he was crazy? How was he even going to talk to her? He couldn't speak!

Zacharias hurried home to let his wife know about the incredible visit he just had with the Angel, Gabriel. We don't know exactly how he told her about his experience, but he must have figured something out!

    
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