Luk 1:5-6 | KingComments | STEP | Luke starts his account by pointing out that Herod is king of Judea. This means that the situation is completely different from what God has meant. There is no king from the tribe of Judah and certainly not the one King from the tribe of Judah. The people came under foreign domination because God had to surrender His people into the hands of enemies because of their sins. This means that when the Lord Jesus is born, there is someone on the throne who has wrongfully taken this place, no matter to what extend God has allowed this because His people have left Him. These two circumstances, that the people have turned their backs on God and that a stranger reigns over them, characterize the time when the Lord Jesus comes on earth. Yet in that dark time, when the people massively forget God, there are people who are faithful to Him. In the first two chapters of this Gospel we meet several people who do have a heart for God. In them we learn to know the God-fearing remnant of Israel, from whom Christ, according to the flesh, came forth. Luke writes his Gospel for all men, but in his description he acts according to the principle “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” ( ). In the first two chapters he shows that grace first comes to the faithful remnant. This remnant we see represented in seven persons or groups of persons: Zacharias and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna. The first of this remnant are Zacharias, meaning ‘ Yahweh remembers’, and Elizabeth, meaning ‘my God is oath swearing’. Both names speak of the faithfulness of God. Zacharias is a priest. He belongs to the division of Abijah, which is the eighth division ( ). It is no coincidence that it is the eighth division. The number eight speaks of a new beginning. His wife also comes from the lineage of priests. Zacharias has sought and found a wife who, like him, belongs to a lineage that is connected with God. This is an important indication for those who are looking for a partner. Scripture is clear that a believer can only marry “in the Lord” ( ), that is with someone who also knows the Lord Jesus as Savior. Scripture also clearly forbids a believer to marry someone who does not know Christ ( ). Moreover, should anyone who wants to serve the Lord himself, be willing to marry someone who does not want to? In his investigation Luke found out what kind of people Zacharias and Elizabeth are. He can give a wonderful testimony of them. They are not perfect people. Yet he does not write about the wrong things they have done, but about the overall impression they give. They are people who live for God and they want to give Him to what He is entitled. To do so, they strictly observe “all the commandments and requirements of the Lord”, that is Yahweh . Their way of life must have stood out amidst the deviated and sinful people. Despite their impeccable life, they have no child. Yet God has promised that by faithfulness to His commandments He will bless the womb ( ). Zacharias and his wife did not blame Him, they did not revolt because of not getting children. Their trust in God is rewarded with a blessing for which they have long prayed ( ), but no longer count on. God blesses in a way that reveals the weakness of the instrument, a weakness that, in human thought, takes away all hope. Elizabeth had an example in other God-fearing women who were also barren and where God also gave the blessing of conceiving a child when all hope was gone. The way God sometimes goes with faithful people is not always easy to understand. Yet God is worthy of all trust that He always has blessing for those who put their trust in Him.

‏ Luke 1:5-6

Zacharias and Elizabeth

Luke starts his account by pointing out that Herod is king of Judea. This means that the situation is completely different from what God has meant. There is no king from the tribe of Judah and certainly not the one King from the tribe of Judah. The people came under foreign domination because God had to surrender His people into the hands of enemies because of their sins. This means that when the Lord Jesus is born, there is someone on the throne who has wrongfully taken this place, no matter to what extend God has allowed this because His people have left Him.

These two circumstances, that the people have turned their backs on God and that a stranger reigns over them, characterize the time when the Lord Jesus comes on earth. Yet in that dark time, when the people massively forget God, there are people who are faithful to Him. In the first two chapters of this Gospel we meet several people who do have a heart for God. In them we learn to know the God-fearing remnant of Israel, from whom Christ, according to the flesh, came forth.

Luke writes his Gospel for all men, but in his description he acts according to the principle “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). In the first two chapters he shows that grace first comes to the faithful remnant. This remnant we see represented in seven persons or groups of persons: Zacharias and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna.

The first of this remnant are Zacharias, meaning ‘Yahweh remembers’, and Elizabeth, meaning ‘my God is oath swearing’. Both names speak of the faithfulness of God. Zacharias is a priest. He belongs to the division of Abijah, which is the eighth division (1Chr 24:5 ; 10). It is no coincidence that it is the eighth division. The number eight speaks of a new beginning. His wife also comes from the lineage of priests. Zacharias has sought and found a wife who, like him, belongs to a lineage that is connected with God.

This is an important indication for those who are looking for a partner. Scripture is clear that a believer can only marry “in the Lord” (1Cor 7:39), that is with someone who also knows the Lord Jesus as Savior. Scripture also clearly forbids a believer to marry someone who does not know Christ (2Cor 6:14-18). Moreover, should anyone who wants to serve the Lord himself, be willing to marry someone who does not want to?

In his investigation Luke found out what kind of people Zacharias and Elizabeth are. He can give a wonderful testimony of them. They are not perfect people. Yet he does not write about the wrong things they have done, but about the overall impression they give. They are people who live for God and they want to give Him to what He is entitled. To do so, they strictly observe “all the commandments and requirements of the Lord”, that is Yahweh. Their way of life must have stood out amidst the deviated and sinful people.

Despite their impeccable life, they have no child. Yet God has promised that by faithfulness to His commandments He will bless the womb (Deu 28:1-4). Zacharias and his wife did not blame Him, they did not revolt because of not getting children. Their trust in God is rewarded with a blessing for which they have long prayed (Lk 1:13), but no longer count on.

God blesses in a way that reveals the weakness of the instrument, a weakness that, in human thought, takes away all hope. Elizabeth had an example in other God-fearing women who were also barren and where God also gave the blessing of conceiving a child when all hope was gone. The way God sometimes goes with faithful people is not always easy to understand. Yet God is worthy of all trust that He always has blessing for those who put their trust in Him.