The Birth Of John The Baptist

I. Birth and naming of John (vv. 57~65)

Finally, when Elizabeth’s days to give birth were fulfilled, she gave birth to a son (v. 57). At that time, many neighbors and relatives heard it and rejoiced together (v. 58). Jews circumcise their sons eight days after birth, and at that time, relatives came and suggested that the child be named Zachariah after his father (v. 59). In modern terms, he would be Zechariah II. However, Elizabeth said that the baby should be named John (v. 60). So the relatives objected, saying that there is no one among her relatives named John (v. 61). Perhaps John's family was a priest's family and their descendants were valuable. So, the relatives were happy that a son was born who would carry on the priest's family line, and they said that of course he should be named Zachariah, which is the name that carries on the priest's family line.

However, Elizabeth insisted that his name be John, as the angel had taught her husband Zechariah. Nevertheless, the relatives did not give in and gestured to the child's father, Zechariah, and asked him what he wanted to name him (v. 62). As we all know, Zachariah went into the temple and offered incense, and when the angel told him that Elizabeth would bear him a son, Zechariah responded in disbelief, asking how he could be sure whether she would have a child since both he and his wife were old and well along in years. So he was punished by not being able to speak or hear until his son was born.

When the relatives asked Zechariah, Zechariah had not even heard Elizabeth say John, but when Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote the name correctly as John, everyone was astonished (v. 63). Perhaps, if Zachariah had chosen to follow his family's tradition, he might have had to continue living as a disabled person. Zachariah was unable to speak because he did not believe the angel's words that he would have a son, but when the second time he obeyed God's will and was named John, his tongue was loosed and he began to speak and praised God (v. 64).

When everyone around them saw this, they were all filled with awe (v. 65). Because people at that time believed in God, but did not actually believe in God's power. However, they thought he was simply unable to speak, but after learning that Zechariah's inability to speak was due to the power of God, they realized that God is alive and working. And they were filled with awe, thinking that if they disobeyed the word of God and were stubborn, they too might become mute like Zechariah. This is how the Holy Spirit moves people's hearts. A person with a heart that is too hard becomes afraid of God when he sees a normal person become unable to speak or see.

II. Expectations for the child (v. 66)

Everyone who heard that Zechariah's child was not named Zachariah but John, and that Zechariah's mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed to speak and praise God took those words to heart. And a feeling of anticipation arose, “What then is this child going to be?” (v. 66). Through baby John, people gained hope that God would do something great. The reason is because “the Lord's hand was with him.” ‘The Lord's hand’ represents the power of God.

Why does God give abilities to young children? He wants to give us hope for the future. Until John was born, the voice of God did not come to Israel for nearly 400 years after the prophet Malachi. Therefore, at the time of John, people were so depressed that they had no hope for the future. However, when people saw the Lord's hand being with young John, they began to have expectations that something amazing would happen in the future.

III. Zechariah’s song (vv. 67~80)

Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy (v. 67). Being filled with the Holy Spirit means that one's personality is filled with the Holy Spirit and governed by the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our faces will be filled with joy, our mouths will praise God, and we will testify the Word of God. Zachariah, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, began to prophesy. ‘Prophesy’ in the Bible does not mean predicting future events. It means speaking and proclaiming the word of God. However, when the prophets of the Old Testament received the word of God and prophesied, there were many words about the Messiah who would come in the future, so it naturally became something that would happen in the future, and people came to understand it only as speaking in advance about future events.