John the Baptist...Chapter 1... An Angel tells of the Coming Birth of John the Baptist

This lesson is taken from Luke 1:5-25

During the rule of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah who served in the priestly group of Abijah.  His wife Elizabeth was from the family line of Aaron, Moses’ brother.  They both were righteous in God's eyes.  They were careful to obey the Lord's commandments and rules without failure and to do what was required of them.  They didn't have any children and now they both were well along in years.

 

Once when Zechariah and the rest of the priest in his group was serving in God’s temple, they drew lots to see who would be the one to go into the Sanctuary and burn incense in the Lord’s presence.  Now drawing lots for this job was the custom of the priesthood. (Drawing lots is something like drawing names to see who would go first.)  Zechariah was the one who was chosen to go into the Sanctuary of the temple to burn incenses to the Lord.  While he was burning the incense all the other worshipers was gathered outside and was praying.

While he was in the Sanctuary an angel of the Lord appeared to him.  The angel stood at the right side of the incense altar.  When Zechariah saw the angel he was surprised and terribly afraid.

But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah!  For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will have a son!  And you are to name him John.  Your son will bring you great joy and gladness, and many people will rejoice with you at your son’s birth.  For your son will be great in the sight of the Lord.  He is never to drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.  He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God.  He will teach the people before the Lord comes, preparing the people for the Lord coming.  He will be a man with the Spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old.  He will turn the heart of the fathers to their children and he will change disobedient people minds to accept the wisdom of the righteous people.  This will make the people ready for the Lord."

Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this?  I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel!  I stand in the very presence of God.  It was God who sent me to bring you this good news!  And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak again until the child is born.  For what I have told you will certainly come true at the proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out, and they were wondering why he was staying so long in the temple.  When he finally did come out of the temple, he couldn’t speak to the people.  Then they realized that he must have seen a vision in the temple sanctuary, for he kept making signs to them, but he remained silent for he was unable to speak.

When Zechariah time of service at the temple was finished, he returned home.   Soon after this his wife, Elizabeth, became with child and for five months she didn’t go out around people.  Elizabeth said, "How kind the Lord is!  For the Lord has taken away my disgrace of having no children!”

Questions:

 1.  What was the name of the priest that the lesson was about?

• ___________________________________

2.  What was the name of his wife?

• _____________________________________

3.  The priest’s wife was from the family line of Moses’ brother.  What was Moses’ brother name?

•       _______________________

 4.   What did all the priests do to find out who would go into the Sanctuary to burn incense?

•      __________________________

 5.  While Zechariah was burning the incense what were the other worshipers doing outside? 

•       _____________________________

 6.  Who appeared to the priest while he was in the Sanctuary?

• _______________________________

7.  What did the angel tell Zechariah about Elizabeth?

• _____________________________________

8.  What was Zechariah to name the baby?

• ______________________________

9.  Let’s see what the angel said about the baby:

1. Your son will be great in the sight of the ___________
2. He is never to drink ___________ or __________ drink
3. He will be filled with the _____________   ___________ from birth
4. He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the __________ their ________
5. He will teach the people before the ___________ comes, preparing the people for the _____________ coming.
6. He will be a man with the _______________ and ___________ of Elijah, the prophet of old.
7. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their _________________
8. He will change _________________ people minds to accept the wisdom of the righteous people.
9. This will make the people ready for the _______________

10.  What did the angel Gabriel tell Zechariah would happen to him, since he didn’t believe what the angel   told him? 

• ______________________

11.  Why didn’t he believe the angel?

•  ___________________

12.  When Elizabeth found out she was with child.  What did she say the Lord had done?

• ____________________________________________
• ____________________________________________
• ____________________________________________
• ____________________________________________ 
• ____________________________________________

Answer Sheet:

1.What was the name of the priest that the lesson was about? Zechariah

2.What was the name of his wife?  Elizabeth

3.The priest’s wife was from the family line of Moses’ brother.  What was Moses’ brother name? Aaron

  4.   What did all the priests do to find out who would go into the Sanctuary to burn incense?  They drew lots

5. While Zechariah was burning the incense what were the other worshipers doing outside?  praying
6. Who appeared to the priest while he was in the Sanctuary?  And angel of the Lord / the angel Gabriel
7. What did the angel tell Zechariah about Elizabeth?  That Elizabeth would have a son
8. What was Zechariah to name the baby? John
9. Let’s see what the angel said about the baby:
1. Your son will be great in the sight of the Lord
2. He is never to drink wine  or strong drink
3. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth

                  d.  He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God

e.      He will teach the people before the Lord comes, preparing the people for the Lord’s coming.

f.        He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old.

g.      He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children.

h.      He will change disobedient people minds to accept the wisdom of the righteous people.

i.        This will make the people ready for the Lord.

10. What did the angel Gabriel tell Zechariah would happen to him, since he didn’t believe what the angel told him?  He wouldn’t be able to speak
11. Why didn’t he believe the angel?

He was an old man and Elizabeth was well along in years

12. When Elizabeth found out she was with child.  What did she say the Lord had done?  The Lord had taken away her disgrace of having no children.