Zecheriah - Astonished
Please read Luke 1:5-23
Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth seemed like the perfect couple – they had the right pedigree and they were ‘upright in the sight of the Lord’. All should have gone well for them, but (it mattered a lot at this time), they had no children. You were blessed by God if you did – and you weren’t if you did not.
Icebreaker: Have you ever felt that you didn’t get good gifts from God, and you didn’t know why?
Luke 1:5 What does this verse tell you about the social status of Elizabeth and Zechariah?
Luke 1:6-7 Zechariah and Elizabeth we are told are upright before God. What do you think this means?
Do you think that obeying God might be something you do to get something good from Him? Is that something Zechariah and Elizabeth did?
Luke 1:8-11 Zechariah was given the opportunity to serve in the tabernacle. How would he have viewed this?
Luke 1:12-15 What amazed Zechariah and why should it have done this? What was the prime emotion he felt? Why?
What was the news the angel brought, and looking on through the passage how did Zechariah take it?
What sort of person will Zechariah’s son be? Does what the angel says about him remind you of any other Old Testament characters? Why do you think he is going to be like this?
Luke 1:16-17
The angel is telling Zacharias that John the Baptist will “go before” (Luke 1:17) whom?
go?
Why does the angel bring up “Elijah” (Luke 1:17)?
Luke 1:18-22
What is Zechariah saying in v.18? Why is the angel telling him his name?
Why was Zechariah made “mute” (Luke 1:20)?
What did the people outside think had happened?
Have there been times when God has told you something, and you haven’t believed it? What happened?
Luke 1:23-27
What type of husband returned to Elizabeth?
As you reflect on the study, remember that Zechariah and Elizabeth had to wait for a long time for God to answer their prayer. Is there something you have been waiting for a long time? Share it in prayer tonight and trust God to bring it in his timing