God's Timing is Perfect
Zechariah, who would become the father of John the Baptist, was a faithful, godly and praying man. But Doctor Luke also points out that he was childless because his wife “Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years” (Luke 1:7).
Despite the disappointment of not having a child, Zechariah and Elizabeth remained faithful to the Lord and continued serving Him. And while Zechariah was serving as priest before God in the temple and offering incense at the hour of prayer, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him with good news. But although the Angel revealed that God answered his prayer in a way that exceeded his expectations, Zechariah responded with unbelief: “And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” (Luke 1:18)
Zechariah’s response here reveals that although he was a praying man, and although he was still faithfully serving the Lord in his latter years, he had a limited view about how God would work out His redemptive plan. As he offered up the incense at the hour of prayer on behalf of his people as they also prayed in the temple court, Zechariah was also likely praying for God’s kingdom to come. However, because he and his wife were advanced in years, and because God didn’t answer their prayers on their time table, he questioned the angel’s revelation.
Zechariah’s question, "How shall I know this?", seems to be asking for proof, and according to Gabriel, it was rooted in unbelief. He wanted more evidence. But he already had all the proof he needed. He already had God’s word. He had plenty of evidence from scripture concerning God supernaturally opening the womb of the barren, like Sarah, Abraham’s wife. And Abraham was the father of faith.
Additionally, he knew he was standing in the presence of a supernatural being, which is why Luke recorded that when he first saw the angel, fear fell upon him. In fact, verses 21-22 record that when Zechariah came out to the people who had been praying, even they knew that he had seen a vision in the temple.
What’s more, he didn’t question what Gabriel said about the prophesies concerning John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus, rather, he wanted more proof that God could do for him and his wife what the angel said he would do. He didn’t have an intellectual problem, he had a heart problem. And because his heart problem caused him to ask for more proof than what he already had, Gabriel pronounced that he would be unable to speak until what he said came to pass.
What exactly caused Zechariah’s heart to disbelieve, we don’t know for sure. But keep in mind that when Gabriel pronounced that he would not be able to speak, he added this explanation: “because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:20). There’s something about waiting long for our expectations to be met that can cause our hearts to grow cold and indifferent. But during these times, we must hold on to the trustworthiness of God who fulfills His best plan for our lives in His perfect time.
God wanted to so drive this point home that the next time Zechariah was able to speak was more than 9 months later after Zechariah confirmed on a writing tablet that his son was to be called John, as the angel had said. After Zechariah encountered Gabriel, and the people also realized that he had seen a vision, Luke concludes: “And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” (Luke 1:23-24)
How much Zechariah was able to communicate to Elizabeth about his encounter with the angel, we don’t know for sure. But when she conceived, she knew that her unexpected pregnancy was a blessing from God. But she didn’t know the half of it. One commentator suggests, “I am not sure why Elizabeth hides herself for five months. She had experienced so much private pain over the years, perhaps she wanted to treasure up the private joy that God had given her before she shared the news with the world.” -Chris Ritter
Again, she didn’t know the half of it, but what she did discover is that God’s delays are not always His denials. And let me add that God is working while we are waiting. He’s working on us and He’s working around us to prepare us for unexpected blessings. And the greatest blessing of all is the arrival and return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In a recent devotional, my friend Pastor Troy Keaton wrote:
When unexpected circumstances come, and they will, let us cling to the truths that God blesses our perseverance, that God answers our prayers, and that God’s timing is always perfect.
In your service,
Pastor Marco
Despite the disappointment of not having a child, Zechariah and Elizabeth remained faithful to the Lord and continued serving Him. And while Zechariah was serving as priest before God in the temple and offering incense at the hour of prayer, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him with good news. But although the Angel revealed that God answered his prayer in a way that exceeded his expectations, Zechariah responded with unbelief: “And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” (Luke 1:18)
Zechariah’s response here reveals that although he was a praying man, and although he was still faithfully serving the Lord in his latter years, he had a limited view about how God would work out His redemptive plan. As he offered up the incense at the hour of prayer on behalf of his people as they also prayed in the temple court, Zechariah was also likely praying for God’s kingdom to come. However, because he and his wife were advanced in years, and because God didn’t answer their prayers on their time table, he questioned the angel’s revelation.
“And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” (Luke 1:19-20)
Zechariah’s question, "How shall I know this?", seems to be asking for proof, and according to Gabriel, it was rooted in unbelief. He wanted more evidence. But he already had all the proof he needed. He already had God’s word. He had plenty of evidence from scripture concerning God supernaturally opening the womb of the barren, like Sarah, Abraham’s wife. And Abraham was the father of faith.
Additionally, he knew he was standing in the presence of a supernatural being, which is why Luke recorded that when he first saw the angel, fear fell upon him. In fact, verses 21-22 record that when Zechariah came out to the people who had been praying, even they knew that he had seen a vision in the temple.
What’s more, he didn’t question what Gabriel said about the prophesies concerning John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus, rather, he wanted more proof that God could do for him and his wife what the angel said he would do. He didn’t have an intellectual problem, he had a heart problem. And because his heart problem caused him to ask for more proof than what he already had, Gabriel pronounced that he would be unable to speak until what he said came to pass.
What exactly caused Zechariah’s heart to disbelieve, we don’t know for sure. But keep in mind that when Gabriel pronounced that he would not be able to speak, he added this explanation: “because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:20). There’s something about waiting long for our expectations to be met that can cause our hearts to grow cold and indifferent. But during these times, we must hold on to the trustworthiness of God who fulfills His best plan for our lives in His perfect time.
God wanted to so drive this point home that the next time Zechariah was able to speak was more than 9 months later after Zechariah confirmed on a writing tablet that his son was to be called John, as the angel had said. After Zechariah encountered Gabriel, and the people also realized that he had seen a vision, Luke concludes: “And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” (Luke 1:23-24)
How much Zechariah was able to communicate to Elizabeth about his encounter with the angel, we don’t know for sure. But when she conceived, she knew that her unexpected pregnancy was a blessing from God. But she didn’t know the half of it. One commentator suggests, “I am not sure why Elizabeth hides herself for five months. She had experienced so much private pain over the years, perhaps she wanted to treasure up the private joy that God had given her before she shared the news with the world.” -Chris Ritter
Again, she didn’t know the half of it, but what she did discover is that God’s delays are not always His denials. And let me add that God is working while we are waiting. He’s working on us and He’s working around us to prepare us for unexpected blessings. And the greatest blessing of all is the arrival and return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In a recent devotional, my friend Pastor Troy Keaton wrote:
“In Galatians 4:4, the apostle Paul makes a statement about the timing of God sending Jesus into the world. To those who had lived under the law for centuries and yearned and waited for a deliverer they thought God was late. Paul tells us that His timing is perfect.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
The birth of Christ was not a second too soon, nor a minute too late. Theologian James Boice tells us this about the timing of Christ coming: ‘It was a time when the pax Romana extended over most of the civilized earth and when travel and commerce were therefore possible in a way that had formerly been impossible. Great roads linked the empire of the Caesars, and its diverse regions were linked far more significantly by the all-pervasive language of the Greeks. Add the fact that the world was sunk in a moral abyss so low that even the pagan cried out against it and that spiritual hunger was everywhere evident, and one has a perfect time for the coming of Christ and for the early expansion of the Christian gospel.’
Throughout our Christian life we too can at times wonder if God has forgot to look at His watch recently. We can question why the things in our life seem to go on and on without His aid. While we wait on the Lord, we too can begin to worry that He has forgotten about us. But I have good news for you. For those who wait on the Lord, trust in the Lord, walk faithfully with the Lord we can rest in the reality that God’s clock keeps perfect time!
- In the fulness of time God will show up and perform His work.
- In the fulness of time God will make clear what He has been doing in your life.
- In the fulness of time God will resolve the issue.
- In the fullness of time God will reward your faithfulness.
- In the fulness of time God will deliver and show forth His mighty power.
- In the fullness of time God will make sense of it all.”
When unexpected circumstances come, and they will, let us cling to the truths that God blesses our perseverance, that God answers our prayers, and that God’s timing is always perfect.
In your service,
Pastor Marco