“What will this child be?”
Today, we come back to the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. They waited, they prayed, and God made them a promise that they would have a son. We continue this story with the birth of their son, John the Baptist. We need to note that this was not a young couple, but an elderly couple who just had a baby. God’s handiwork was all over this and it is important to see He gets all of the glory.
When people who are watching us, especially if they have previously looked down on us for hoping and trusting in God, we are tempted to cave into the pressure and give up. I’m sure the neighbors of Zechariah and Elizabeth had looked down on them for not having children. But now these same people are present for the birth of this miracle baby, and both Elizabeth and Zechariah give God all the glory. Noticing this was obviously God at work they, in amazement, asked, “What then will this child be?” In other words, when God does something miraculous, it causes people to pay attention and give God glory. And this does not end with those with those who see the miracle first hand, because the word always spread – just as Zechariah and Elizabeth’s neighbors spread the word of this amazing miracle over all surrounding villages.
We have the same opportunity. When we put our hope and trust in God, it will look strange to people, maybe even cause them to look down on us. But when God shows up in our lives in an obvious way, people can’t help but give God the glory. We are invited day after day to place our hopes and trust in God, who works all things together for our good and for His glory.
Scriptures
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
My Help and My Deliverer
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
40 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.