Book of Ancient Saints: Volume 1

Saint Zechariah

Zechariah was born 1st century BC in Hebron, the Levant, Roman Empire. In the days of King Herod the Great, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. 

Once when he was serving as a priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared  to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

"Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayers has been heard," the angel said. "Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn their hearts of fathers toward children and disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord" (Luke 1:13-17).

"How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. It's impossible, "Zechariah doubted (Luke 1:18).

"I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to speak until these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time" (Luke 1:19-20)

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. After this time, his wife, Elizabeth, conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, "So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others. (Luke 1:21-25)."

Eight days later after the birth of John, they had John circumcised according to their Jewish custom. The neighbors were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but Elizabeth said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name, " and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them in heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him (Luke 1:59-66).

Then Zechariah, his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied saying:

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his people. He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant, even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from old: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that, rescued from the hand of the enemies, without fear we might worship him in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins, because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace" (Luke 1:68-79).

Origen, an early Christian scholar, suggested that the name of Zechariah, mentioned in Matthew 23:35, as having been martyred between the temple and the altar may be the father of John the Baptist. Orthodox Christian traditions recounts that, at the time of the , when King ordered the slaughter of all males under the age of two in an attempt to prevent the prophesied Messiah from coming to Israel, Zechariah refused to divulge the whereabouts of his son (who was in hiding), and he was therefore murdered by Herod's soldiers (Wikipedia, 2018). 

Zechariah was venerated in Roman Catholic Church, and Orthodox Church, Lutheran Church, and Islam. The Roman Catholic Church commemorates him as a saint, along with Elizabeth, on September 23.