Miracles, Part II--God Never Forgets

When Zechariah and Elizabeth got married, they had the same hopes and dreams every young couple has. A good income, a nice home, and of course, a family. Particularly in the land of Israel, 2000 years ago, children were seen as a blessing from God; so much so, in fact, that if a couple did not have any children, it was perceived as an indication of God’s punishment for some sin in their lives.
We can only imagine the disappointment and heartache this young couple felt when it became apparent that they could not have any children. Add to this the fact that Zechariah was a priest, a “man of God.” O how the wagging tongues must have kept themselves busy, speculating about what the issue could be. Zechariah must have done this, or Elizabeth probably did that, and, “Well, you know, I heard…”
How many hours this couple must have spent over the years, praying, “God, please give us a child. Lord, vindicate us. Take away the shame and the scorn. Show these people that we are innocent of everything they think we may have done. God, give us a child.”
When Luke introduces us to Zechariah and Elizabeth, they are no longer a young couple, trying to have a child. They are senior citizens. By now, they should be grandparents. Any thought, hope, or prayer of ever having a family has been long since forgotten. Elizabeth went through menopause at least ten, maybe twenty or thirty years ago.
When Zechariah went into the temple to burn incense (symbolic of prayer), he was surprised—no, shocked—by the appearance of an angel. And at first, he must have been a bit mystified by what the angel had to say. “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard…” (Luke 1:13).
“Prayer? What prayer? I’ve said many prayers throughout my lifetime. Which prayer are you talking about?”
As Zechariah asked that question within his own head, the angel continued, “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.”
Zechariah must have mused, “Oh, that prayer,” and then, “Wait a minute! THAT prayer? You’ve got to be joking.”
Because it had been so long, and because having children was now impossible for he and Elizabeth, Zechariah had forgotten about that which he had prayed so earnestly and for so long. But as Pastor John taught us on December 11th, God never forgets.
The lesson is obvious, as we continue our series on miracles. Don’t ever give up. Don’t ever stop. Keep on praying. Keep on believing God for that miracle you need. Remember those prayers you prayed so long ago and have since given up on. Remember them, and start praying again. Because even when we forget about them, God never forgets.
Now, I believe there is an even greater truth underlying this principle. It is the truth that God is faithful. He is faithful to Himself, faithful to His Word, and faithful to His people.
To illustrate this, let’s briefly look at a situation that took place several hundred years before the time of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Israel had been divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. The king of Israel had joined forces with the king of Syria, and the two of them were threatening to attack and destroy Judah. To protect his people, king Ahaz of Judah was seeking to form an alliance with the Assyrians.
But God sent the prophet, Isaiah, to tell king Ahaz, “Do not turn to the Assyrians. Do not trust them to help you. Trust in God?” Why? Because “the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Wait a minute. This is a prophecy about the birth of Jesus. What’s that got to do with the situation? Everything. For several centuries earlier, God had promised king David that one of his descendants would reign as the king of Israel forever (see II Sam. 7:4-17). And even many centuries before that, God had told Abraham, “In you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).
If Judah and/or Israel were to ever be destroyed, these promises could never be fulfilled. But through Isaiah, God was telling Ahaz, “I won’t let that happen. I won’t let My people be destroyed. I will fulfill My promises to Abraham and to David.”
In giving the prophecy about the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, God was proving Himself to be faithful to Abraham, to David, and to the nation. And, lest we think He is only concerned about such great people as Abraham as David, the announcement that Elizabeth would have a son (who later became John the Baptist) showed that God is faithful to such ordinary and “insignificant” people as a little-known priest and his wife. And if God was faithful to them, then He most certainly is and will be faithful to you, as well.


QUESTIONS FOR STUDY AND APPLICATION

1. What former hopes and dreams have you given up on? Is there something you used to pray for, but have given up on because God didn’t answer that prayer when you hoped He would?

2. How does the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth encourage you in this area?


3. Think about your entire life up to this point, especially some of the hard times you may have experienced. How has God proven Himself to be faithful to you? Are you able to see evidence of God’s faithfulness in your life?


4. What miracle are you needing now? What difficult situation are you facing? How much are you praying about it? Are you trusting God to answer your prayer, or do you doubt that He will intervene? Why? What will you do to increase your faith in God’s faithfulness to you?