The Life of Christ

like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude (Dan. 10:5-6).

• His mere appearance should have been proof enough as to the authenticity of his message.

Lk. 1:20 “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time.”

There is always a penalty for not believing what God tells us.

• If we want God to speak to us, we must be prepared to believe and do what He says.

Lk. 1:21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were wondering at his delay in the temple.

When the priest would come out of the Holy Place, he would pronounce the Aaronic blessing (Num. 6:24-26) to the awaiting crowd.

Lk. 1:22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept 1 making signs to them and remained mute.

He also couldn't hear.

• Lk. 1:62 says they made signs to Zacharias, as to what he would call the baby.

• Because he couldn't hear with his spiritual ear, he also lost the use of his natural ear.

SECTION 5

Lk. 1:26-27 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. The KJV says "espoused."

• Jewish engagement or espousal was much more of a commitment than what occurs in our culture.

• In this early culture the two fathers arranged the marriages; the dowry was paid either in money, animals, or years of work.

• Should there be a divorce, the wife was promised a certain amount of money until she remarried.

• If the divorce resulted from the woman’s adultery, any future promised money was cancelled; she would live out her days in shame.

Espousal began with an actual ceremony, performed in the presence of witnesses.

• Their relationship was considered sacred, as if they were even married (see Deut. 22:23-29).

• Before Joseph and Mary were married, scripture actually refers to Joseph as "her husband" (Mt. 1:19).

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