I love reading the account from Luke about the birth of Jesus. Every year, the Lord shows me something new that I hadn’t noticed before. This year, it was this: the silence was broken.
After the Lord spoke to the priest Malachi in roughly 435 B.C. there was silence. The Jews did not receive another word from the Lord for 400 years! And then, suddenly, the Lord began speaking again.
He began again with a priest, sending Gabriel to give him the same prophecy that concluded Malachi. Luke 1:16-17 tells of the son that would be born to Zechariah and Elizabeth for a purpose“… he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Please go and read the last verse of Malachi). He tells Zechariah that his son John will be filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb.
Then the Lord sent Gabriel to Mary, a young unknown betrothed woman in Nazareth to tell her that that Holy Spirit would come upon her, and she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God. The Lord perfectly and lovingly orchestrated for this young virgin to be related to Elizabeth to share in these revelations and pregnancies.
In Luke 1:41, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and gives Mary a prophetic and encouraging word from the Lord, confirming what Gabriel spoke to her from the Lord. Mary’s response to Elizabeth is laced with humility and prophecy as she speaks about this gift that she has received from the Lord. In Luke 1:67-79 as Zechariah and Elizabeth prepare for John’s circumcision ceremony, Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesies.
So before we even get to the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, God has broken the silence five times! He sends Gabriel twice and uses Elizabeth, Mary and Zechariah to deliver His Word.
One time or even two times would have been impressive enough after 400 years but five times! And He was just beginning what has continued to this day, speaking to those who believe. No more silence ever again.
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