In the Court of Israel, the Levite choir was preparing their praise to accompany the morning incense offering. In the Priests’ Court, about thirty priests from the division of Abijah had gathered. As Zechariah greeted the priests who had already gathered, several of them asked why he looked so tired, but Zechariah just gave a slight smile and didn’t reply.
When all the priests of Abijah’s division had assembled, they moved to a finely built stone building to cast lots. Here, through several rounds of lot-casting, each priest’s duties would be determined. The priests who drew the first and second lots would clean the altar, prepare the fire for the altar, and tend to the incense altar and lampstand in the Holy Place. After they finished, they would confirm if it was fully daylight, then return to the Priests’ Court to begin the morning continual burnt offering in earnest.
At 9 AM, the doors of the Holy Place opened, revealing the outer curtain that concealed the inner sanctuary. Simultaneously, the sound of trumpets rang out. As the gates separating the Court of Israel and the Court of Women opened, people gathered to offer prayers became visible. While they watched, two priests chosen by lot entered the Holy Place. Meanwhile, an unblemished lamb was slaughtered before the altar for the burnt offering, and its blood was sprinkled on the altar. As the two priests in the Holy Place tended to the incense altar and lampstand, replenishing the wicks and oil, three other priests placed the slaughtered lamb on the altar, sprinkled it with salt, and set the grain and drink offerings beside it.
The priests, having solemnly observed the entire process, returned to the building to draw the third and fourth lots. The third lot, which determined who would enter the Holy Place to offer incense as a prayer to the Lord, was especially important. Before drawing lots, the priests recited the Ten Commandments that God had given through Moses, along with the Shema, which is a prayer for Israel. Then, excluding those who had been chosen before, the remaining priests began to draw lots.
Looking back, Zechariah realized that in all his years as a priest, he had never once been chosen to offer incense. Along with his dream of having a child, there was a time when being chosen to offer incense was his dream. Would he be chosen this time, or would he be passed over again? But even if he were chosen, he wondered if he was in the right state of mind to offer incense. However, since God makes the selection, He would reveal His will through this process.
When Zechariah’s turn came, he too raised his hand to draw a lot. And in his hand was God’s choice for him to offer incense. Zechariah was startled but quickly regained his composure like the experienced priest he was. He took two priests he trusted with him toward the Holy Place. One of the two carried a golden bowl filled with specially prepared incense for the Lord, while the other carried golden tongs to gather burning coals from the altar. On either side of the three priests heading to the Holy Place walked the priests who had drawn the second lot, as if escorting them.
Meanwhile, the remaining priests who had drawn the fourth lot took their positions, ready to offer the burnt sacrifice. As the three priests ascended the steps before the Holy Place, music began to play, and about twenty Levite choir members from the Court of Israel lined up on the steps. The two priests who entered with Zechariah spread the coals on the incense altar, placed the golden bowl beside it, and then exited. Now only Zechariah remained in the Holy Place.
Zechariah composed himself. This was his first time offering incense in his lifetime—a fragrant prayer to God. He took incense from the golden bowl and placed it on the burning coals of the incense altar. The smoke from the incense filled the Holy Place and soon spread beyond the curtain. At the signal from the chief priest, people gathered in the Court of Women raised their hands to the sky and silently recited the Shema. Zechariah in the Holy Place offered the same prayer and began to recite the Shema and the Ten Commandments, word for word as written:
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one. You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates.
I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
As Zechariah offered the incense, the disappointment that had long settled in his heart resurfaced. But it felt somewhat different this time. He had finally fulfilled his lifelong dream of offering incense. Maybe, just maybe, God would answer his other prayer too.
Lord, I thought I had no peace or hope because You did not answer my prayer. But now that I’ve been given the chance to offer incense, another of my wishes, that feeling seems to be fading a little. The past years have been painful for me, like eating bitter wormwood and gall, and when I look back on that time, I can’t contain my melancholy.
But thinking again, Your steadfast love never ceases, and Your mercies never come to an end. Your love and mercy are new every morning, and Your faithfulness is so great. You are my everything and my hope. You are the one who blesses those who wait for You and seek You. I pray that You will save me from this suffering.
I have borne the yoke since my youth and have lived silently for many years. I have not expressed any anger while hearing people’s mocking words. Lord, I ask that You do not abandon me. Though You have caused me grief, I believe You will also have compassion. The times I have grieved were surely not Your true intention. I know You see all these situations where people are trampled upon, their human rights violated, and they suffer injustice.
I want to turn away from my complaints and return to You, Lord. God in heaven, I want to lift my hands in prayer to You. I have sinned against You, and You have been angry and not forgiven. You have covered Yourself with a cloud so that my prayer cannot reach You. You have made us a life of ridicule among the people. As they open their mouths to mock us, all we have left are tears. I wait for the day when You will look down from heaven and regard these tears.
Lord, I have remained silent even as I heard people’s taunts. I have cried out only to You. Lord, save me. Do not ignore me but rescue me. As You answered the prophet Jeremiah, please answer my plea as well. Look upon the injustices we have suffered and render a righteous judgment.
Zechariah’s head bowed involuntarily, and tears flowed endlessly. As the fragrant prayer smoke rising from the burning coals covered his face, a dreamlike voice was heard.
“Zechariah.”
Huh? Who could be calling him? Had the high priest come outside the Holy Place? No, that’s impossible. No one speaks to a priest offering incense inside the Holy Place.
When the startled Zechariah lifted his head, he saw a shining figure standing to the right of the altar of incense, in front of the curtain that concealed the Most Holy Place.
“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. 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 prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah couldn’t be sure if this was reality or a vision. Was he creating his own vision out of his desperate desire for an answer to prayer? Zechariah pinched his arm.
“Ouch!”
The pain was so sharp that Zechariah stared at the spot he had pinched. Next to the reddened skin, he saw the sagging, aged flesh of his arm. Seeing the age spots now dotting his skin, his heart sank.
Could he even hold a baby with this body? Lord, why have you answered only now? Why didn’t you answer sooner?
“How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
Despite it being the answer to prayer he had longed for, words of complaint burst from Zechariah’s mouth before he knew it. Just as he had been curt with his beloved wife, he now treated the angel who came to deliver God’s command the same way.
Seeing the angel’s piercing gaze, Zechariah felt a moment of regret, but also thought, “What’s done is done.” It was stubbornness. God hadn’t answered when he prayed so fervently, but now gave an answer when he was old. Wasn’t this too much?
“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
Zechariah tried to respond as if to excuse himself, saying “What did I do wrong?”, but no sound came from his mouth. The angel had disappeared, but he was flustered and confused by his inability to speak.
People were waiting for Zechariah in the priests’ court outside the Holy Place. Usually, after the incense offering was finished and the smoke subsided, the priest who had cleaned the lampstand would enter the Holy Place to trim the remaining lamp wicks and refill the oil. But today, strangely, the smoke in the Holy Place wasn’t clearing quickly. The other priests were equally unsure how to handle this situation. The priest who was supposed to enter the Holy Place looked to the chief priest. He slightly shook his head, signaling to wait.
More time passed, but there was still no news from Zechariah inside the Holy Place. The chief priest signaled to the priest who had cleaned the lampstand to enter the Holy Place. What he saw upon entering was Zechariah, hand on his throat, breathing heavily. He quickly finished his task, then supported Zechariah as they exited the Holy Place. The other three priests who had entered the Holy Place earlier approached and lined up beside them.
The five priests walked to the center of the court, and all the other priests, except for the one chosen by the fourth lot to ascend the altar of burnt offering, lined up around them. At this point, Zechariah, who had offered the incense, should raise both hands and recite the blessing in a loud voice. Then the other priests would follow, reciting as the remaining procedures continued. But Zechariah, who should start this, stood silently with a pale face. People watching the priests felt a sense of bewilderment. The priest supporting Zechariah, after observing the situation, began to recite the blessing in Zechariah’s place. Although the procedure was slightly different, the burnt offering began nonetheless.
As the offering on the altar began to burn and the grain and drink offerings were poured over it, the Levite choir began to sing psalms accompanied by instruments. When this sound was heard outside the temple, the residents of Jerusalem would begin their morning prayers.
* * *
“High Priest, have you heard about the incident that occurred today?”
“Are you talking about Zechariah?”
“Yes, that’s right. They say he looked completely shocked inside the Holy Place.”
“What could possibly surprise him in the Holy Place? There’s nothing there except the altar of incense, the lampstand, and the table of showbread. Zechariah isn’t the type to open the curtain to the Most Holy Place—and even if he did, there’d be nothing inside.”
“Maybe he saw a vision or something?”
“We are Sadducees. When did we ever believe in such things as visions? What matters to us is not some unrealistic vision but the reality of the temple, the rituals, and our choices. Didn’t we hear that the morning incident was wrapped up well? That is precisely what we want to accomplish.”
“That may be true, but…”
“I will ask about Zechariah separately.”
“Understood. But he still hasn’t been able to speak.”
“He will tell me.”
* * *
Zechariah returned to his quarters after finishing the incense offering. At first, his body kept trembling, but as he recalled the angel’s words, his heart quickly calmed and his mood improved. God had fulfilled both of his dreams today. Although he had lost his voice, this wasn’t permanent, so it wasn’t a major issue.
As Zechariah was enjoying his happiness, he suddenly became curious. Why did he have to lose his voice? The primary reason would be that he had spoken wrongly. He had no excuse, as he didn’t believe God’s words given through the angel. But was that the only reason? Long ago, Abraham and Sarah also couldn’t believe the angel’s prophecy that they would have a child in their old age, and even laughed inwardly. If the ancestor of all Jews and the father of faith had done so, his own lack of faith should have been understandable. But God didn’t see it that way. Why was that?
Zechariah thought deeply but couldn’t easily find an answer. Then he heard a knock at the door. As he got up and opened the door, he saw the smiling face of the High Priest.
“Zechariah, I heard something happened to you, so I came right away.”
Zechariah gestured for him to come inside. The High Priest entered and sat in a chair, with Zechariah sitting opposite him.
“If you’re not feeling well, I can ask the queen to find you a good doctor.”
Zechariah shook his head.
“Or did something really happen in there? There are rumors that you saw a vision in the Holy Place, but surely that’s not true?”
Zechariah rose and brought the tablet. Just as he was about to write, he suddenly wondered if he should tell the story exactly as it happened. The high priest, by his position, was someone who could neither openly believe nor disbelieve in angels. Yet, as a Sadducee, he would never truly accept the existence of angels in his heart. This was entirely separate from how much he trusted Zechariah personally. And even if he did believe Zechariah’s words, how would he react to the angel’s message about bearing a child who would prepare the way for the Lord? He was Herod’s father-in-law. Herod was killing anyone who threatened his reign. In this situation, how dangerous would it be to tell exactly what happened?
Zechariah wrote on the tablet:
[I will tell you when the opportunity arises later.]
The High Priest looked disappointed.
“There’s no need for secrets between us.”
[It’s something I haven’t sorted out in my mind yet… I would appreciate your understanding.]
“Alright, when you’re ready, make sure to tell me. For now, take care of yourself.”
As the High Priest left, Zechariah slapped his forehead as the realization struck him. He suddenly realized there was a deeper reason why the angel had silenced him. What would happen if he carelessly talked about this event in his joy of having a child? Talking about meeting an angel in this temple where Sadducee priests firmly stood? Also, preparing people for the Lord’s coming essentially meant the Messiah was coming. It was only natural to see this as an event that could shake Herod’s dynasty. Even High Priest Simon wanted the continuation of Herod’s royal family. If rumors spread wrongly, what would happen to him and his wife? And how much would that disrupt God’s work?
Zechariah could now understand God’s hidden intention. But was that all God intended?
Seeing Zechariah still unable to speak, various opinions circulated. Among the High Priest and high-ranking Sadducee priests, a realistic conclusion was reached that his aging body had temporarily deteriorated. Among ordinary priests, Levites, and people not belonging to the Sadducees, there were whispers that he had seen a vision in the Holy Place. But they only whispered behind closed doors, not daring to speak openly.
Amidst these stories, Zechariah remained silent and performed all his duties properly. People focused only on the fact that he couldn’t speak, failing to notice how unusually bright his face had become.
Zechariah returned home after his service period ended. Shortly after, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and they left Jerusalem to hide in Ein Karem in the Judean hill country.
* * *
Zechariah came outside, leaving his sleeping wife. As he gazed at the sky tinged red by the sunset, memories of his past life came flooding back.
Born into a well-off priestly family, he had lived his entire life as a priest. After marrying Elizabeth, he had only good memories, except for their inability to have children. Regardless of what others said, he and Elizabeth had lived faithfully according to God’s word. Now, looking back, he wondered why he had struggled so much. With so many happy times, why had he focused on the dark aspects of life, ignoring the bright ones?
He was grateful that despite ongoing hardships, his wife maintained her dignity and never lost her smile. And although he had grown increasingly gruff, he never gave up praying to God. What if he had stopped praying? Would God have answered? While he couldn’t be certain, he probably wouldn’t have felt this gratitude towards God as he did now.
He still remembered the day Elizabeth first learned of her pregnancy, her eyes brimming with tears as she said, “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
He had struggled, but it must have been even harder for his wife. While he could blame her, she could only blame herself—a pain beyond words. He was so grateful to his wife for enduring that time well. Zechariah vowed to do anything to protect his wife and child.
Though he was now old, weak, and with not many days left to live, there was no need to despair or grieve over this reality. The most important part of his life was just beginning. God had sent him a son who would prepare the way for the Lord. The time spent raising this son properly would be more valuable than all the years he had lived. What he had or achieved in the past didn’t matter at all. He could now teach his son things his younger self never could have taught. Having received God’s answer after a long wait, he could teach about a life of waiting. Having filled countless days with complaints, he could teach true repentance. Because he had lived such a flawed and inadequate life, he could convey God’s never-giving-up love to his son.
As Zechariah watched the sun setting beyond distant mountains, he realized he still had a stump left in him. When the sun that had filled the world with light sets, the moon will reveal itself. What did it matter if he didn’t have a dazzling time that everyone would envy? A life that gently illuminates the path in darkness is beautiful enough. From now on, he would live such a life. Zechariah made this vow repeatedly as he watched the moon growing brighter.
God knew well Zechariah’s sense of loss that had troubled him for many years, and understood it even more deeply. However, to raise John the Baptist, the greatest among those born of women, he had to go through an equally great refinement. A life of letting go of one’s stubbornness and character, speaking according to God’s will. This was John the Baptist’s mission—a path almost unimaginable for a human—and it was the parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, who had to teach this.
Now, instead of his loving but gruffly expressed words, Zechariah would cherish his wife and express to his child through small but deeply loving actions. Through this time of living silently until John the Baptist’s birth, Zechariah would learn to live a life that shows by example. This was another reason why God took away Zechariah’s voice through the angel.
The passages from Exodus 20:2-17, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Luke 1:13-20, 25 quoted in this narrative are taken directly from the World English Bible (WEB) translation.
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