Luke 1 -Zechariah and Elizabeth

Luke opens up his gospel describing Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. His descriptions are enveloped with Old Testament imagery. Like Abram and Sarai, they were both advanced in years and were still without child. They are described as, “righteous before God, walking blamelessly” a description reflecting the Biblical description of Noah. A judgement is coming, as in the flood, the world is about to change. Zechariah’s name means “the Lord has remembered”, a phrase used when God rescued Israel from their slavery in Egypt. Elizabeth’s name means “God is my oath”, remembering God’s oath to Abraham to bless the nations through the Seed. John’s name means “God is gracious”, which is the means by which God remembers his people and fulfills his oath. Zechariah is also an Aaronite priest. This is important because a prophet of the same name prophesied that a man would come who would be both priest and king. Later we see in Jesus’s baptism, John (also an Aaronite priest and wore the garb of a prophet) passing the mantle of prophet and priest to Jesus. The message is – the world is about to change profoundly as in the days of Noah and be a sword separating the wicked from the righteous. God is fulfilling his covenant with Abraham, raising a man who will be Priest and King and rescue his people through the grace of God from slavery to sin.