"The Appearance"

“The Appearance”

 

An Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.  When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.  But the Angel said to him:  “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.  Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.       Luke 1:11-13

 

Zechariah, an ORDINARY man, a priest, married to Elizabeth, an ORDINARY woman, both were RIGHTEOUS in God’s sight, and blameless according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.  They were both, well along in years, and childless.

 

Zechariah, was on duty in the temple, carrying out his priestly duties before God. He was chosen to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.  When the incense was burned, all of the people outside, prayed.  This one particular time, was DIFFERENT. An Angel of the Lord APPEARED to Zechariah, and when he saw the Angel, he was STARTLED and OVERCOME with FEAR.  But the Angel said to him:  “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.  Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.   Now, Zechariah, was in doubt of such a thing happening, so he said to the Angel, “How can I know this?  “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”  The Angel answered:  “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.  Now listen!  You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”  (VV19-20)

 

Now, this is NOT an EVERYDAY, EVERYWHERE occurrence that takes place in our day and time.   Have you ever wondered how you might react to an APPEARANCE of the Angel of the Lord?  Would you be STARTLED and OVERCOME with FEAR?  If it happened to YOU, and you are one who DOES NOT BELIEVE in ANGELS, or the ALMIGHTY GOD, would it make you a BELIEVER? 

 

Well, this is NOT likely the way you will become a TRUE BELIEVER.  But you do have an opportunity NOW to become a BELIEVER.  Remember, Zechariah was a GODLY priest, who was RIGHTEOUS and blameless, according to God’s commands and requirements, and yet he didn’t BELIEVE what the Angel of the Lord said, and lost his ability to speak, for a period of time.  What will it take for YOU to BELIEVE?  If you will TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE, in Heaven making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and BELIEVE that there TRULY is a GOD, the MAKER of Heaven and EARTH, and your ONLY HOPE to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and GAIN HEAVEN for ALL of ETERNITY.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!