House of Hope Online

December 14, 2025

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With the celebration of Jesus’ first coming a mere 11 days hence, the Lord has spoken into my spirit about the birth of John the Baptist, and the prophetic symbolism that it represents for us today.

John was born six months before Jesus, but the announcement of his birth by the angel of the Lord was significant because it required Zacharias, a priest and John’s father, to believe something that did not make sense in the natural.

Luke 1:

 5 ¶ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

 6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

 7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

 8 Now it came about, while he was performing his priestly service before God in the [appointed] order of his division,

 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.

 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

 12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw [him,] and fear gripped him.

 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

 14 “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

 15 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother’s womb.

 16 “And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

 17 “And it is he who will go [as a forerunner] before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (NASB)

So, here we have the fascinating story of Zacharias, a priest, and his wife, Elizabeth, both of whom are advanced in years beyond the age of childbearing.  As Zacharias was going about his priestly duties, the angel of the Lord appeared and announced that He and Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist.

The angel said John will be great in the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit even while in his mother’s womb.  I love verse 17 where the Lord spoke to a father what the son would be – a forerunner of Jesus in the spirit and power of Elijah, and he would turn the hearts of fathers back to their children.  And John would turn the disobedient back to an attitude of righteousness to make people prepared for the coming of the Lord.

Believe or Be Silenced

The angel told Zacharias in verse 14 he would have joy and gladness and that many would rejoice at the birth of John, but the elderly priest was struggling to believe. 

Luke 1:

 18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this [for certain]? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

 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.”

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

 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 making signs to them, and remained mute.

There is an important lesson here for us – when the Lord speaks a miracle into us, we are not to speak unbelief back to Him.  Zacharias was trying to understand this word from God in the natural realm, but he needed to receive it in the Spirit realm.  Nothing is impossible with God.

Sometimes the Spirit of God says we are healed, but the doctor’s report says something else.  We must speak the word of God back to Him and believe Him for it.

In verse 20, Zacharias’ ability to speak was taken away from him because he did not believe the word of the Lord.  The lesson for us?  If you do not believe, then you do not have the right and privilege to speak on behalf of the Lord, and you do not have the ability to prophesy.

Shortly after this visitation from the Angel Gabriel, Elizabeth became pregnant.

Luke 1:

 23 And it came about, when the days of his priestly service were ended, that he went back home.

 24 And after these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant; and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,

 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked [with favor] upon [me,] to take away my disgrace among men.”

And six months later, after the angel spoke to Mary about the miraculous conception of Jesus, the two women had a worship meeting.

Luke 1:

 39 ¶ Now at this time Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country, to a city of Judah,

 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

 41 And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

 42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed among women [are] you, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb!

 43 “And how has it [happened] to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

 44 “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

 45 “And blessed [is] she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

 46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,

 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

Voice 41 fulfills the prophecy that the angel Gabriel spoke about John being filled with the Holy Spirit even while still in his mother’s womb.  The baby John sensed the presence of Jesus when Mary arrived.

And note the lesson in verse 45 – blessed is she who believes there will be a fulfillment of what has been spoken by the Lord. 

Believe and be blessed!  Believe or be silenced!

The Birth of John the Baptist

Luke 1:

 56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and [then] returned to her home.

 57 ¶ Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she brought forth a son.

 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

 59 And it came about that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.

 60 And his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”

 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

 62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

 63 And he asked for a tablet, and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

 64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue [loosed,] and he [began] to speak in praise of God.

 65 And fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.

A Father’s Prophecy

The story of John the Baptist’s birth illustrates the three things that must be true for something to be considered prophecy:

1. The prophet must hear the word.
2. The prophet must believe it is the word of the Lord.
3. The prophet must speak the word forth.

All three components must be present.  Since Zacharias expressed doubt because of his age, he was not allowed to speak it forth as prophecy.  Once John was born, and Zacharias confirmed that his name would be John, then Zacharias’ voice was restored, and he was once again able to prophesy over his son.

Luke 1:

 66 And all who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child [turn out to] be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

 67 ¶ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

 68 “Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—

 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old–

 71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;

 72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

 73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

 74 To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,

 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

 76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

 77 To give to His people [the] knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,

 78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us,

 79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 80 And the child continued to grow, and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Notice the prophecy spoken over John the Baptist:

• Verse 76: He was to be called “prophet” and go before the Lord to prepare the people.
• Verse 77: He was to give people knowledge of salvation by forgiveness of sin.
• Verse 78: He was to explain that salvation is due to the tender mercy of God, and that the Sunrise from on high, Jesus, will visit us.
• Verse 79: He was to explain that Jesus is coming to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

A Message for Today

In closing, John the Baptist was born approximately six months before Jesus.  He came before Jesus with a Godly purpose.  Our merciful Heavenly Father wanted John to tell the people that Jesus is coming, and they can receive salvation through Him by the forgiveness of sin.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let us have a John the Baptist mindset.  Let us explain that Jesus came as a light to shine upon the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

John 1:

 1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 2 He was in the beginning with God.

 3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

 5 ¶ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

 6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

 7 He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

 8 He was not the light, but [came] that he might bear witness of the light.

 9 There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those who believe in His name,

 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus is coming again soon.  Let us go, as John the Baptist did, before Jesus comes, and share with the people that He is the true light, and if they receive Him and believe in His name, they will gain the right to become children of God.  And they will gain salvation from their enemies and from the wrath to come.

Let us pray.

Father God, we give You glory for the tender mercy You extend to us and to as many as receive Jesus, to become children of God.  Help us to believe Your word of prophecy that we may be allowed to speak it forth to an unbelieving nation.  And just as John the Baptist did, let us give people knowledge of salvation, and explain that Jesus is coming again soon to save us all from the coming Tribulation.  Amen.