83. Beginner Bible Course: The birth of the forerunner, John (the Baptizer)

EPISODE 83  The simple Bible overview of…THE BIRTH OF JOHN, THE BOY-COUSIN OF JESUS

If you ask me...

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00:00:04

...Same age, boy or girl cousins were one of guide's best ideas. My three older brothers and three older sisters, and I grew up on the farm and the highlight of our summer every year was when our eight boy and girl cousins from Iowa invaded our farm for a week. It was Bedlam and sheer joy, whispers and giggles under late night covers hay, bale forts in the haymow and the sounds of BB guns everywhere. It's been five decades since they invaded our farm. And we still hold a very special place in each other's hearts. In some ways, same age, boy, cousins and girl cousins are almost better than brothers and sisters.

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They don't cop an attitude or steal your favorite sweater. They don't tease you mercilessly or give you a nuggies or if they do, you know, soon they'll be going home. They're pretty special. Jesus had a same age, boy, cousin, his name was John. He's a big character in the story of the life of Jesus and the gospel writer. Luke tells us that story. John Jesus boy, cousin came from a religious home. His daddy is Zachariah, was a priest and both his dad and mom came from the tribe of Levi. They were both righteous people and they were passionate about making God smile by obeying his laws. They're the real deal. And that's exceptional at the time.

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John was born. Zachariah was in one of the 24 groups of priests, which took turn ministering at the temple in Jerusalem. This was the temple built at the time of the return of the exiles, and then greatly enlarged under Herod. The great Luke tells us it was Zacharias turned to come to the temple and serve with his group of priests. There was a special role for one of the priests burning incense in the temple. They cast lots to see who it would be. The lot fell to Zachariah. And this was a big deal. Priest could only do this function, burn incense inside the temple. Once in their entire lifetime, God had commanded this incense burning and it was symbolic of the prayers rising to God from his people Zacharias in performing this function.

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When something astounding happens, one of heaven's bellboys visits him and not just any bellboy Gabriel, only one of three named angels in the entire Bible. Gabriel appears several times in scripture and each time he's bringing a special message to people about God's plan. And does he ever have a special message? Here's what he says. I want to tell you God's plan. You're going to have your own son. God wants you to name him, John, which means God is gracious. And boy has God going to be gracious through him. He's going to bring great joy to a whole lot of people. And speaking of great, he'll be great in the sight of the Lord.

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We need you and your wife to raise him without almost assuredly. That meant he was to be a Nazarite one specially devoted to God. If you don't know what the Nazarite vow was, please go back and listen to episode 50. And on Samson, Gabriel continues with his message. He will be filled with the Holy spirit, even in his mother's womb, he'll turn many and Israel back to the Lord, his God Gabriel then says this, which probably made Zachariah's knees buckle because it's almost the identical wording that God had given through the prophet Malakai about the one who would come right before the King, the eternal King would arrive. Here's what Gabriel says to Zach.

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He will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God. And it is he who will go as a 4runner before him in the spirit and power of Elijah Zacharias is stunned and says, how shall I know this for certain? I'm an old man. And my wife has no spring chicken either. That sounds like what Abraham said. Doesn't it? Gabriel scolds him a little dude. Do you know who sent me? God sent me with this message. And because you've doubted that you're going to not be able to speak until this baby is born. When Zacharias comes out of the temple, people know something serious has happened in there and he can't speak a word.

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When the duties of his priestly company are done, he returns home. It says his home was in the Hill country of Judah, probably not far from Jerusalem. That's important because we'll learn from the gospel writer, Luke, in chapter two, the Jesus, his boy cousin comes down once a year for Passover and spends a week there in Jerusalem, almost for sure. He spent that week with John, his boy, cousin, when Zacharias gets home, Dr. Luke tells us Elizabeth became pregnant and she laid low for five months, but then were told one day a relative of Elizabeth arrived from Nazareth. Her name, Mary we'll get to her in our next word picture.

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When she walks into Elizabeth's house, something amazing happens suddenly. Jesus boy, cousin John in Elizabeth tummy begins to bounce off her uterine walls with excitement. Elizabeth full of the Holy spirit says to Mary amazing. You bless it, woman. You're the mother of my Lord. Then Mary goes off. We'll get to what she said in our next episode. You see Mary. She too is pregnant with John's boy. Cousin. Luke tells us Mary stayed three months with Elizabeth. Then she returns home to Nazareth. Shortly after that, Elizabeth delivers her little boy.

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Remember they're righteous people and they strive to keep God's laws. Passionately. One of God's laws was to circumcise the little boy and present him to God on the eighth day. So they take their little lad to the temple. Of course they bring excited relatives with them. For this Rite of passage there at the temple, all the relatives start to call the little boy Zacharias after his daddy, but immediately Zacharias motions for a tablet. He scribbled something furiously. No, his name shall be John. God is gracious. Immediately. Zacharias mouth was opened and filled with the spirit. He starts to say some amazing things like this.

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God has come. He's come to his people to redeem us. He's raised up a powerful savior from David's house. There's the promise to David. He's remembering his Holy covenant to Abraham. Remember that one. And he will enable us to serve without fear, Holy and righteous. Before him then Zacharias full of God's spirit turns to the little boy, his child and says you child, you will be the prophet of the most high. You will explain how to be saved and how our sins will be forgiven by a merciful. God, you'll be a light in the darkness and you'll bring life to those in the shadow of death.

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00:07:09

Did you catch all those phrases from John's gospel trailer? Luke ends the story of John Jesus boy, cousin. For now with this statement, the child grew strong in spirit for the next 30 years. Those two boy cousins almost certainly got together for a week every year. Like my siblings and I did with our boy cousins and girl cousins. We'll read about one of those trips in the gospel of Luke. We're nowhere near done with the story of Jesus and his boy, cousin, John. But as we leave Luke chapter one, John has arrived. His career path is set. He is to be the forerunner of the promised savior and King and that savior and King, according to heaven's bellboy Gabriel and Elizabeth and Zacharias.

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And Mary is John. Same age boy, cousin, Jesus. We'll look at Mary, the young pregnant visitor to Elizabeth and their own visit from Gabriel in our next word picture.