The History Of The Infancy Of John The Baptist And Christ: - Part Two

Date: B.C. 5 or 4
In the beginning of Church History: The appearance of the angel of the Lord to Zacharias in the temple announcing the birth of John The Baptist, Luke 1:5–25.
While he was offering incense according to the custom, there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. He feared this heavenly messenger had come to denounce the judgments of God against a faithless and disobedient people, who had too long and too well merited it. But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zachariah: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. John signifies the grace or favor of Jehovah. A name well suiting the person, who was afterward so highly in favor with God, and endued with abundance of grace; and who opened a way to the most glorious dispensation of grace in the Messiah's kingdom. And so Zacharias's former prayers for a child, and the prayer which he, as the representative of the people, was probably offering at this very time, for the appearing of the Messiah, were remarkably answered in the birth of his forerunner.4
A child of prayer and faith is likely to be a source of comfort to his parents. Were proper attention paid to this point, there would be fewer disobedient children in the world; and the number of broken-hearted parents would be lessened. But what can be expected from the majority of matrimonial connections, connections begun without the fear of God, and carried on without his love. Many shall rejoice at his birth - He shall be the minister of God for good to multitudes, who shall, through his preaching, be turned from the error of their ways, and converted to God their Savior.