The book of Luke records that Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were righteous, God-honoring people who had no children and were well past childbearing years (Luke 1:6-7). This amazing story reminds us that God can do anything, even use an elderly woman to give birth! Historians and theologians agree that Jesus was approximately thirty-three years old at the time of His crucifixion. Marys genealogy had to come from Judah. [2] The Book of Ezra names Zechariah as the son of Iddo,[3] but it is likely that Berechiah was Zechariah's father, and Iddo was his grandfather. 1:1; Haggai 1:1). Both Elizabeth and Zechariah were barren. Luke fills his first chapter with callbacks and allusions to the miraculous of significant figures in Israels history. This suggests to some scholars that it is the burial place of Zechariah the father of John the Baptist. 723. The prophet Zechariah is just one of over thirty men named Zechariah in the Old Testament. Theresa, I dig into this question on my list of facts about Mary. Zechariah was an old man when John the Baptist was born. How Old was Zechariah When John the Baptist was Born, DISCOVER JESUS The Birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-80) ESV, How Old was Elizabeth When John the Baptist was Born, How Old was Elizabeth in the Bible When She Gave Birth, How Old was John the Baptist When Jesus was Born, How Old was Zechariah And Elizabeth When They Died. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. We can assume that since they were obedient to Gods will for their lives, they continued raising John in a godly home. The Church of San Zaccaria in Venice, Italy claims to house the relics of Zechariah, entombed alongside those of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. [4] Luke states that during the week when it was the duty of Zechariah's family line to serve at "the temple of the Lord", the lot for performing the incense offering had fallen to Zechariah (Luke 1:811). Zechariah was a priest. He worked in the temple. 24 Joash was seven years old when he began his forty-year reign in Jerusalem. After Elizabeth completed her fifth month of pregnancy, her relative Mary was visited by the same angel, Gabriel. Zechariahs death is recorded in the Bible in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, while Elizabeths death is not specifically mentioned in Scripture. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Lets get a closer look at this often-overlooked character. His purpose in sending His messengers: to bring them back to the LORD (24:19). So, it is possible that the prophet lived to see the completion of the Temple a few years later, in 515 B.C. All Rights Reserved. ~ The Urantia Book, (135:2.1), Copyright 2021-22 The Jesusonian Foundation, The Death of Zacharias, John the Baptist's Father. (24:22). They both prayed to God for a son, and both dedicated their children to God. An old tradition narrates that Zechariah was sawn in half,[13] in a death which resembles that attributed to Isaiah in Lives of the Prophets. This means that Zechariah the son of Jehoiada lived roughly three centuries earlier than the son of Berechiah. In Joash and Zechariahs day, why did wrath come upon Judah and Jerusalem? The Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrates the feast day of Zechariah on September 5, together with Elizabeth, who is considered a matriarch. It doesnt tell us how, but one of Marys grandparents must have married someone from the tribe of Levi. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The angel tells Zechariah that his wife will bear a son: one who will go before the Lord (Jesus). When God shows His wrath, it is always justified, in each case being caused by mans transgressions. This is based on the idea Herod the Great died in 4 B.C., and Jesus must have been born around two years earlier, since Herod "killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under" (Matt. Accept The Lord forsakes those who forsake Him. Then Zechariah's tongue was loosed and he began to speak, blessing God. After announcing in 2 Kings 4:21 that he became king, a brief summary of Azariah's life and reign appears in 2 Kings 15:1-7. 4:9), Zechariah goes on to describe people mourning for the pierced one as one who has died (Zech. Dt 16:16). Jack Zavada. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Ezra was born in 480 B.C. Consequently, when he went out to the waiting worshippers in the temple's outer courts, he was unable to speak the customary blessing (Luke 1:1822). What Happened to Zechariah the Father of John the Baptist. 37:10) or can even be metaphorical (e.g., Lam. The way to obtain and maintain them is to think about, talk about, and follow the instructions of Gods law (Joshua 1:8). Whatever the reason, Elizabeth and Zacharias were undoubtedly overjoyed when their son was born healthy and perfect in every way. All rights reserved. Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Nevertheless, she joyfully welcomed Mary into her home and praised God for His goodness in sending His Son. Mary remained about three months before she returned to her own house (Luke 1:2345;56). Omissions? They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he also has forsaken you. In contrast, a woman who is seventy years old and is pregnant can give birth to a healthy baby. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The Sad End of a Good King. In addition to being a priest, Elizabeth was a widow. [8] When Zechariah saw John for the first time, he knew that this child was special. Gods true prophets were guided by the Holy Spirit. The whole Gospel story is built on the Davidic lineage, and this includes both Mary and Josephs lineage is given to prove this. Zechariah was 84 years old when he passed away, and Elizabeth was 63 years old. Read More. When he saw the angel, he was terrified. Zechariah was one of the minor prophets of the Old testament. Zechariah had been instructed by an angel what to name him (Luke 1:13), so when he wrote down John, his speech was restored (Luke 1:64). (And we recall the stoning of Stephen, Acts 7, right?). Zechariah is ministering in the temple when anangel appears. 12:10). The problem with Geisler's view, and those who follow it, is that there is no record in the Old Testament of a Zechariah son of Berechiah being murdered. But being childless was a shameful thing. About UsContact UsPrayer RequestsPrivacy Policy, Latest AnswersBible LessonsBibleAsk LIVEOnline Bible. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Armenians believe that the Gandzasar Monastery in Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan contains his relics; however, his relics were also kept in the Great Church of Constantinople, where they were brought by the praefectus urbi Ursus on 4 September, 415. At that time, the Jews permission to rebuild the temple was about to be canceled. Instead, His wrath is poured out upon the sons of disobedience (Colossians 3:6). Yahweh remembers) was a common one among the Israelites identifying at least 27 different individuals in the Old Testament, perhaps 30. . (Which makes sense, since marriage and fatherhood was the main way they tracked lineages.). Like you say, two gospel stories begin with a claim that Jesus is a descendant of Davidan appeal to the Davidic lineage. Zechariahs prophecies were focused on the coming Messiah and the restoration of Israel. Elizabeths husband, Zacharias, was much older than she was, and this may have played a role in why they waited so long to start their family. The Engedi colony included not only Nazarites of lifelong and time-period consecration but numerous other ascetic herdsmen who congregated in this region with their herds and fraternized with the Nazarite brotherhood. He was put on the throne by the grace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, whose power extended over Judah and all neighboring countries after his victory over Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, at Carchemish. Zechariah in Matthew and Luke with Zechariah father of John the Bap-tist (Luke l:5-80)10. Zechariah and Elizabeth, by God's grace and compassion, were spared the . ). Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? Why are they not part of the Bible. Professor Gideon Foerster at the Hebrew University states that the inscription tallies with a 6th-century Christian text by a pilgrim named Theodosius which states that Zechariah was buried with Simon the Elder and James the brother of Jesus, and believes that both are authentic. The Catholic Church commemorates him as a saint, along with Elizabeth, on September 23rd as it is believed that his temple duty before John the Baptist's conception took place on the Day of Atonement. ''He was caring, he was loving,'' said Erica Trevino, as she was sharing memories of her 17-year-old son, Zechariah Trevino. Even though John was younger than Jesus, he played a very important role in preparing the way for him. After bidding Jesus and Mary good-bye at the end of this enjoyable visit, John did not again see Jesus until the event of his baptism in the Jordan. Zechariah and Elizabeth are old and have no children: similar to how Abraham and Sarah were before the birth of Isaac. because of their trespass (24:18). He was 74. In the story of the two men, a boy was born and the girl was seven. In the so-called "wilderness of Judea" John tended his sheep along a brook that was tributary to a larger stream which entered the Dead Sea at Engedi. Why was Zechariah killed, and what circumstances led up to that tragedy? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In Luke's gospel, the doctor does describe them both as 'very old.' . Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John . 1. The same thing happened in Israel after Joshua died (Judges 2:7,10), and it was not Joshuas fault. actual Old Testament bible? If you feel an answer is not 100% Bible based, then leave a comment, and we'll be sure to review it. . When Gods faithful preachers proclaim his truth today, do not be surprised if some hearers, including weak members of the Lords church, turn against the messenger of truth. Book of Zechariah. The Complete Book of Who's Who in the Bible by Comfort & Elwell. Was John the Baptist an Essene? Because he doubted that this could happen in his lifetime, Zechariah was struck mute until the baby was born (Luke 1:20). Zechariah ( Hebrew: Zaryh, "remember Yah "; Greek: ; Zacharias in KJV; Zachary in the Douay-Rheims Bible; Zakariyya ( Arabic: , romanized : Zakariyy) in Islamic tradition) is a figure in the New Testament and the Quran, [2] and venerated in Christianity and Islam. Lesson Guide - Zechariah. The birth of John the Baptist was the first step toward salvation. This would put Elizabeths age somewhere between 50-60 years old. In the case of the Baptist, Elizabeth was six months . Citing their advanced age, Zechariah asked with disbelief for a sign whereby he would know the truth of this prophecy. May 19, 2020, 10:49 AM PDT. Aaron was the brother of Mosesthe same Moses who led Israel out of Egypt. He was a prophet in Israel during the time of King Darius of Persia. Did John the Baptist's father die a martyr? So, it is possible that the prophet lived to see the completion of the Temple a few years later, in 515 B.C. Lamech was 182 when Noah was born and according to the Bible's timeline, Adam was still alive for the first 56 years of Lamech's life. In Luke 1:5-23, we read about the angel Gabriel appearing to Zechariah and telling him that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son in their old age. Zechariah, also spelled Zacharias, (flourished 6th century bc), Jewish prophet whose preachings are recorded in one of the shorter prophetical books in the Old Testament, the Book of Zechariah (q.v.). It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Even though Zechariah was old when John was born, he rejoiced at this new life because he knew that it represented hope for all humanity. One of their duties was to make sure that incense was burning before the Lord at all times. A Mosque in the area of Medina, possibly: This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 20:41. Her story is told in Luke 1:5-80. These cookies do not store any personal information. God forsakes forsakers. Instead, He was speaking about the murder of the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.