Zacharias was going about his Temple duties and tending the Golden Altar, the Altar of Incense, when the angel Gabriel visited him. Imagine his surprise when he was informed that his wife would give birth to a son who would Luke 1:17, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
John, the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth would go before the coming Messiah, Jesus. Zacharias was skeptical as his wife Elisabeth was barren and well up in years. Zacharias was struck dumb for the duration of Elisabeth’s pregnancy.
Mary was recently engaged and likely looking forward to her marriage. She also was skeptical when visited by the angel Gabriel as she was a virgin, nevertheless, she acquiesced, Luke 1:38, “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”
Luke 2:8, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." The shepherds were visited by the angel Gabriel, Luke 2:10, "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."
The shepherds "said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." Afterwards, Luke 2:20, "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
A priest and his wife were to be the parents of the man who would “go before” Jesus. A village virgin in the line of David would be the mother of the coming Messiah.
Shepherds were the outcasts in Israel as their work made them ceremonially unclean. Per CM they were kept away from the temple weeks at a time. Lowly shepherds, not the religious leaders, welcomed Jesus into His incarnation.
All three fulfilled the charge Jesus later gave to the disciples in The Parable of the Ten Minas. A foretelling of what we have been given and are expected to do with it?
Luke 19:11, “And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.” Today as with these early believers, many believers rest on their “Blessed Assurance” rather than waging spiritual warfare. Luke 19:13, “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy (G4231) till I come.”
Occupy, G4231, From G4229; to busy oneself with, that is, to trade: occupy. G4229, From G4238; a deed; by implication an affair; by extension an object (material): - business, matter, thing, work. Digging deeper, G4238 is a primary verb; to “practise”, that is, perform repeatedly or by implication to execute, accomplish, etc.; specifically to collect (dues), fare (personally): - commit, deeds, do, exact, keep, require, use arts.
This speaks to me as I have been given my salvation and I’m to occupy until Jesus comes for me, I’m in the business of bringing people into the Kingdom.
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