King James Version
14 And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.
Do you know how the PERFECT PLAN of SALVATION, came into place?
Of what GOD is capable of?
Well, it's time to hear this story, about TWO baby boys.
Which, not too many people really talk about.
It's good to know about BEGINNINGS.
Let's begin, then.
Zacharias was a PRIEST, who had a wife called Elisabeth.
Luke 1:5
King James Version
5 There was in the days of Herod,
the king of Judaea,
a certain priest named Zacharias,
of the course of Abia:
and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elisabeth.
The couple was blameless before God, but were not blessed with child.
Luke 1:6-7
King James Version
6 And they were both righteous before God,
walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless.
7 And they had no child,
because that Elisabeth was barren,
and they both were now well stricken in years.
His duty, as priest, is to burn incense as he entered the temple of GOD.
One day, something strange happened.
Luke 1:11
King James Version
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord
standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Zacharias became afraid, but the angel told him:
Luke 1:13-17
King James Version
13 But the angel said unto him,
Fear not,
Zacharias:
for thy prayer is heard;
and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son,
and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness;
and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord,
and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink;
and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,
even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel
shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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.
Naturally, Zacharias doubted, for he and Elisabeth were advanced in years.
Luke 1:18
King James Version
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel,
Whereby shall I know this?
for I am an old man,
and my wife well stricken in years.
To which, the angel revealed his name, and declared thus:
Luke 1:19-20
King James Version
19 And the angel answering said unto him,
I am Gabriel,
that stand in the presence of God;
and am sent to speak unto thee,
and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold,
thou shalt be dumb,
and not able to speak,
until the day that these things shall be performed,
because thou believest not my words,
which shall be fulfilled in their season.
That's the prophecy on the PROPHET to be -- John the Baptist.
The one who prepared the way for the LORD.
Now, it's time to turn to another child to be born.
On the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy, angel Gabriel showed up at her cousin's house.
Luke 1:26-27
King James Version
26 And in the sixth month
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
unto a city of Galilee,
named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary.
This time, revealing the MAIN PLAN of GOD.
Luke 1:30-33
King James Version
30 And the angel said unto her,
Fear not,
Mary:
for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name Jesus.
32 He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Highest:
and the Lord God shall give unto him
the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
But Mary thought that impossible.
Luke 1:34
King James Version
34 Then said Mary unto the angel,
How shall this be,
seeing I know not a man?
To which, the angel answered:
Luke 1:35
King James Version
35 And the angel answered and said unto her,
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee
shall be called the Son of God.
Adding,
Luke 1:36-37
King James Version
36 And, behold,
thy cousin Elisabeth,
she hath also conceived a son in her old age:
and this is the sixth month with her,
who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Mary gladly accepted her role as the MESSIAH's mother.
Luke 1:38
King James Version
38 And Mary said,
Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word.
And the angel departed from her.
Knowing something MAGNIFICENT had happened to her, Mary decided to visit her cousin, Elisabeth.
Luke 1:39-40
King James Version
39 And Mary arose in those days,
and went into the hill country with haste,
into a city of Juda;
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias,
and saluted Elisabeth.
Soon as she greeted Elisabeth, something unusual happened.
Luke 1:41-44
King James Version
41 And it came to pass, that,
when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,
the babe leaped in her womb;
and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42 And she spake out with a loud voice,
and said,
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, lo,
as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Here's Mary's wonderful reply.
Luke 1:46-55
King James Version
46 And Mary said,
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:
for, behold,
from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm;
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats,
and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers,
to Abraham,
and to his seed for ever.
Mary stayed with her cousin for three months, and eventually returned home.
Elisabeth gave birth to a son.
Luke 1:57
King James Version
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered;
and she brought forth a son.
On the eight day, the infant was circumcised, and they called him Zacharias, after his father.
Luke 1:60
King James Version
60 And his mother answered and said,
Not so;
but he shall be called John.
To which, they argued.
Luke 1:61
King James Version
61 And they said unto her,
There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
To close the matter, the group sought the advice of Zacharias, the father.
Luke 1:62-64
King James Version
62 And they made signs to his father,
how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table,
and wrote, saying,
His name is John.
And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately,
and his tongue loosed,
and he spake,
and praised God.
Fear came upon the people.
Luke 1:65-66
King James Version
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them:
and all these sayings were noised abroad
throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,
What manner of child shall this be!
And the hand of the Lord was with him.
Now that Zacharias could speak, he prophesied about his son.
Luke 1:67-79
King James Version
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost,
and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel;
for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,
which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us,
that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies
might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him,
all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child,
shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people
by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God;
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
True to form, his son, JOHN -- the "prophet of the Highest" -- became a hale, and healthy child.
Luke 1:80
King James Version
80 And the child grew,
and waxed strong in spirit,
and was in the deserts
till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
Now you know the story of GOD's PLAN, through His HOLY SPIRIT, given to angel Gabriel to announce.
And of how the lives of two cousins -- Elisabeth and Mary -- are forever linked.
Because their babies, John, and JESUS, are forever linked.
And of how John is older by only six months.
And how he faithfully prepared the way for the LORD.
And of how his father's disbelief is momentarily punished.
Are you a BELIEVER?
Do you believe these stories to be true?
If you are a TRUE born again, there is no doubt.
Only ABSOLUTE BELIEF, in the truth, and simplicity of GOD's WORD.
For the HOLY SPIRIT will open your eyes, and heart, to the TRUTH of JESUS.
BLESSED be GOD, FOREVER!
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