(The audio version of this blog is available via FAB’s Podcast, and the link is here.)

It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear. (Luke 1:8-12)

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How did this baby announcement—which we later learn was baby John Baptist, the one who would be the announcer of the Messiah—come to the old couple?

Zachariah was on shift work in his role as a priest. The regiment of Abijah was on rotation, and within the group it was Zach’s turn. In fact, it was “his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense.” Why did Peterson render it this way in his paraphrased translation? I don’t see that emphasis brought out in other English versions.

New Testament scholar I.H. Marshall helps us with some background here, and the following is from his commentary on Luke. “The Jewish priesthood was divided into 24 courses, each composed of 4–9 families (1 Chronicles 24:1–19; 2 Chronicles 8:14). Apart from the three great festivals, they performed their duties for two separate weeks each year. The various daily duties were apportioned to the priests by lot. In view of the large number of priests (some 18,000), no priest was permitted to offer incense more than once in his lifetime.”

So, Zachariah’s turn to perform this duty was a huge deal. Think about it: “I finally get to go in there and do what I have longed to do, and perform the special duty of the priest. It’s my turn to burn incense as a sign of worship before Yahweh! Can someone please take my picture? I need to post this. Oh, wait, I guess not; I’m the only one here and a selfie is probably not a good idea. But I’m so excited! It’s really happening! Today, I am the people’s representative before God!”

The hour of the incense offering was at hand, and it was his turn, finally, to take the lead. The priest was drawing near to Yahweh on behalf of the people. He was walled off from the congregation, who remained outside the Temple, praying. According to tradition, the people outside prayed these words during the offering: “May the merciful God enter the holy place and accept with favor the offering of his people.”

That’s when the shift work got interrupted, went topsy-turvy, disrupted. His one big moment jarred by a supernatural visitor and messenger. We are reminded that the word ‘angel’ has at its root the meaning of ‘messenger.’ And, this was some kind of message!

Not uncommonly, God shows up unannounced. It happens throughout the Advent story; what’s one more occurrence? Here, in this text, “Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense.” (Think of the prayer I just noted that the people were praying outside the Temple: “May the merciful God enter the holy place…”!) Upon first sighting, I would guess that Zach didn’t know that the angel had a remarkable message to share, with no advance warning. Nonetheless, it would be a message that is both penetrating and permanent. It’s about Zach and Elizabeth’s future as parents. But we are running ahead a bit.

Before we get to the announcement, Zach encounters the angel and he is “paralyzed in fear.” ‘Scared spitless’ is another way to describe it, using the words of the preacher, Buddy Robinson. Here he was, minding his own priestly business, and boom! A messenger sent from the One he is worshipping pops into the scene, and he is standing beside the altar, on the right side.

His once-in-a-lifetime event, hijacked by a special messenger.

Put yourself in Zachariah’s shoes. How would you feel? I know paralyzed with fear is probably going to be accepted as a legitimate response to that question, but I’m actually steering the question in a slightly different direction. Not what kind of bodily reaction would you have, but what would your emotions be like? How would you sort through your thoughts?

No denying it; something unusual is happening. Or is it; was Zach thinking, “Does an angel always appear just to the right of the altar of incense? I’ve never heard any of the other priests mention it. Maybe they were sworn to silence, and this is the big priestly secret? But doesn’t it seem like that news would have leaked out at least once? This burning-incense-as-worship was a regular event; surely someone would have mentioned it? I don’t know what this angelic appearance means, but I am scared to death.”

Zach’s lifetime event was part of a series of events which led to lifetime change for uncountable millions. Marshall writes further, “Zechariah was to be involved personally in the era of salvation as the father of a son who would be under God’s special care and play his part in the dawn of salvation.”

Zach’s encounter set the stage for the Messiah to sacrifice himself and draw the human race back to God.

“Father, thank you for your divine interruption of the worship being performed by priest Zachariah on his once-in-a-lifetime journey to the altar of sacrifice. We welcome your divine interruption in our lives. Show yourself strong and mighty, and give us the courage to follow you. We want to find your favor!”