The Angel Announces John’s Birth to Zechariah

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there lives a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, with his wife Elizabeth, a descendant of Aaron. Both are righteous before God, but childless: Elizabeth is barren, and they are both well along in years. Chosen by lot to burn incense in the temple, Zechariah sees an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense, while the whole multitude is praying outside. “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard.” Elizabeth will bear a son, to be named John, who will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb and will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. Zechariah asks, “Whereby shall I know this?” The angel, Gabriel, strikes him mute until these things come to pass. Soon after, Elizabeth conceives and hides herself for five months: “Thus hath the Lord dealt with me.”