Zacharias (2) Definition and Meaning - Bible Dictionary Zacharias [S] A priest of the course of Abia, the eighth of the twenty-four courses into which the priests had been originally divided by David ( 1 Chronicles 23:1-19 ). Only four of these courses or "families" of the priests returned from the Exile ( Ezra 2:36-39 ); but they were then re-distributed under the old designations. The priests served at the temple twice each year, and only for a week each time. Zacharias's time had come for this service. During this period his home would be one of the chambers set apart for the priests on the sides of the temple ground. The offering of incense was one of the most solemn parts of the daily worship of the temple, and lots were drawn each day to determine who should have this great honour, an honour which no priest could enjoy more than once during his lifetime.

While Zacharias ministered at the golden altar of incense in the holy place, it was announced to him by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elisabeth, who was also of a priestly family, now stricken in years, would give birth to a son who was to be called John, and that he would be the forerunner of the long-expected Messiah ( Luke 1:12-17 ). As a punishment for his refusing to believe this message, he was struck dumb and "not able to speak until the day that these things should be performed" (20). Nine months passed away, and Elisabeth's child was born, and when in answer to their inquiry Zacharias wrote on a "writing tablet," "His name is John," his mouth was opened, and he praised God (60-79). The child (John the Baptist), thus "born out of due time," "waxed strong in spirit" ( 1:80 ). The "son of Barachias," mentioned as having been slain between the temple and the altar ( Matthew 23:35 ; Luke 11:51 ). "Barachias" here may be another name for Jehoiada, as some think.

(See ZECHARIAH .) These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely. [S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Zacharias". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". . Zacharias [E] (Greek form of Zechariah ). Father of John the Baptist. ( Luke 1:5 ) etc. He was a priest of the course of Abia. the eighth of the twenty-four courses who ministered at the temple in turn. He probably lived at Hebron. His wifes name was Elisabeth. John was born to them in their old age, and the promise of this son was communicated to Zacharias by an angel while he was offering incense and praying in the temple. Son of Barachias, who, our Lord says, was slain by the Jews between the altar and the temple. ( Matthew 23:35 ; Luke 11:61 ) There has been much dispute who this Zacharias was.

Many of the Greek fathers have maintained that the father of John the Baptist is the person to whom our Lord alludes but there can be little or no doubt that the allusion is to Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, ( 2 Chronicles 24:20 2 Chronicles 24:21 ) and he may have been called "the son" of Barachias from his grandfather. (B.C. 838.) He is mentioned as being the martyr last recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures (as Abel was the first) -d Chronicles being the last book in their canon. [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary Bibliography Information Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Zacharias'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901. Who Was John the Baptist's Father? Zechariah By Jack Zavada Updated January 03, 2017. Zechariah, a priest in the temple in Jerusalem, played a key role in God's plan of salvation because of his righteousness and obedience .

Zechariah - Priest of God's Temple A member of the clan of Abijah (a descendant of Aaron ), Zechariah went to the temple to carry out his priestly duties. At the time of Jesus Christ , there were about 7,000 priests in Israel, divided into 24 clans. Each clan served at the temple twice a year, for a week each time. John the Baptist's Father Luke tells us Zechariah was chosen by lot that morning to offer incense in the Holy Place , the temple's inner chamber where only priests were allowed. As Zechariah was praying, the angel Gabriel appeared at the right side of the altar. Gabriel told the old man that his prayer for a son would be answered. Zechariah's wife Elizabeth would give birth and they were to name the baby John. Further, Gabriel said John would be a great man who would lead many to the Lord and would be a prophet announcing the Messiah. Zechariah was doubtful because of his and his wife's old age. The angel struck him deaf and mute because of his lack of faith, until the child would be born. After Zechariah returned home, Elizabeth did conceive.

In her sixth month she was visited by her kinswoman Mary . Mary had been told by the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Savior, Jesus. When Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy. Filled with the Holy Spirit , Elizabeth proclaimed Mary's blessedness and favor with God. When her time came, Elizabeth gave birth to a boy. Elizabeth insisted his name be John. When neighbors and relatives made signs to Zechariah about the baby's name, the old priest took a wax writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." Immediately Zechariah regained his speech and hearing. Filled with the Holy Spirit , he praised God and prophesied about his son's life. Their son grew up in the wilderness and became John the Baptist , the prophet who proclaimed Jesus Christ . Accomplishments of Zechariah Zechariah served God devoutly in the temple. He obeyed God as the angel had instructed him. As John the Baptist's father, he raised his son as a Nazarite, a holy man pledged to the Lord. Zechariah contributed, in his way, to God's plan to save the world from sin .

Zechariah's Strengths Zechariah was a holy and upright man. He kept God's commandments . Zechariah's Weaknesses When Zechariah's prayer for a son was finally answered, announced in a personal visit by an angel, Zechariah still doubted God's word. Life Lessons God can work in our life in spite of any circumstance. Things may look hopeless, but God is always in control. "All things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27, NIV ) Faith is a quality God values highly. If we want our prayers to be answered, faith makes the difference. God does reward those who depend on him. Hometown Unnamed town in the hill country of Judea, in Israel. Reference to Zechariah in the Bible Luke 1:5-79 Priest in the Jerusalem temple.

Family Tree SparkNotes: Bible: The New Testament: The Gospel According to Matthew (Matthew) The Gospel According to Matthew (Matthew) The Gospel According to Matthew (Matthew) → The Gospel According to Matthew (Matthew), page 2 page 1 of 3 [T]he Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. (See Important Quotations Explained ) Introduction In the second century a.d., the Gospel of Matthew was placed at the very beginning of the New Testament. It was believed to be the first Gospel written, though we now know that the Gospel of Mark dates earlier. Because it is the Gospel most intensely concerned with issues related to Judaism, it provides an appropriate transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament in the Christian Bible. Matthew became the most important of all Gospel texts for first- and second-century Christians because it contains all the elements important to the early church: the story about Jesus’s miraculous conception; an explanation of the importance of liturgy, law, discipleship, and teaching; and an account of Jesus’s life and death.

The Gospel of Matthew has long been considered the most important of the four Gospels. Though second-century church tradition holds that the author of the Gospel is Matthew, a former tax collector and one of Jesus’s Twelve Apostles, also known as Levi, scholars today maintain that we have no direct evidence of Matthew’s authorship. Because the Gospel of Matthew relies heavily on the earlier Gospel of Mark, as well as late first-century oral tradition for its description of events in Christ’s life, it is unlikely that the author of the Gospel of Matthew was an eyewitness to the life of Christ. Instead, the author was probably a Jewish member of a learned community in which study and teaching were passionate forms of piety, and the Gospel was probably written between 80 and 90 a.d. Matthew is arranged in seven parts. An introductory segment gives the story of Jesus’s miraculous birth and the origin of his ministry, and a conclusion gives the story of the Last Supper, Jesus’s trial and crucifixion, and the resurrection. In the middle are five structurally parallel sections. In each section, a narrative segment—interrupted occasionally by dialogue and brief homilies—tells of Jesus’s miracles and actions.

Closing each section, Jesus preaches a long sermon that responds to the lessons learned in the narrative section. The Sermon on the Mount, which introduces the basic elements of the Christian message, follows Jesus’s first venture into ministry (5:1–7:29). The Mission Sermon, which empowers Jesus’s apostles, follows Jesus’s recognition that more teachers and preachers are necessary (10:1–42). The mysterious Sermon in Parables responds to Jesus’s frustration with the fact that many people do not understand or accept his message (13:1–52). The Sermon on the Church responds to the need to establish a lasting fraternity of Christians (18:1–35). Finally, the Eschatological Sermon, which addresses the end of the world, responds to the developing certainty that Jesus will be crucified (23:1–25:46) Summary Matthew traces Jesus’s ancestors back to the biblical patriarch Abraham, the founding father of the Israelite people. Matthew describes Jesus’s conception, when his mother, Mary, was “found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (1:18).

Matthew focuses very little on Mary herself, and praises Joseph for not abandoning his fiancée. Jesus is born in Bethlehem, where he and his parents are visited by wise men from the East bearing gifts. The wise men follow a star to Bethlehem. Their king, Herod the Great, hears the rumor that a baby named Jesus is the “king of the Jews” (2:2). Herod orders all young children in Bethlehem to be killed. To escape the king’s wrath, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus flee to Egypt. Joseph and his family return to Israel after Herod’s death, but then move to Nazareth, a town in the northern district known as Galilee. Years pass, and Jesus grows up. A man in a loincloth, who lives by eating wild honey and locusts, begins to prophesy throughout Judea, foretelling of Jesus as the one who will come to “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (3:11). This prophet, John the Baptist, who is likely a member of the ascetic Jewish Essene community, eventually meets Jesus.

John baptizes Jesus, and Jesus receives the blessing of God, who says, “This is my Son, the Beloved” (3:17). Jesus is led into the wilderness for forty days without food or water to be tested by Satan. Jesus emerges unscathed and triumphant, and begins to preach his central, most often repeated proclamation: “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven has come near” (4:17). His ministry begins. 1 Apologetics Press - Zechariah Who? Zechariah Who? Eric Lyons, M.Min. The name Zechariah appears dozens of times in the Bible. There is Zechariah the minor prophet, Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, who was stoned to death at the command of King Joash (2 Chronicles 24:20), Zechariah the father of John the Baptizer, as well as some 25 others mentioned by that name in Scripture. Among Bible critics, one particular Zechariah stands out more than all others—the Zechariah recorded in Matthew 23:35, whom Jesus mentioned in His condemnation of the hypocritical Pharisees.

Allegedly, Jesus (or Matthew) erred in referring to the Jews murdering “Zechariah, the son of Berechiah...between the temple and the altar” (emp. added). Skeptic Dennis McKinsey says this Zechariah “is actually the son of Jehoiada as is shown by 2 Chron. 24:20.... The name Barachias or Barachiah is not in the Old Testament” (2000, p. 30). Indeed, 2 Chronicles 24:20 does mention “Zechariah the son of Jehoiada” who was stoned “in the court of the house of the Lord” (24:21). But was Jesus referring to this particular Zechariah when He rebuked the hard-hearted Pharisees? It is possible that He was, and there still be no contradiction. In ancient times, people frequently had more than one name. Moses’ father-in-law was known both as Reuel and Jethro (Exodus 2:18; 3:1).

Gideon acquired the name Jerubbaal after destroying an altar of Baal (Judges 6:32; 7:1; 8:29,35). In 2 Kings 15, King Jotham’s father is called both Azariah (vs. 7) and Uzziah (vs. 32). The names are different, but they refer to the same person (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:1-23; Isaiah 1:1). The apostle Peter is sometimes called Peter, Simon, Simon Peter, and Cephas (Matthew 14:28; 16:16; 17:25; John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 1:12). People have worn multiple names for centuries. In modern times, most people could think of several individuals who are called by various names. Although most of the time my oldest son answers to his middle name, “Bo,” sometimes we call him by his first name, “Elijah.” At other times, we may summon him by his full name “Elijah Bo Lyons.” Is it not possible that Jehoiada also was known as Berechiah? Certainly!

One wonders why Bible critics are so certain that Jesus made a mistake when even they themselves are accustomed to calling others by a variety of names. It may also be that Jehoiada was Zechariah’s grandfather and Berechiah was his father. The term “son” is used in several senses in Scripture. Aside from using it to signify a son by actual birth, Bible writers used it to mean (1) son-in-law (1 Samuel 24:16; cf. 18:27), (2) grandson (Genesis 29:5), (3) descendant (Matthew 1:1), (4) son by creation, as in the case of Adam (Luke 3:38), (5) son by education (i.e., disciple—1 Samuel 3:6), etc. After reading Genesis 29:5, one might think that Laban was the son of Nahor, but Genesis 24 explains that he actually was Nahor’s grandson (24:24,29; cf. 22:20-24).

Mephibosheth is called the “son of Saul” in 2 Samuel 19:24, when actually he was “the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul” (2 Samuel 9:6; 4:4). He literally was Saul’s grandson, though Scripture refers to him once simply as the “son of Saul.” These are only two examples where the Bible conveys to the reader that the term “son” was used to mean grandson. One can only wonder how many times the terms “son” or “daughter” are used this way throughout Scripture, and yet unlike the two aforementioned examples, were not explained as such. Indeed, Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, may be just one such example. Concerning this possibility, commentator R.C.H. Lenski noted: This is possible when we remember the great age of Jehoiada, 130 years, and when we recall his great deeds, making it highly creditable to be called his son. So in Chronicles Zachariah would be named after his illustrious grandfather but in Matthew after his father, the name of the father having been preserved by Jewish tradition or in genealogical records.

The Jews also frequently called a man a son of a mighty grandsire, especially while the latter was still living (1961, p. 920). Although it is possible that Zechariah was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Jehoiada, and though it may also be that Berechiah and Jehoiada were the same person, the fact is, Jesus may not even have been referring to “Zechariah the son of Jehoiada” (2 Chronicles 24:20) in Matthew 23:35. Truly, no one can prove that “Zechariah the son of Jehoiada” was the same Zechariah that Jesus mentioned in his reprimand of the Pharisees. A reasonable case can be made that the prophet to whom Jesus referred was actually Zechariah the minor prophet, who preached during the days of Ezra (Ezra 5:1), some 400 years after Zechariah, son of Jehoiada. In fact, contrary to McKinsey’s comment that “the name Barachias or Barachiah is not in the Old Testament” (2000, p.

30), Zechariah, the minor prophet, actually is called “the son of Berechiah (spelled Barachias in the Septuagint—EL), the son of Iddo” (Zechariah 1:1; cf. Ezra 5:1; 6:14). Although the Old Testament writers did not record his death, Jesus would have known how he died, and it also could have been known by Jewish tradition. One must keep in mind that the Old Testament is not the only source for New Testament data concerning what took place from Creation until the coming of Christ. The New Testament writers were inspired by God (cf. 2 Peter 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; John 16:13). How did Paul know that “Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses” (2 Timothy 3:8, emp. added) when the names of Pharaoh’s magicians are not given in the Old Testament? How did Jude know that Michael the archangel and the devil “disputed about the body of Moses” (Jude 9) when no Old Testament writer mentioned such an event?

Paul and Jude either knew of these facts from tradition and recorded them by inspiration, or God miraculously revealed this information to them. Similarly, in Matthew 23:35 Jesus could have simply been referring to the death of one of the last Old Testament prophets, which was not recorded in the Old Testament, but known both by God and Jewish tradition. At the risk of belaboring the point that several reasonable explanations exist for Jesus’ statement recorded in Matthew 23:35 (and that skeptics are being intellectually dishonest when they assert that this passage is errant), two more logically possible explanations need to be noted. First, many assume that Jesus was referring to a martyr named Zechariah from Old Testament times. However, a closer look at Jesus’ comments may reveal otherwise. He rebuked the Pharisees, saying: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, “If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.” Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation (Matthew 23:29-36, emp. added). Notice that Jesus spoke to His first century enemies, saying, “you murdered” Zechariah, son of Berechiah (Matthew 23:35, emp. added). A straightforward reading of this passage, without assuming that Zechariah was one of the more than two dozen Zechariahs of the Old Testament, leads one to the conclusion that the Pharisees themselves had murdered a righteous man named Zechariah.

It may be, as Burton Coffman concluded, ...that Christ here referred to some secret murder perpetrated, not by the ancestors of those men, but by them.... Christ tried with that one last lightning stroke of truth to get through to them, but even that failed. That no such murder was recorded in either the Old Testament or the New Testament, and that there was no general knowledge of it in the days of Christ, and that no traditions were developed with reference to it—these things present no difficulty at all, but point squarely at the Pharisees and show their effectiveness in covering up their evil deeds and hiding them from popular view.... It is further evidence of their depravity that none of them ever confessed it, even after he who knew their thoughts revealed it publicly! Their guilty secret went to the grave with them, except for this ray of light from the lips of Christ who made it known on the occasion of their being sentenced to hell for their wickedness” (1974, p. 375, emp. in orig.). Finally, considering the fact that God’s spokesman occasionally spoke of things yet to come as if they had already occurred (commonly known as “prophetic perfect”; cf.

Isaiah 53; 21:1-10), it may be (however unlikely) that Jesus was speaking about the death of a future Zacharias. According to Josephus, about 35 years following Jesus’ death, two zealots slew Zacharias the son of Baruch in the middle of the temple simply for being rich, hating wickedness, and loving liberty (1987, 4:5:4). Whatever the answer to the question, “To which Zechariah was Jesus referring?,” one thing is beyond any doubt: skeptics such as Dennis McKinsey do not have a shred of evidence that Matthew 23:35 is an uninspired, errant passage. Truly, the only proven contradiction regarding this matter lies, not in the Bible, but in McKinsey’s own book titled Biblical Errancy.

On page 30, he insisted that the Zechariah of Matthew 23:35 “is actually the son of Jehoiada.” However, later in the book, he wrote (immediately following a quotation of Matthew 23:35): “The Zecharias mentioned was killed in Jerusalem in 69 C.E.; so that Matthew makes Jesus refer to an event that occurred forty years after his death. This is the same Zecharias Barouchus who, according to Josephus, was slain in the temple a short time before the destruction of Jerusalem” (p. 195). What evidence does McKinsey have for this last accusation? None whatsoever. Indeed, McKinsey—not the Bible writers—gives contradictory answers to the same question. Simply because we may not know for certain the identity of the Zechariah Jesus mentioned, does not mean we have the right to label Him and the Bible writers as erroneous. REFERENCES Coffman, James Burton (1974), Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Abilene, TX: ACU Press). Josephus, Flavius (1987 reprint), The Wars of the Jews, in The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus, trans.

William Whitson (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson). Lenski, R.C.H. (1961), The Interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg). McKinsey, C. Dennis (2000), Biblical Errancy (Amherst, NY: Prometheus). Zachariah - Baby Boy Name Meaning and Origin | Oh Baby! Names Zachariah Happy Etymology & Historical Origin - Zachariah Zachariah is an English form of the Hebrew name Zekharyah meaning “Yahweh remembers”. In the Bible, around the time the Persians conquered the Babylonians in the 6th century B.C., the Jews are allowed to return from exile and rebuild their temple. God realizes that the Israelites need a little motivation and calls upon the prophet Zechariah to help. In the Old Testament Book of Zechariah, the prophet reassures the people of Israel of God’s continued covenant with them, and of His abiding comfort and care. In other words, Zechariah reminds the Israelites that “Yahweh remembers”.

According to Zechariah 1:17 thus says the Lord: “[I] will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.” Aside from this Zechariah, there is also a New Testament figure by this name. It belonged to the father of John the Baptist. In this Biblical story, Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth became pregnant very late in life (way past childbearing years). Zechariah didn’t believe it and was thus “struck dumb” as punishment for his disbelief. After the baby John was born, his speech was restored to him, but any relevant remarks he may have made are lost to history. It must not have been too bad, however, because he was named a saint and his feast day is celebrated on November 15th. Zachariah was one of those lesser-known Biblical names which the Puritans adopted at the time of the Reformation. Popularity of the Name Zachariah Even though we have no doubt that Zachariah was in use during the 17th and 18th centuries in America under Puritan influence, the actual naming data doesn’t go that far back. We only have tracking trends from the late 19th century forward.

In more modern times, the name Zachariah did not appear on the U.S. popularity charts until 1972. The name Zachary is the most popular of these “Zach” names (nearing the Top 50), while Zachariah is barely used moderately. Watch out, though. These male names ending in “-iah” are becoming more popular. Think: Isaiah, Jeremiah and Josiah for instance. Even obscure ones like Nehemiah, Uriah and Hezekiah show up on the male naming charts. Names like Zachary and Zachariah are destined to be shortened to Zach, so why not use the fancier four-syllable as a birth name? It’s just one of those names you simply can’t help but to ‘remember’. Popularity of the Boy Name Zachariah You need Adobe Flash Player 6 (or above) to view the charts. It is a free and lightweight installation from Adobe.com. Please click here to install the same. Cultural References to the Baby Name - Zachariah Literary Characters of the Baby Name Zachariah Zachariah We cannot find any significant literary characters with the first name Zachariah.

Popular Songs on Zachariah Zachariah - We cannot find any popular or well-known songs featuring the name Zachariah. Children's Books on the Baby Name Zachariah The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Avi) - A vicious captain, a mutinous crew -- and a young girl caught in the middle. Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it. Including her special friendship with Zachariah. Recommended for ages 10-15. Z for Zachariah (Robert C. O'Brien) - Is anyone out there? Ann Burden is sixteen years old and completely alone. The world as she once knew it is gone, ravaged by a nuclear war that has taken everyone from her. For the past year, she has lived in a remote valley with no evidence of any other survivors. But the smoke from a distant campfire shatters Ann's solitude.

Someone else is still alive and making his way toward the valley. Who is this man? What does he want? Can he be trusted? Both excited and terrified, Ann soon realizes there may be worse things than being the last person on Earth. Recommended for ages 12+ Famous People Named Zachariah Famous People Named Zachariah - We cannot find any celebrities or significantly famous people with the first name Zachariah. Children of Famous People Named Zachariah Famous People Who Named Their Son Zachariah - Rahm Emanuel (politician) Zachariah - Boy Baby Name - Historic Figures Zachariah - We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Zachariah. Search Baby Names Bible Angels: Archangel Gabriel Visits Zechariah Bible Angels: Archangel Gabriel Visits Zechariah Gabriel Tells Zechariah He Will Have a Son Who Prepares People for the Messiah The painting "The Vision of Zacharias" (circa 1890s) by James Tissot.

Public domain Share By Whitney Hopler In the Gospel of Luke, the Bible describes Archangel Gabriel visiting a Jewish priest named Zechariah (also known as Zacharias) to tell him that he would become the father of John the Baptist -- the person God had chosen to prepare people for the arrival of the Messiah (the world's savior), Jesus Christ . Gabriel had recently appeared to the Virgin Mary to tell her that God had chosen her to serve as Jesus Christ's mother, and Mary had responded to Gabriel's message with faith. But Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth had struggled with infertility, and then they got too old to have biological children naturally. When Gabriel made his announcement, Zechariah didn't believe that he could become a father supernaturally. So Gabriel took away Zechariah's ability to speak until after his son was born -- and when Zechariah could finally speak again, he used his voice to praise God. Here's the story, with commentary: Do Not Be Afraid Gabriel appears to Zechariah while Zechariah is performing one of his duties as a priest -- burning incense inside the temple -- and worshipers are praying outside.

Verses 11 through 13 describe how the encounter between archangel and priest begins: "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: ' Do not be afraid , Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John." Although the incredible sight of an archangel showing up right in front of him startles Zechariah, Gabriel encourages him not to respond in fear, since fear is incompatible with the good purposes for which God sends his holy angels on missions. Fallen angels allow people to feel fear and even use fear to deceive people, while holy angels dispel people's fears. Gabriel tells Zechariah not only that he'll have a son, but that the son should have a specific name: John. Later, when Zechariah faithfully chooses that name for his son rather than following other people's advice to name his son after himself, he finally demonstrates faith in Gabriel's message, and God restores Zechariah's ability to speak that Gabriel had temporarily taken away.

Many Will Rejoice Because of His Birth Then Gabriel explains how John will bring joy to Zechariah and many other people in the future when he prepares people for the Lord (the Messiah). Verses 14 through 17 record Gabriel's words about John (who, as an adult, would become known as John the Baptist): "He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous -- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ's ministry by urging people to repent of their sins, and he also announced the start of Jesus' ministry on Earth. How Can I Be Sure of This?

Verses 18 through 20 record Zechariah's doubtful response to Gabriel's announcement -- and the serious consequences of Zechariah's lack of faith: Zechariah asked the angel, 'How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.' The angel said to him, 'I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.'" Instead of believing what Gabriel tells him, Zechariah asks Gabriel how he can be sure that the message is really true, and then gives Gabriel an excuse for not believing: the fact that he and Elizabeth are both old. Zechariah, as a Jewish priest, would have been well aware of the Torah story of how angels announced that another elderly couple many years before -- Abraham and Sarah -- would bear a son who would play an important role in the story of God redeeming a fallen world.

But when Gabriel tells Zechariah that God will do something similar in his own life, Zechariah doesn't believe it. Gabriel mentions that he stands in God's presence. He is one of seven angels whom the Bible describes as being in God's presence in heaven. By describing his high angelic rank, Gabriel tries to show Zechariah that he has spiritual authority and can be trusted. Elizabeth Becomes Pregnant The story continues in verses 21 through 25: "Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 'The Lord has done this for me,' she said. 'In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.' Elizabeth remained in seclusion for as long as she could hide her pregnancy from others, because even though she knew that God had allowed the pregnancy, others wouldn't understand how an elderly woman could become pregnant.

However, Elizabeth was also glad to show others that she was finally carrying a child , since infertility was considered a disgrace in first-century Jewish society. Luke 1:58 says that after John's birth, Elizabeth's "neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy." One of these people was Mary, Elizabeth's cousin, who would become Jesus Christ's mother. John the Baptist is Born Later in his Gospel (Luke 1:57-80), Luke describes what happens after John is born: Zechariah demonstrates his faith in the message that God gave Archangel Gabriel to deliver to him, and as a result, God restores Zechariah's ability to speak. Verses 59 to 66 record: "On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, 'No! He is to be called John.' They said to her, 'There is no one among your relatives who has that name.' Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.

He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, 'His name is John.' Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, 'What then is this child going to be?' For the Lord’s hand was with him." As soon as Zechariah could use his voice again, he used it to praise God. The rest of Luke chapter one records Zechariah's praises, as well as prophecies about John the Baptist's life.

Question: According to the bible, Zaccariah was the father of which New Testament figure?
Answer: JOHN THE BAPTIST