Luke 1:5-33
(My alternate translation from the Greek)
“In the days of Herod, the King of Judea, there was a certain priest -- by name, Zacharias --
Of the daily [Temple] service: Abijah.
http://www.templeinstitute.org/day_in_life/24_shifts.htm [pp.1-2]
His wife was of the daughters of Aaron: her name, Elizabeth.
In the sight of GOD they were both righteous,
Walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of YHVeH,* blameless(ly).
No child was theirs, because Elizabeth was barren,
And both were well-advanced [Gk., probebakotes] ** in their days.
It came to pass, namely in his serving as priest in the order of his daily course [at the Temple] before GOD.
According to the Custom of the Priests,
(his) lot was to burn incense --
http://www.templeinstitute.org/day_in_life/daily_lotteries.htm
[pp. 3-4, 8, 19-20, 23-24 of the hyperlink adds other details not mentioned in the text, known or obvious to hearers and readers when the Temple was as yet still standing, fully functional, and unthreatened].
Entering into the Temple of YHVeH.*
All the multitude was praying outside at the hour of incense.
[This use of the word “multitude” suggests a detail not given us by the Temple Institute…that on memorial days, the priests were accompanied by more than just a single family or clan of service. Rather, perhaps here, are all the priestly clans and families gathered on a solemn occasion, such as the 9th of Av, 6 B.C., making John the Baptist’s coming birth in the spring of 5 B.C., and Jesus’ birth in the fall of 5 B.C.]
But to him, an Angel of YHVeH appeared standing out from the altar of incense on the right.
Seeing (this), Zacharias was stirred up emotionally with great alarm and dread [Gk., etarachthe], ***
and fear fell upon him.
The Angel said to him, Do not fear.
Zacharias, your request and petition has been heard;
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son;
You shall call his name Yochanan [John].
He shall be your joy and exultation, and many will rejoice over the birth of him.
He will grow great. ****
In the sight of YHVeH, wine and intoxicants he may not at all drink.
The Holy Spirit will fill him while he is yet in the womb of his mother.
He will turn many of the Sons of Israel on (to) YHVeH their GOD.
He will go ahead before Him in spiritual power of Elijah:
to turn the hearts of the fathers upon (their) children,
the disobedient to just wisdom,
making YHVeH prepared for a people already having been made ready.
Zacharias said to the Angel,
By what shall I know this? I am quite old, and my wife is well-advanced in her days.
Answering, the Angel said to him,
I am Gabriel -- the One standing before GOD.
I was sent to speak up along-side with you,
to give good news to you of these things.
Behold! [Look and see! -- Cf. Heb. V'Hinneh!]
You will be silent, not able to speak,
Until which day these things begin to come into existence,
Because you believed not my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.
The multitude(s) were expecting Zacharias,
and they marveled in his delay of coming out of the Temple.
He was not able to speak to them, but they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple;
He was signaling (this) to them, but remained a mute.
And it came to pass, when the days of his service was fulfilled, he went away to his house [which was located in a city of Judah. verse. 39]
After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, but she hid for 5 months, saying,
Thus has YHVeH done to me in the time which He saw (fit) to remove the reproach of me (from) among men.
In then, the sixth month [Adar II], the Angel Gabriel was sent from GOD into a city of Galilee, the which named Nazareth, up to and along-side a virgin having been betrothed to a man (by) name, Joseph, out of David’s house: and the name of the virgin: Mariam [Mary].
And (upon) entering, the angel up to and along-side of her said, Hail highly favored (one of grace), YHVeH* is with thee: blessed (art) thou among women.
She then beholding (him), was troubled upon his word and its reasoning behind or in it, and cast her mind (as to) what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said unto her, May (you) not greatly fear Miriam, for thou hast found favor with GOD.
And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bear a Son, and you will call His name Y’shua [Jesus].
This One will grow to be Great, and will be called Son of the Most High;
And YHVeH Elohim will give Him the throne David, the father of Him;
And He will reign and rule upon the House of Jacob to the Ages;
And of His Kingdom, there will never be an end.”
* Gk. Kurios - L-RD, translated back into Hebrew here would be the Tetragrammaton: YHVH / YHWH.
** Gk. Probebakotes - the low end Septuagint use of this word appears to be that of a 70 year old King David in 1 Kings 1:1, and a high end use of a 110 year old Joshua in Joshua 23:1,2 (cf. Joshua 24:29). It appears that because of a low birth rate in this family group, the age of 60 was waived as a limit for priestly service…and her barrenness is reason behind Elizabeth’s reproach from men of the priesthood, as if secret sin were the cause instead of righteousness and the will of GOD for the miraculous of reminiscence of the matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel.
The birth of John is as miraculous as that of Abraham and Sarah's, and inspired many so much so, that an entire nation willingly would leave the mandatory Temple Feast on one occasion, just to be baptized by John for the remission of sins by faith, rather than purchase and offer up animal sacrifices as atonement for sin. It is mind-blowing for a generation short of 1600 years stuck in an animal sacrifice ritual to suddenly cold turkey even for just ONE high holiday...but when John later had his ministry, for one high holiday, that is exactly what happened, save a few thousands at best. The other 3,000,000 chose a free and bloodless dip in an overflowing and cold Jordan River from recent torrential rains, likely meaning it was also wet and muddy, remembering the entrance into the Land by the forefathers in 1511 B.C. under Joshua, which Jordan River during John's Baptism in the 20s A.D. of the First Century normally might be as low as that of a small creek in the drier seasons. Another miracle of provision and timing, this time through weather and willingness in the hearts of the people to reach out for FREEDOM by a FREE act of faith, NOT verbal or other coercion and demands of $$.
John baptized Israel as the nation immersed itself from within the land and from the west bank, while John himself repeatedly pointed to the stones taken from the river by Joshua's crossing some 1538-1539 years earlier, which was in effect a natural altar from the Earth of stones not struck with iron, a memorial to Israel and to GOD's faithfulness.
*** The Greek word, “etarachthe” is rendered as “destruction” in 1 Samuel 5:9 of the Septuagint. The Hebrew word that is translated here is “Mehuma”. Mehuma is used only 6 times in the Old Testament. In 1 Samuel, its use suggests something more than just a rottenness of outward boils upon the groin, or in the arm-pits (after the manner of the Bubonic Plague. Rather than a past tense happened event, Mehuma should be viewed as a present tense “happening now” event. This would be likened to watching the body and skin rolling back and forth as if suffering an earthquake upon the skin and flesh, until the boils and tumors (in minutes) bubbled up into huge appendages and settled.
Although the boils and tumors did not settle upon Zacharias, defiling his pure and unblemished flesh, Zacharias did feel as if such an event were moving back and forth upon his skin. In other words, the presence of Gabriel made his skin crawl, and made Zacharias want to jump out of his skin (as it were). This sensation is found to be associated with the Hebrew word “Charada” and its event in Daniel 10:7-8, at the presence of both Michael and Gabriel. In that event, we see the same horrific fear suffered by the Babylonians and the Prophet Daniel which was a precedent to that experienced by the Roman Guard at Jesus’ Resurrection Tomb in Matthew 28:4. The only difference between the Babylonians and the Romans was that the Romans were assigned under penalty of death to stay and defend a location, whereas the guard with Daniel was but an escort free to flee in the few seconds they had opportunity to, before being sapped of all strength (as they suffered the sensation of corruption and rolling boils and a severe nervous system attack).
**** Cf. the Greek megas with the Hebrew gadol in prophetic usage, such as in Micah 5:4, etc.
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