Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.

This week's question:

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest names Zacharias, and his wife's name was Elizabeth. Both were advanced in years. They were religious in the sight of the Lord, and Elizabeth was barren. While performing his duties in the temple while others prayed outside, an angel named Gabriel appeared before him at the alter of incense. He was told that they would have a son and that he should be called John, and that he would drink no wine nor liquor, and that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb, and that he would be the forerunner in the spirit of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the disobedient back to righteousness, and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:5-17).

When Zacharias questioned Gabriel because of their age to still have children, Zacharias was stuck silent by Gabriel until all these things were to take place.

The people began to wonder about his delay of coming out. But when he finally did come out, and was unable to speak. They realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. Soon, Elizabeth is with child, and she secludes herself for five months. Maybe to make sure it was true, and then says in verse 25 that the Lord is looking upon her with favor by taking away her reproach, or her disgrace by not being able to bear children all those earlier years.

Now, Mary is visited by the same angel who says: Luke 1:28 "Greetings favored one! The

Lord is with you."

And then is told that not only will she conceive as a virgin, but her relative, Elizabeth is in her sixth month and that she should go to visit her. And when she does and enters their house, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps with joy and Elizabeth, being filled with the Holy Spirit says:

Luke 1:42 "Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your

womb!"

And Mary replies:

Luke 1:46-50 "My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my

savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from

this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great

things for me; And Holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation

toward those who fear Him.

When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth, it was a son, and all the neighbors and relatives rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day, when they were going to circumcise and name him, they wanted to call him Zacharias after his father, but Elizabeth said no but that his name would be John. They then turned to Zacharias for the final answer. He asked for a tablet, and he wrote upon it: "His name is John!" And they were all astonished, and Zacharias' mouth was loosed and he began to speak by praising God, and they all wondered who this child might turn out to be.

So, for our answer, yes, we know his name is John, and there have been many Johns before him and after. But this is no ordinary man. For as he grew, he wore a garment of camels hair, and a leather belt, and his food was locusts and wild honey (Luke 3:4). For this man is the one who prepared the way for the Lord as:

Luke 3:4 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the

Lord, make his Paths straight."

Yes, this man's name we recall as "John the Baptist" (Luke 3:1) the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. This humble servant of the Lord who says of Him:

Matthew 3:11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is

coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will

baptize you with the Holy spirit and fire."