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The Forerunners of Christmas · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne
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  Speaker 1: of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace
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  Speaker 1: for help in time of need. Hebrews 4.16 Gracious Heavenly Father,
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  Speaker 1: thank you for this incredible invitation to approach you with
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  Speaker 1: boldness and confidence, knowing that we will find grace and
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  Speaker 1: mercy in our time of need. Help us to truly
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  Speaker 1: understand and appreciate this profound privilege. You have opened the
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  Speaker 1: way for us through the sacrifice of your Son. Because
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  Speaker 1: of Him, we can come to you directly with all
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  Speaker 1: our fears, doubts, struggles, and joys. Teach us to turn
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  Speaker 1: to you in every situation, whether in times of joy, pain,
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  Speaker 1: or uncertainty. May we continuously seek your face, assured that
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  Speaker 1: you are always ready to listen, to extend mercy, and
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  Speaker 1: to grant us the grace we need. In the precious
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  Speaker 1: name of Jesus, we pray.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 3: The voice of God had remained silent towards His chosen
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  Speaker 3: people for 400 years. The sons and daughters of Israel
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  Speaker 3: ached for the arrival of their prophesied Savior, a Messiah
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  Speaker 3: promised by the Scriptures to liberate them from their shackles.
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  Speaker 3: Despite the silence, their faith persisted, grounded by rituals and
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  Speaker 3: traditions that wove the fabric of their unique culture. Israel
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  Speaker 3: had emerged as a hub of learning, religion, and governance.
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  Speaker 3: albeit under the crushing weight of Rome's iron rule. Judaism thrived,
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  Speaker 3: yet was gripped by the rigidity of pharisaical interpretations, and
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  Speaker 3: Caesar's brutal regime overshadowed any semblance of peace. Israel cried
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  Speaker 3: out for a savior to quell the religious and military turmoil.
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  Speaker 3: In the age of King Herod's reign over Judea, a
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  Speaker 3: priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth served as pillars
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  Speaker 3: of their community. Childless yet devout, they sought solace and
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  Speaker 3: purpose in serving God. The barrenness of their union was
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  Speaker 3: a silent wound they carried, yet they found fulfillment in
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  Speaker 3: different ways. Zechariah was a priest, and Elizabeth was a
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  Speaker 3: nurturing presence in their village.
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  Speaker 4: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 4: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
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  Speaker 4: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
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  Speaker 4: to send you my daily devotional, that will give you
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  Speaker 4: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
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  Speaker 4: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
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  Speaker 4: the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.
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  Speaker 4: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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  Speaker 4: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
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  Speaker 4: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
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  Speaker 4: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing Word,
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  Speaker 4: by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
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  Speaker 4: So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
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  Speaker 4: That's JackGraham.org. JackGraham.org. We're taking time from now until Christmas
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  Speaker 4: to explore the rich and powerful story of the Nativity.
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  Speaker 4: So far, we've taken time to set the stage for
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  Speaker 4: Christ's arrival. we immersed ourselves in prophecy and history to
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  Speaker 4: put ourselves in the shoes of ancient Israel. The prophecies
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  Speaker 4: have been declared, the boot of Rome is pressed down harder,
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  Speaker 4: and Israel is ready for its Redeemer. Now we enter
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  Speaker 4: the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. These two figures are
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  Speaker 4: significant to the overarching narrative of Scripture. Zechariah is a
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  Speaker 4: priest under the old covenant of Israel. He ministers in
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  Speaker 4: the temple and performs sacrifices on behalf of God's people.
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  Speaker 4: He represents the law of Moses and the relationship between
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  Speaker 4: God and Israel. Elizabeth, much like the matriarchs of the
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  Speaker 4: Old Testament, is barren in her old age. She also
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  Speaker 4: represents the old covenant people who pine after a child
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  Speaker 4: to save them. Zechariah and Elizabeth are about to be
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  Speaker 4: visited by an angel, hearkening to the arrival of a
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  Speaker 4: new covenant established by God. Zechariah and Elizabeth represent the
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  Speaker 4: transition between the Old and the New Testaments, so let's
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  Speaker 4: immerse ourselves in their story and this dramatic telling of
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  Speaker 4: Luke chapter 1. Afterwards, we'll take time to unpack the
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  Speaker 4: timeless Christmas themes.
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  Speaker 3: Zechariah rose from his bed with aching bones. The sun
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  Speaker 3: rose over the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Its light trickled in
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  Speaker 3: ever so slightly through his window, illuminating his sleeping wife
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  Speaker 3: beside him. He adorned himself in his ceremonial garb and
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  Speaker 3: prepared for the Day of Atonement, a sacred occasion marked
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  Speaker 3: by offerings and sacrifices. His priestly division was assigned to
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  Speaker 3: perform the rites that day. As he ascended the temple steps,
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  Speaker 3: the golden tower of Jerusalem shimmered with the dawn's first light.
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  Speaker 3: Zechariah greeted his fellow priests as they prepared to cast
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  Speaker 3: lots for the day's rolls, a ritual of divine selection.
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  Speaker 3: As the crowd of worshippers swelled outside the temple, lots
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  Speaker 3: were cast under the radiant glow of the sunrise. Zechariah
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  Speaker 3: looked on as two of his companions were chosen to
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  Speaker 3: prepare the altar and perform the morning sacrifice. As the
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  Speaker 3: third lot was cast, The honor of offering incense in
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  Speaker 3: the Holy of Holies, Zachariah's heart pounded with anticipation. To
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  Speaker 3: his disbelief, his name emerged, bestowing him the rare opportunity
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  Speaker 3: to enter God's sanctified dwelling. A resonating gong signaled his
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  Speaker 3: steps towards the imposing veil that partitioned the Holy of Holies.
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  Speaker 3: Clutching the incense, he entered the veiled room, an enclave
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  Speaker 3: reserved for the yearly rituals. The dimly lit sanctuary, accented
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  Speaker 3: by the soft glow of a solitary lampstand, was filled
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  Speaker 3: with the smoky aroma of incense. An unnerving silence pervaded,
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  Speaker 3: broken only by Zachariah's heightened heartbeat. Zachariah looked around, getting
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  Speaker 3: the feeling that he was not alone. He knew that
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  Speaker 3: entering the inner sanctuary meant he would be in the
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  Speaker 3: presence of God. Yet, he felt something else in the room,
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  Speaker 3: something otherworldly was with him. Before he could articulate a prayer,
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  Speaker 3: a radiant being appeared beside the altar. Zachariah covered his
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  Speaker 3: eyes and fell to his knees. A messenger from God
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  Speaker 3: stood before him, an angel whose visage was partially obscured
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  Speaker 3: by the incense smoke. Zachariah pressed his face to the ground,
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  Speaker 3: his mind consumed by the notion of imminent death. Is
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  Speaker 3: God going to strike me down? thought Zachariah. Fear overcame him.
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  Speaker 3: The angel's features were human-like, but he was not a
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  Speaker 3: mere man. Perched beside the altar, he spoke with calming reassurance, saying,
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  Speaker 3: Fear not, Zachariah.
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  Speaker 2: Your prayers have been heard.
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  Speaker 3: He said, a hint of a smile dancing on his
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  Speaker 3: divine features. As Zachariah stood up, the angel unfolded a
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  Speaker 3: divine prophecy.
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  Speaker 2: Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you
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  Speaker 2: shall call his name John. The joy and gladness of
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  Speaker 2: his birth We'll bless your home, for the Lord has
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  Speaker 2: chosen him for greatness.
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  Speaker 3: A smile curled around the angel's face.
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  Speaker 2: He will turn many of the children of Israel back
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  Speaker 2: to their God, and he will go before him with
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  Speaker 2: the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the
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  Speaker 2: hearts of fathers back to their children and the disobedient
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  Speaker 2: back to wisdom.
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  Speaker 3: He will prepare the way of the Lord. Zachariah listened
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  Speaker 3: with awe and disbelief. Although a divine being stood before him,
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  Speaker 3: the concept of his wife conceiving at her age seemed impossible.
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  Speaker 3: But how can this be? Zachariah explained. I am an
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  Speaker 3: old man, and my wife is advanced in years. We
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  Speaker 3: couldn't possibly.
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  Speaker 2: I am Gabriel.
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  Speaker 3: The angel interrupted with righteous light.
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  Speaker 2: I stand in the presence of God himself. I was
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  Speaker 2: sent to bring you good news, yet you stand here
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  Speaker 2: in doubt of his power. Because you have not believed
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  Speaker 2: my words, you will be silent.
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  Speaker 3: Until the promise of God has been fulfilled. Zechariah held
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  Speaker 3: his mouth and felt the power of his voice leave him.
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  Speaker 3: In an instant, Gabriel departed from him. Emerging from the
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  Speaker 3: Holy of Holies, Zechariah was rendered mute, instilling a sense
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  Speaker 3: of trepidation amongst the other priests. He returned home. unable
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  Speaker 3: to share what he had seen. He entered his home
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  Speaker 3: and greeted his wife. They held each other close, and
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  Speaker 3: Zachariah shared a tender moment with his bride of many years.
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  Speaker 3: In the ensuing months, Elizabeth felt the first stirrings of
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  Speaker 3: life within her. As she touched her belly, tears of
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  Speaker 3: joy streamed down her face. Even as she praised God
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  Speaker 3: and Zachariah grappled with his enforced silence, they felt the
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  Speaker 3: divine hand in their lives. However, the full breadth of
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  Speaker 3: God's plan was yet to unfurl, something they would realize
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  Speaker 3: with the unexpected visit of Elizabeth's cousin, Mary.
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  Speaker 4: Our podcast has been dedicated to finding the synergy between
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  Speaker 4: the gospel and the Hebrew Bible. One of the most
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  Speaker 4: significant links between the two is the the story of Zechariah, Elizabeth,
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  Speaker 4: and John the Baptist. These figures connect the traditions of
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  Speaker 4: the Old Testament to the hope of the New Testament.
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  Speaker 4: Zechariah is a priest under the Old Covenant of Israel.
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  Speaker 4: He ministers in the temple and performs sacrifices on behalf
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  Speaker 4: of God's people. Those sacrifices ultimately pointed toward the atonement
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  Speaker 4: of Jesus on the cross. When he meets Gabriel, he's
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  Speaker 4: told that his son would be a herald, proclaiming the
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  Speaker 4: way of the Lord. John the Baptist would go on
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  Speaker 4: to be a forerunner for Jesus, preparing people's hearts for
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  Speaker 4: his arrival. John the Baptizer would go on to be
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  Speaker 4: a forerunner for Jesus, preparing people's hearts for his arrival.
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  Speaker 4: We cannot underestimate the powerful imagery used in the account
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  Speaker 4: of Luke. Zechariah entered the presence of God with fear,
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  Speaker 4: adorned in ceremonial garments, not sure if he would live
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  Speaker 4: or die. Contrast that with the encouragement we are given
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  Speaker 4: in Hebrews chapter 4. Having then a great high priest
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  Speaker 4: who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,
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  Speaker 4: let's hold tightly to our confession. For we don't have
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  Speaker 4: a high priest who can't be touched with the feeling
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  Speaker 4: of our infirmities. but one who has been in all
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  Speaker 4: points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let's therefore
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  Speaker 4: draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that
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  Speaker 4: we may receive mercy and may find grace for help
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  Speaker 4: in time of need. The role of a priest like
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  Speaker 4: Zechariah was to be an intermediary between the people and God,
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  Speaker 4: making prayers and sacrifices on their behalf. In a greater sense,
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  Speaker 4: Jesus is our high priest, which connects us to the
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  Speaker 4: heart of God. Because of His sacrifice on the cross,
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  Speaker 4: we don't have to approach God with trepidation, but with
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  Speaker 4: boldness and assurance of His love for us. Zechariah's story
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  Speaker 4: is the last biblical account of a temple ritual, hearkening
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  Speaker 4: to a new age of Christ, who is the fulfillment
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  Speaker 4: of the Old Testament. There's also profound imagery found in Elizabeth.
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  Speaker 4: She had waited long for the Lord to provide her
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  Speaker 4: with a child and had lost hope. she would ever conceive.
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  Speaker 4: Her barrenness represents the lifeless state of Israel then. Israel
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  Speaker 4: had pined after the promised son foretold by the prophets,
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  Speaker 4: but it had been so long that hope was fading.
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  Speaker 4: But God was on the move. He visited Elizabeth in
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  Speaker 4: her old age, just like he did with Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel,
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  Speaker 4: and Hannah. He opened up her womb and gave her
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  Speaker 4: a son, John, All these accounts in the Bible of
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  Speaker 4: barren wombs bearing children illustrate what God does in our hearts.
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  Speaker 4: Spiritually speaking, we are unable to produce life for ourselves.
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  Speaker 4: We feel empty and without hope. But God chooses to
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  Speaker 4: enliven us with His Spirit and fill us to the
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  Speaker 4: brim with new life. The miraculous nature of John's conception
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  Speaker 4: also prepares us for another miraculous conception. In our next episode,
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  Speaker 4: we'll meet Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, who receives a visit from
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  Speaker 4: the angel Gabriel. God chooses her to carry a significant burden,
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  Speaker 4: and the world will never be the same. Thank you
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  Speaker 4: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm
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  Speaker 4: Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, and before we go, I
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  Speaker 4: want you to know that I would love to send
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  Speaker 4: you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement every
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  Speaker 4: single day. So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for your
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  Speaker 4: PowerPoint Today devotional. That's JackGraham.org.