5 Lessons from The Life of Zechariah

 The story of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist is one that is commonly overlooked. Many people know about the story of the priest who got struck with dumbness after he disbelieved the words of an archangel, but not many people actually take note of the lessons there are to learn from the story. In this article, I am going to be sharing the lessons I learned from Zechariah’s story.

1. Always Uphold Righteousness

“Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.” (Luke 1: 6 NLT). Baby John was a blessing to them but raising him (as Jesus’ forerunner) was also an assignment that God could only have given to people with a track record of righteousness. This taught me to uphold righteousness not only because of the blessings that God has promised, but also so I can be a vessel unto honour to God.

2. Don’t Let Life Situations Define Your Love for God

Zechariah met with the angel in the temple, while he was doing God’s work. This was an old man who had probably lived his entire life praying and believing in God for a child. He didn’t let his love and service to God be defined by his problems. This story reminded me that my love for God and dedication to His service must not only be a function of ticks on my list of prayer requests. 

Always Believe God’s Word

Remember that part of the story where Zechariah doubted that he’d be able to have a child in his old age? For some reason, it reminded me of when God told Abraham to look as far as he could see. “I am giving you this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants, a permanent possession” (Gen 13:13 NLT). Abraham’s blessing was reliant on his belief in God; if he didn’t believe, he wouldn’t have bothered looking far and God had only promised to give him the land as far as he could see. Though, Zechariah’s unbelief did not nullify his blessings (if we are not counting the blessing of free speech), I was reminded that it is very important to have an unwavering belief in God. Especially when the situation doesn’t look very possible or easy.

Surround Yourself with Godly People

The angel told Zechariah that his son should be called John. However, he couldn’t relay that because he had been made dumb. So, when the time to name the baby came, the neighbours would have wrongly named the baby ‘Zechariah’ after his father, if it wasn’t for Elizabeth's intervention. This made me think of the importance of having Godly, spiritually inclined people around us (romantic partners and platonic friends alike). In situations where we may not be able to stick to God’s will for our lives due to some weaknesses, it is important that we have Elizabeths around us to set us straight.

Always Profess God's Word

The Bible records that as soon as his voice was restored, Zechariah praised God and prophesied over his son’s life. I may not have a son, but I have learned something from this. At the beginning of my every endeavour, I should speak the fulfilment of God’s promises over them. After all, the power of life is on my tongue (Prov 18:21). It would be a shame to let that power lie there, unused.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the stories of the bible can be so interesting that we forget that we are not supposed to just read through them like novels. We should all try to avoid making that mistake. Read the bible with the intention of learning from God. Remember, “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction for righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3: 16-17 NLT)