R.C. Sproul

When the angel comes to Zechariah in the temple.

and announces to him that his wife, who is barren, Elizabeth, is going to have a baby, and that this baby is going to be the herald, the forerunner of the Messiah.

This was the enunciation by Gabriel of the impending birth of John the Baptist.

And Zacharias was so overwhelmed in that experience in the temple

that he was struck dumb.

He was not able to speak a word for the entire nine months of Elizabeth's pregnancy.

And finally, when her term was finished and the baby was brought forth, the family and the friends gathered around and they said, you know, what are you going to name this baby?

And everybody looked at Zacharias.

because it was the custom for the father and the mother, and particularly the father here, to name the child.

But if you remember, in that experience that Zacharias had with the angel, Gabriel told Zacharias that the baby's name would be John.

That is, in the occasion of the birth of this child, God took back to himself the right to name the baby because this baby was going to be in a special relationship of obedience to God.

The same thing happened with the birth of Christ.

The angel tells Mary what the baby's name will be.

because this child is the child of God.

Now, when the people in Zacharias' family gathered around on this day, you know, they're making all kinds of suggestions and speculations.

Maybe we should call him Zacharias Jr.

or Abiathar or some other name of the priestly history, Zadok or whatever, Abimelech.

And whilst they're choosing their alternatives...

In his muted fashion, Zacharias asks for a piece of slate, and he takes the chalk and he writes on the slate, his name shall be called John.

And the instant he did that, his tongue was loosed, and he was able to speak again.