Okay, this is Beth. Listen, what we live for at Living Proof is to serve people the Word

of God. We base our ministry on Hebrews 4-12 that tells us that the Word is alive and

active. We pray this message is going to serve you in some way today and that God is

going to speak through it. Thank you so much for giving us this privilege.

So I want to begin reading. I'm going to read all the way through from verse 5 all the way through

verse 25 and then we'll begin to take it apart. In the time of Herod King of Judea there was a

priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was also

a descendant of Aaron. Now think of this from the ears of those who are studying the priesthood. So

we're going to look at this. Everything that says priesthood, everything that says Aaron to us should

be speaking past at this point. Six, both of them were upright in the side of God observing all the

Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly, but they had no children. Because Elizabeth was

barren and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he

was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by Lot according to the custom of the priesthood

to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. When the time came for the burning of incense,

all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Please get a visual picture of what's happening.

So he's burning the incense inside. All the assembled worshipers are praying outside. This was

certainly how this was done probably morning. It could have been morning or evening incense,

but probably in the morning and they're assembled outside. It says that in verse 11,

Ben, an angel of the Lord appeared to him standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him,

do not be afraid Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son

and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you and many will rejoice

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