How Come Zacharias Couldn’t Talk Until His Son Was Born?
Answer: Zacharias was a priest who served in the temple. One day he entered a part of the sanctuary where only the priest could go.
There the angel Gabriel appeared to him and announced that Zacharias’s wife, Elizabeth, would have a son.
Zacharias doubted the angel’s promise, and so he was silenced until the birth of the baby. This would be a sign to the people that Zacharias had met with God.
When Zacharias’s son was born, he asked for a writing tablet to write down the boy’s name. As soon as he wrote, “His name is John!” as Gabriel had told him to do, Zacharias was able to talk again.
Key verse: When he finally came out, he couldn’t speak to them. But they saw from his motions that he must have seen a vision in the Temple. (Luke 1:22)
Related verses: Luke 1:5-23, 57-63
Related questions: What month was John the Baptist born? How come Zacharias asked for a writing tablet?
Why Did John The Baptist Live In The Desert?
Answer: John the Baptist was a prophet. God had given him the important job of preparing the way for Jesus.
So John wanted to preach away from where people were living so they would have to go out to see him and hear his message.
Living in the desert also kept him from having a lot of arguments with the religious leaders in Jerusalem who didn’t like what he was saying.
And by living in the desert, John was showing that he was serious about his message and that a person’s relationship with God was much more important than having a nice, comfortable life on earth.
Key verses: While [Mary, Joseph, and Jesus] were living in Nazareth, John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean desert.
He said, “Turn from your sins! Turn to God! For the Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon.” (Matthew 3:1-2)
Related verses: Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-17; John 1:19-34