Something amazes me or do I say bewilders me each time I go through the book of Luke chapter 1. So many questions go on in my heart until the Lord gave me clarity.
Please patiently follow me. The Angel of the LORD, Gabriel precisely, appeared to Zacharias in verse 11-17 and told him that his prayers has been heard, his wife will bear him a son and he shall be called John. Now, read verse 18 with me, " 18 And Zachariah said to the angel, By what shall I know and be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years".
Zacharias asked a simple question, I will tell you why I called it simple later on. Verse 19-20; we see Gabriel’s response and the consequence was dumbness for Zacharias. Why?
Now, when you go over to verse 26-38, we see the same angel Gabriel appear unto Mary to tell her that she shall conceive and bring forth a son and shall call him JESUS, in verse 34 Mary asked the same simple question that Zacharias had earlier asked the angel in relation to her own prophecy. "34 And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband?
"Angel Gabriel responded to Mary’s question by giving her a good answer and cleared her on how this will be possible.
To me, I don’t see any difference in both questions but I see difference in the person’s that asked the question and their level of relationship with God. One was a Priest, the other was a Christian lady.
Mary was a virgin and knows she will not commit fornication with her husband to be, so how can she become pregnant. Zacharias was well stricken in age as well as his wife, so how can they conceive? So, they both asked a reasonable question, but what seems reasonable to man may never be to God.
Why then did the angel make him dumb and didn’t make Mary dumb? Here is the answer I got; Zacharias is a Priest of the LORD, he stands in the gap between the people and God, he declares God’s mandate and counsel to the people, so he of all people knows or should have a better understanding of what God can do, God must have wroth so many miracles through him and in him but Mary was just a Christian lady who was not in the order of a Priest so may not have much understanding of what God can do as to Zacharias or may not have experienced God's powerful acts to the extent Zachariah has experienced it.
So, Zachariah's question was seen as unbelief, the angel was not happy, how can you of all people ask me this! But to Mary he gently explained because she is still maturing and may not have experienced God in the way that Zacharias who was a Priest had.
God cannot relate to us beyond our level of understanding of who HE is or beyond our level of the study of the Word. God deals with us according to our level of maturity.
Don’t take milk when He expects you to be taking strong bone. Don’t remain at a level whereby you still doubt God’s word and promises to you after you have experienced His faithfulness, love, grace, mercy, divine provision and protection.
What level are you? Whatever level you are currently, learn to trust God always and mature in your Christian walk with Him. Trust Him like Mary did.
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