J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke

Section 4 The Unbelief of Zacharias and Consequent Punishment

Luke 1, verses 18-25

And Zechariah said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned unto them and remained speechless. And it came to pass that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid herself five months saying thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my approach among men.

We see in this passage the power of unbelief in a holy man. As righteous and holy as Zechariah was, the announcement of the angel appeared unbelievable to him. He could not think it possible that an old man like himself could have a son. How shall I know this, he says, for I'm an old man and my wife well along in years.

A well-instructed Jew, like Zachariah, ought not to have raised such a question. No doubt he was well acquainted with the Old Testament Scriptures. He ought to have remembered the astonishing births of Isaac and Samson and Samuel in old times. He ought to have remembered that what God has done once, He can do again, and that with Him nothing is impossible. But he forgot all this. He thought of nothing but the arguments of mere human reasoning.

In the same way it often happens in religious matters that where human reasoning begins, faith ends. Let us learn in wisdom from the fault of Zechariah. It is a fault to which God's people in every age have been sadly liable. The histories of Abraham and Isaac and Moses and Hezekiah and Jehoshaphat will all show us that a true believer may sometimes be overtaken by unbelief.

Unbelief is one of the first corruptions which came into man's heart in the day of the fall when Eve believed the devil rather than God. Unbelief is one of the most deep-rooted sins by which a saint is plagued, and from which he is never entirely freed until he dies. Let us pray daily, Lord, increase my faith. Let us not doubt that when God says a thing, that thing shall be fulfilled.

we see furthermore in these verses the privilege and portion of God's angels they carry messages to God's people they enjoy God's immediate presence the heavenly messenger who appears to Zechariah rebukes his unbelief by telling him who he is I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God and I'm sent to speak unto you

The name Gabriel would doubtless fill the mind of Zechariah with humiliation and self-abasement. He would remember it was the same Gabriel who 490 years before had brought to Daniel the prophecy of the 70 weeks, and had told him how Messiah should be cut off. Daniel 9, verse 26. Zachariah would doubtless contrast his own sad unbelief when peaceably ministering as a priest in God's temple, with the faith of holy Daniel when dwelling a captive at Babylon, while the temple at Jerusalem was in ruins.

Zachariah learned a lesson that day which he never forgot.

The account which Gabriel gives of his own office should raise in our minds great searchings of heart. This mighty angel, far greater in power and intelligence than we are, counts it as his highest honour to stand in God's presence and do his will. Let our aims and desires be in the same direction. Let us strive so to live that we may one day stand with boldness before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple.

The way to this high and holy position is open before us. Christ has consecrated it for us by the offering of his own body and blood. May we endeavor to walk in it during the short time of this present life so that we may stand in our lot with God's elect angels in the endless ages of eternity.

We see finally in this passage how exceeding sinful is the sin of unbelief in the sight of God. The doubts and questionings of Zechariah brought down upon him a heavy chastisement. You shall be mute, says the angel, and not able to speak because you did not believe my words. It was a chastisement especially suitable to the offence. The tongue that was not ready to speak the language of believing praise was struck speechless. It was a chastisement of long continuance. For nine long months at least, Zachariah was condemned to silence, and was daily reminded that by unbelief he had offended God.

Few sins appear to be so peculiarly provoking to God as the sin of unbelief. None certainly have called down such heavy judgments on man. It is a practical denial of God's almighty power to doubt whether He can do a thing when He undertakes to do it. It is giving the lie to God to doubt whether He means to do a thing when He has plainly promised that it shall be done.

The forty years' wanderings of Israel in the wilderness should never be forgotten by professing Christians. The words of Paul are very solemn. They could not enter in because of unbelief. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 19. Let us watch and pray daily against this soul-ruining sin of unbelief. concessions to it, rob believers of their inward peace, weaken their hands in the day of battle, bring clouds over their hopes, and make their chariot wheels drive heavily.

According to the degree of our faith will be our enjoyment of Christ's salvation, our patience in the day of trial, and our victory over the world. Unbelief, in short, is the true cause of a thousand spiritual diseases. And once allowed to nestle in our hearts, it will eat as a canker. If you will not believe, you shall not be established. Isaiah chapter 7, verse 9.

In all that respects, the pardon of our sins and the acceptance of our souls, the duties of our peculiar station and the trials of our daily life, let it be a settled maxim in our religion to trust every word of God implicitly and to beware of unbelief. you