John the Baptist - Chapter 1: An Angel Tells of the Coming Birth of John the Baptist

This is taken from Luke 1:5-25

Foreword: 

The time had come for God to keep His promise to send a Savior.  But first God had to send a messenger to prepare the people to receive His Son, the Savior.  This messenger was John the Baptist

During the rule of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah who served in the priestly group of Abijah.  His wife Elizabeth was from the family line of Aaron, Moses’ brother.  They both were righteous in God's eyes.  They were careful to obey the Lord's commandments and rules. They didn't have any children and now they both were very old.

Once when Zechariah and the rest of the priest in his group was serving in God’s temple, they drew lots to see who would be the one to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense in the Lord’s presence.  Now drawing lots for this job was the custom of the priesthood. (Drawing lots is something like drawing names to see who would go first.)  Zechariah was the one who was chosen to go into the Temple of the Lord to burn incenses to the Lord.  While he was burning the incense all the other worshipers was together outside and they were praying.

While he was in the Temple of the Lord an angel of the Lord appeared to him.  The angel stood at the right side of the incense altar.  When Zechariah saw the angel he was surprised and terribly afraid.

But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah!  For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will have a son!  And you are to name him John. The angel even told Zechariah about his son, and what he wasn’t to drink, and about the special job he would have.  Let’s read and see what the angel told him.  Your son will bring you great joy and gladness, and many people will rejoice with you at your son’s birth.  For your son will be great in the sight of the Lord.  He is never to drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.  He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God.  He will teach the people before the Lord comes, and prepare the people for the Lord’s coming.  He will be a man with the Spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old.  He will turn the heart of the fathers to their children and he will change disobedient people minds to accept the wisdom of the righteous people.  This will make the people ready for the Lord."

But you see, Zechariah had a hard time believing all that the angel, Gabriel, had told him.  So he asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this?  I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel!  I stand in the very presence of God.  It was God who sent me to bring you this good news!  And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak again until the child is born.  For what I have told you will certainly come true at the proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out, and they were wondering why he was staying so long in the temple.  When he finally did come out of the temple, he couldn’t speak to the people.  Then they realized that he must have seen a vision in the temple sanctuary, for he kept making signs to them, but he remained silent for he couldn’t speak.

When Zechariah time of service at the temple was finished, he returned home.   Soon after this his wife, Elizabeth, became with child and for five months she didn’t go out around people.  Elizabeth said, "How kind the Lord is!  For the Lord has taken away my disgrace of having no children!”

Children Question.  Print on Card Paper.  Make a game out of the questions.

What was John the Baptist father’s name? Zechariah Gabriel Elijah Answer:      A.  Zechariah	What was John the Baptist mother’s name? Mary Elizabeth Ruth Answer:      B.  Elizabeth
When John the Baptist’s father was in the temple of the Lord burning incense an angel appeared to him.  What was the angel’s name? Elijah Gabriel John Answer:     B.  Gabriel	What was John the Baptist to never drink? Coffee and wine Strong drink and tea Wine and strong drink Answer:      C.  Wine and strong drink
What was John the Baptist filled with from birth? Power Holy Spirit Obedient Answer: Holy Spirit	Who was John the Baptist going to be teaching the people about? Jesus Elijah David Answer:      A.  Jesus

Questions

1. What was the name of the priest that the lesson was about?
1. _____________________________
2. What was the name of his wife?
1. _____________________________
3. The priest’s wife was from the family line of Moses’ brother.  What was Moses’ brother name?
1. _____________________________
4. What did all the priests do to find out who would go into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense?
1. ____________________________
5. While Zechariah was burning the incense what were the other worshipers doing outside? 
1. ___________________________
6. Who appeared to the priest while he was in the Temple of the Lord?
1. _________________________
7. What did the angel tell Zechariah about Elizabeth?
1. __________________________

8. What was Zechariah to name the baby?
1. __________________________
9. Let’s see what the angel said about the baby:
1. Your son will be great in the sight of the ___________
2. He is never to drink ___________ or __________ drink
3. He will be filled with the _____________   ___________ from birth
4. He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the __________ their ________
5. He will teach the people before the ___________ comes, preparing the people for the _____________ coming.
6. He will be a man with the _______________ and ___________ of Elijah, the prophet of old.
7. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their _________________
8. He will change _________________ people minds to accept the wisdom of the righteous people.
9. This will make the people ready for the _______________

10. What did the angel Gabriel tell Zechariah would happen to him, since he didn’t believe what the angel told him? 
1. __________________________
11. Why didn’t he believe the angel?
1. __________________________
12. When Elizabeth found out she was with child.  What did she say the Lord had done?
1. _________________________________

Unscramble the words

Let’s have some fun unscramble the words under the blanks and write the correct word on the blank

                                                                                    Words

__________________                                               

   ibtEhsela                                                                    God

                                                                                    Zechariah

___________________                                              Elisabeth

  arechZiah                                                                   incense

                                                                                    Temple

___________________                                              John

mmcdonamntes                                                 Angel Gabriel

                                                                                    Lord

____________________                                            commandments

gnAle        brGaeli

_____________________

   oLrd

_____________________                             

   hoJn

_____________________

  cennise

_____________________                                                                             

   mTeelp

_____________________

    oGd
Answer Sheet:

1.What was the name of the priest that the lesson was about? Zechariah

2.What was the name of his wife?  Elizabeth

3.The priest’s wife was from the family line of Moses’ brother.  What was Moses’ brother name? Aaron

  4.   What did all the priests do to find out who would go into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense?  They drew lots

5. While Zechariah was burning the incense what were the other worshipers doing outside?  praying
6. Who appeared to the priest while he was in the Temple of the Lord?  And angel of the Lord / the angel Gabriel
7. What did the angel tell Zechariah about Elizabeth?  That Elizabeth would have a son
8. What was Zechariah to name the baby? John
9. Let’s see what the angel said about the baby:
1. Your son will be great in the sight of the Lord
2. He is never to drink wine  or strong drink
3. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth

                  d.  He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God

e.      He will teach the people before the Lord comes, preparing the people for the Lord’s coming.

f.        He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old.

g.      He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children.

h.      He will change disobedient people minds to accept the wisdom of the righteous people.

i.        This will make the people ready for the Lord.

10. What did the angel Gabriel tell Zechariah would happen to him, since he didn’t believe what the angel told him?  He wouldn’t be able to speak
11. Why didn’t he believe the angel?

He was an old man and Elizabeth was well along in years

12. When Elizabeth found out she was with child.  What did she say the Lord had done?  The Lord had taken away her disgrace of having no children.

Elisabeth ---ibtEhsela                                               Zechariah --- arechZiah

Commandments --- mmcdonamntes               Angel Gabriel --- gnAle    brGaeli

Lord --- oLrd                                                   John --- hoJn

Incense --- cennise                                     Temple --- mTeelp

God --- oGd