The Plan Begins

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The Plan Begins The Father, the Son and the Spirit were in the Throne Room talking together. "It is time to start putting The Plan into action," the Father said. "Soon you, my Son, will become human so that human beings can understand who I am and what I am like." "But first we must send someone to prepare the way," continued the Spirit without the slightest pause in their flow of thought. "He must stir up the hope that has died on earth," said the Son. "Humans have such a narrow concept of time. They think we are slow in keeping the Promise. They don't understand that to us the Promise was given only the day before yesterday." "To humans that seems like two thousand years," the Spirit reminded the Son, though he didn't need reminding. "From their viewpoint it is four hundred years since a prophet last mentioned anything to do with the Promise." "They don't understand that the Plan was as good as done before we even created the earth and the concept of time," added the Father. "The one we send will convince people that we have not forgotten the Promise – that now it is near even by their finite standards," said the Spirit. "Once hope is restored, they will be looking for the Prince of Peace – you!" he said, turning to the Son. "My role will be to redeem relationships," said the Son, "to restore the relationship broken by the first disobedience." "Some people think peace is the absence of conflict," said the Father. "They think they can experience peace by ignoring me. They think if they pretend I don't exist, there won't be any conflict between good and evil so they can go on living as they please with no consequences. They think truth is whatever they imagine it to be." "The way to break down their resistance to the truth is to appear first as a baby," said the Spirit. "No one will be able to resist me when I show up as a cuddly, helpless infant," said the Son, knowing this had been in The Plan before creation. "Everybody loves a baby. But when I grow up before their eyes and start speaking the unvarnished truth, many will hate me – especially the self-righteous types. Then I will show them what true love is by dying for them while they are still sinners." "And those who believe that you are the way, the truth and the life will experience joy like never before," added the Spirit. The other two nodded in agreement. "So who will prepare the way for me to bring peace to replace the hostility that began in the Garden between holy God and sinful man?" asked the Son. "Who will prepare the way for me to bring hope to replace their despair, love to dissolve their hatred, and joy to replace their sadness?" "We will begin to bring light into their dark world by sending a messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah," said the Father. "The Messiah, the true Light, will completely dispel the darkness. His messenger will be a voice calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" "The messenger must be raised in a special home where he will be prepared for his duties," said the Spirit. "His father must be someone who knows the Scriptures – a priest. Priests understand The Plan better than anyone, even if that understanding is limited, though all the hosts of Heaven know we have done our best to make things plain." "I know the best father for the messenger," said the Son.

"And who would that be?" asked the Father. "Zechariah." "Zechariah!" exclaimed the Spirit. "But he is 50 years old! And his wife Elizabeth, though ten years younger, is barren." "That's why Zechariah is such a good choice," explained the Son patiently. "How else will people know that we sent the messenger unless a miracle draws attention to him? It has been so long since people have seen miracles that they don't know what miracles look like. They must learn to expect miracles from God again." "I agree with the Son," said the Father. "Zechariah is a good choice. Not only are he and his wife both descendants of Aaron, the original priest, but both of them are upright, observing our commandments and regulations blamelessly." "And we all know how hard that is for humans to do!" said the Spirit, rolling his eyes. "Zechariah and Elizabeth have been praying for a child ever since they were married," said the Son. "It's time they learned that we have been listening." "Won't they be surprised to learn how special that child will be!" added the Spirit. "So it is settled," concluded the Father. Two archangels had been in the background standing at attention on either side of the Throne throughout the entire conversation, waiting to serve the Holy One at a moment's bidding. Though Father, Son and Spirit spoke and moved as individuals, the angels could not think of them as anything other than the Holy One, so united were they in their character and thoughts. Now the Father turned to the nearest archangel. "Gabriel!" he called in a voice that conveyed both love and authority. Gabriel stepped forward quickly, eager to do his Master's bidding. It was this attitude of eager obedience which had earned him the promotion to archangel ages ago. If this task weren't so important, he would have smiled to be chosen by the Father; but Gabriel's expression was serious. He listened carefully to the instructions, memorizing every detail. The message would have to be delivered in a time and place that would leave Zechariah no doubt as to its source, otherwise he might not believe it, and that would be a tragedy. That place would obviously have to be at the Temple in Jerusalem. An annual feast would not be a good time. During the Lord's appointed feasts all priests from all 24 of the priestly divisions were there in Jerusalem. Such occasions were often so hectic there was danger of a message getting lost. No, the message would have to be delivered in a quieter time, between the spring and fall feasts, when only one division of priests at a time was needed to serve at the Temple. The division to which Zechariah belonged would soon be on duty for their semiannual week of service. There was always plenty for the priests to do around the Temple – much more than in the days of Moses and the Tabernacle. The Temple which replaced the Tabernacle was so much larger that it needed more furniture. It had ten tables of showbread instead of one and ten seven-branched candlesticks instead of one. Besides the usual duties associated with making animal sacrifices in front of the Temple, priests had duties inside the Temple. Baking fresh bread for the tables of showbread. Twelve flat loaves per table, 120 loaves! Trimming 70 wicks each morning. Keeping 70 lamps filled with oil. But one duty in the Temple was special. Despite the size of the Temple, there was still only one altar of incense. Every morning and evening at sunrise and sunset, incense The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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had to be burned on the altar of incense. This altar stood in the Holy Place directly in front of the curtain behind which sat the Ark of the Covenant. It was the closest to the Most Holy Place that any ordinary priest ever got. The altar of incense was a simple box of acacia wood, 3 feet high and 18 inches square, with horns in each corner, completely overlaid with gold. No meat offerings were burnt on it; no drink offerings were poured on it. It was used exclusively to burn incense every sunrise and every sunset. The incense burning on the altar represented the prayers of praise and worship, petition and intercession offered to the Holy One. Though the Jewish priests did not yet understand it, the incense also represented the prayers and petitions of the Son – the Mediator between the Holy One and man. That understanding would dawn after the coming of the Messiah. Burning incense on the altar of incense was such a prestigious duty that every priest wanted to do it. The only assignment more prestigious than that was the High Priest's duty once a year on the Day of Atonement, when he went into the Most Holy Place and placed blood on the Mercy Seat. The priest chosen to burn incense had to be someone special – someone of high moral character, someone whose heart was devoted to the Holy One. Because only the Holy One Himself could know a person's heart, the assignment was filled not by man's choice but by drawing lots. Every priest hoped that at least once in his lifetime the lot would fall on him. Every morning a priest chosen by lot would burn incense on the altar, where its fragrance would waft up into the Most Holy Place as a pleasing aroma to the Holy One. Every evening another priest chosen by lot would do the same. Every morning and evening, as the chosen priest entered the Holy Place, worshipers would assemble in the surrounding courtyard praying. By burning incense on the altar, the priest was, in effect, presenting to the Holy One the prayers of all those worshiping just outside the Holy Place. Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judah about ten miles from Jerusalem. When his priestly division was due to serve in the Temple, Zechariah kissed his wife goodbye. "See you in a week," he called to her as he walked down the road. "May the lot fall on you," Elizabeth called back to him as she always did. "God willing," Zechariah responded, as he always did. He longed with all his being for a chance to burn incense in the Holy Place. If he couldn't burn incense, Zechariah hoped he could at least serve inside the Temple. Outside, in front of the Temple, animals were sacrificed on a much larger altar. The duties associated with making animal sacrifices were hard work, bloody and messy, and were usually assigned to younger, stronger priests. Rather than focus on possible disappointment, Zechariah determined to fulfil whatever assignment he was given to the best of his ability. When the time came to draw lots for a priest to enter the Holy Place and burn incense, the angel Gabriel made sure that the lot fell on Zechariah, who was both surprised and overjoyed. "Wait until I get back home and tell Elizabeth that the lot fell on me!" thought Zechariah, pinching himself to make sure he was not dreaming.

The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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December 2011

He could hardly sleep for anticipating his upcoming duties. Mentally he walked through the steps he would take, visualizing the layout of the Temple. The entrance to the Temple was impressive – the doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers – but inside the Holy Place was even more beautiful. Though the exterior walls were made of stone, the interior, from floor to ceiling, was beautifully paneled with wood. The cedar panels on the walls and ceilings were decorated with carvings of gourds and flowers, cherubim and palm trees. The floor was covered with cypress planks. In the first temple – Solomon's temple – those doors, carvings, and even the floor planks had been overlaid with gold. But that temple had been destroyed during the fall of Jerusalem. Later, when the Jews returned from exile in Babylon, Zerubbabel had rebuilt the temple without benefit of the tons of gold which Solomon had lavished on his temple, so it was not so luxurious inside. Solomon had used 23 tons of gold in the Most Holy Place alone; Zerubbabel had only half a ton of gold at his disposal for the whole temple. When Herod came to power, he upgraded Zerubabbel's simple temple without making major changes to the interior. Because only priests saw the interior, Herod had spent his money on making the exterior larger and more impressive, where the general public would be awed and give him credit and applause. The day Zechariah was to serve, he rose very early and hurried to the Temple in the darkness. While the eastern sky gradually got lighter, he went through his purification rituals and put on his priestly garments, making sure he finished well before the sun broke over the horizon. The clouds scattered overhead were painted in glorious colors as he entered the Temple through the front doors. Zechariah was aware of his heart pounding in his chest as he walked solemnly through the great hall with tables containing bread on either side of him, a candelabra behind each table. While his hands tightly clutched fresh sticks of incense, his eyes were fixed on one spot – the altar of incense. Zechariah knew the routine. He would replace the burned sticks of incense with new ones, then light them. Then he would take time to pray to the Holy One as the fragrance of the incense wafted up into the Most Holy Place. Suddenly the angel Gabriel appeared out of nowhere, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. Gabriel did not have the burning fiery appearance of a seraph. Nor did he have great majestic wings like the cherubim who guarded the Most Holy Place or who guarded the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. Gabriel, one of four archangels second in rank only to the Holy One Himself, looked much like a man only bigger. But there was no mistaking his heavenly source. He radiated authority. Zechariah was at first startled to see Gabriel appear before him. Then he was gripped with fear. Gabriel did his best to put Zechariah at ease. After all, he came bearing good news. "Don’t be afraid, Zechariah!" Gabriel assured him. "God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will give you a son, and you will name him John. He will be your pride and joy, and many people will be glad that he was born." Then Gabriel gave Zechariah details about his son's future. "He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God. He will herald the Messiah's The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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arrival with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children and children’s attitudes toward their parents. He will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly, and he will kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics. In short, he will prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah!" Gabriel delivered the message with increasing excitement, but Zechariah did not respond in like manner. "Do you expect me to believe this?" Zechariah asked. "I'm an old man, and my wife is beyond her childbearing years." Gabriel could not believe his ears. How impudent humans can be! he thought. He would gladly have struck Zechariah dead, but he didn't have a sword in his hand. After all, Gabriel had come on a mission of peace, hope and joy. Instead, he drew himself up to his full height and leaned down into Zechariah's face until they were almost nose to nose. "I am Gabriel!" he thundered. "I stand in the very presence of the Holy One. It was He who sent me especially to bring you this good news! But now, since you won't believe me, you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth. Every word I've spoken to you will come true at the proper time – God's time." Zechariah opened his mouth to say he was sorry, but no words would come out. He tried a second time to apologize, but it was no use. He couldn't say a word! Gabriel gave Zechariah a stern look that said, "I told you so," then vanished from sight. Deeply ashamed of himself, Zechariah looked around. All of the cherubim carved into the walls seemed to stare accusingly at him. Zechariah no longer viewed them as creatures of beauty and majesty but as creatures to be feared. He half expected one of them to come off the wall and strike him dead. Zechariah looked down at the incense still in his hands and realized that he had not yet performed the duty for which he had come. There were no priests in sight. They were waiting for him to light the incense and exit the Holy Place before entering to perform their duties. But did he even have the right to burn the incense? Surely he had disqualified himself by his unbelief! But no, a quiet voice inside reminded him that he had been chosen by lot. The Holy One Himself had picked him for this duty. He must perform it, unworthy though he knew himself to be. Yesterday he was patting himself on the back to think that the Holy One had chosen him for this prestigious task. Today he was ready to crawl into a hole, but there was nowhere to hide. He would have to exit the Temple through the front doors, where all the worshipers were assembled. What should have been the best day of his life had turned into something beyond his worst nightmare. Remembering that people were praying outside, Zechariah offered a prayer of his own. Momentarily forgetting that he was dumb, he wiggled his tongue and formed his lips to make words, but no sound escaped his throat. What had Gabriel said? "You won't be able to speak until the day your son is born." "Well," Zechariah thought, "here goes! The Holy One will have to listen to my thoughts instead of my voice."

The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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December 2011

In his heart, Zechariah confessed his sin of disbelief. Then he humbly approached the altar of incense, removed the burned sticks of incense from the previous evening, placed the fresh incense sticks in the altar and lit them. Meanwhile, the people outside were getting restless waiting for Zechariah to come out of the Holy Place. Why was he taking so long? they wondered. When Zechariah finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. He motioned with his hands, but remained unable to talk. Gabriel, meanwhile, had returned to the Throne Room to give the Holy One a report. "I followed your instructions to the letter, O Holy One, but that priest didn't believe me. I wanted to strike him dead, but I didn't have a sword in my hand. Besides, if he were dead, he would not be able to father a child." "Striking him dumb was a nice touch," said the Father with a smile. "That was the only thing I could think of," replied Gabriel. "That was my idea," said the Spirit. "I planted that thought in your head, Gabriel." "How could Zechariah not believe?" Gabriel asked, turning to the Father. "I thought you said he was the perfect father for the forerunner to the Messiah." "Not perfect," the Father corrected him, "just the best of a sorry, unbelieving lot. Even the high priest is more interested in his present power than in The Plan." "When I go to earth as the Messiah and fulfill The Plan," the Son said, "the high priest will be out of a job and will lose the power and prestige that go with it." "Don't worry about the choice of Zechariah," the Spirit reassured Gabriel. "He will make a great father. Nine months from now you won't recognize him. It's amazing what he will learn when he keeps his mouth shut for a while!" Before the sun set that day, everybody in Jerusalem knew that something had happened to Zechariah while he was in the Temple. They peppered Zechariah with questions, but could get no explanation from the speechless priest. His hand gestures didn't tell them much. The people assumed that Zechariah had seen a vision in the Temple, but didn't understand why he was suddenly dumb. Zechariah had plenty of time to ponder his actions as he walked the ten miles to his home after his week of Temple service was over. "Why didn't I believe?" he asked, trying to understand himself. For more than twenty years he and his wife had prayed for a child, preferably a son. The longer he and Elizabeth prayed, the more they were aware that their prayers might not be answered as they hoped. Many couples who prayed for children were unable to have them. Why should God answer Zechariah's prayers and not the prayers of others? In spite of this, the angel Gabriel had brought news of a direct answer to their prayer. Why was that so hard to believe? Zechariah knew the messenger in the Temple was an angel. No ordinary man could enter the Temple and live. Anyone not properly consecrated for service in the Temple would be struck dead by God upon entry. Besides, the angel had appeared out of nowhere. So why the unbelief? Against great odds Zechariah had been chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar. What better place to learn of an answer to prayer than in the Temple of the living God? Why had he not believed? The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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Maybe the answer to prayer had been delayed so long that he no longer wanted a child, Zechariah speculated. How many people at his age wanted to be changing diapers and feeding babies? How many had the energy to chase after little children? He and Elizabeth should be enjoying other people's little ones smiling and cooing and doing cute things. When the infants cried or threw tantrums, he and his wife should be able to give them back to their parents. At his age Zechariah and his wife should be grandparents, not parents! Maybe he was overwhelmed by the answer, Zechariah thought. God was about to do infinitely more than he and his wife could ever ask or imagine in their wildest dreams! All they wanted was a baby. But the forerunner of the Messiah?! Preparing him for his role in life was a huge responsibility Zechariah hadn't bargained for. In his unbelief, Zechariah hadn't even seized upon a serious excuse. He had told Gabriel he was old. It was an exaggeration, of course. He and his wife were getting along in years, but they weren't old. Zechariah was only 50, and he was still well able to perform duties in the Temple. In Moses' day he would have been on the eve of retirement, but King David had extended the priests' eligibility for duty indefinitely. They could serve until they died if health permitted. If Zechariah wanted to raise an objection, Elizabeth's barrenness was the true obstacle. But Zechariah had not used that as an excuse. Whatever the reason, Zechariah had not believed. Now he would have to explain to his wife why he was struck dumb. It was a humbling experience. Word had reached Elizabeth before Zechariah even finished his week of Temple service that he was dumb, and she was full of questions. Signs were inadequate to answer those questions. Neither Zechariah nor his wife knew sign language. Zechariah had to write out the details for her in full. Seeing it on a writing tablet or on parchment was even more humiliating. How could he have done what he had done? But soon the humiliation was replaced with joy, when Elizabeth became pregnant. The Holy One was right. Zechariah changed. While Elizabeth busied herself with making clothes, diapers and blankets for the baby, Zechariah studied the Scriptures as never before. While Elizabeth knitted a tiny sweater, Zechariah read the story of Hannah, who like Elizabeth was barren and prayed for a son, and whose prayer was answered with the birth of Samuel. When Zechariah showed the story to his wife, they both identified with Hannah's hymn of praise. Zechariah took seriously his role as father of the forerunner of the Messiah. He read in the first book of Moses the story of Abraham and the covenant the Lord had made with him. He studied the major and minor prophets, paying special attention to prophecies about the Messiah who would come to fulfill the promises of the covenant. All this information would be passed on to his son John. Of special interest was any prophecy which spoke directly of the baby growing in Elizabeth's womb. Zechariah pointed out to Elizabeth the words of the Lord Almighty spoken through the prophet Malachi: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me." "He's speaking of our son," said Elizabeth in awe, holding her hands over her swelling belly. "There's more," Zechariah wrote to her on a tablet which he kept handy. The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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Elizabeth followed where he was pointing, and read, "'See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children and children’s attitudes toward their parents.'" Excitedly Zechariah wrote again, "That's exactly what Gabriel said to me – that our son John will herald the Messiah's arrival with the spirit and power that Elijah had." His finger underlined the words on the scroll: "He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children and children’s attitudes toward their parents." Three months before their baby was due, Zechariah and Elizabeth learned who the Messiah would be. A visitor from Nazareth arrived at their door, Elizabeth's cousin Mary. When Mary entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth, the baby John leaped in her womb. It was not a mild poke, like Elizabeth was used to experiencing, but a full blown dance! Elizabeth was immediately filled with the Spirit. She gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “I thought I was blessed, not just to have a child at my age but to be the mother of the Messiah's forerunner. But you! God has blessed you above all women, and the child that you will have is also blessed. Why am I so honoured, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” For the next three months, Mary stayed with Elizabeth. They talked excitedly together as they did daily chores. Long hours of conversation were interspersed with periods of deep silence as both women contemplated what the Holy One was doing in and through them. Zechariah watched and listened in silence, marvelling at how well the two women got along. Despite their differences, they had more in common than most. Though Mary was barely into her teens, she had a maturity that belied her age. Zechariah noted the differences between himself and his wife's humble cousin, and blushed to think how poorly he compared to her. Mary had believed Gabriel immediately, whereas he had not. But the biggest difference between himself and Mary was her knowledge of the Word of God. In the evening on the day of her arrival in their home, Mary had sung to them a song she had composed on her journey from Nazareth to their town in the hill country of Judah. In a sweet clear voice she sang, "My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour...." From beginning to end the song was liberally sprinkled with references from the Holy Scriptures. Zechariah, who had been spending a lot of time studying the Word of God in preparation for the arrival of his own son, recognized the references in Mary's song and was impressed. It was obvious that this young woman, though not much more than a child herself, had made a habit of reading and memorizing the Scriptures, especially the Psalms. There was no way she could have acquired that much Scripture knowledge in the short week since Gabriel's announcement to her. How many adults, let alone teenagers, Zechariah wondered, had such a knowledge of and love for God's Word? No wonder the Holy One had chosen her to be the mother of the Messiah! Zechariah resolved to follow Mary's example and study the Word diligently. He would soon be setting an example for his own son John. He would also follow Mary's The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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example and compose what he was learning from the Scriptures into a song. He would recite it after John was born and he was able to speak again. A few days after Mary returned to her home in Nazareth, Elizabeth went into labour and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Her neighbours rejoiced at the news. On the eighth day the house was packed as relatives and friends came to celebrate the circumcision and naming of the baby. Since Zechariah couldn't speak, family members spoke for him, naming the baby Zechariah in honour of his father. Elizabeth was horrified. "No!" she objected. "He is to be called John." "No one among our relatives is named John," the guests replied, puzzled at the choice of name. They turned to Zechariah and asked in sign language what he would like to name his child. "I'm not deaf," thought Zechariah. "You don't have to talk to me in sign language!" Unable to say so, he motioned for a writing tablet. To everyone's astonishment he wrote with a flourish, "His name is John!" Surprise followed surprise. Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God! The Holy Spirit filled Zechariah and the song he had composed and memorized flowed from his lips. A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighbourhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events, wondering, "What does the future hold for this child?" It was clear that the hand of the Lord was upon the newborn in a special way. Cheers erupted in the Throne Room as Zechariah finished his song of praise. Father and Spirit were well pleased. The archangels in the background laughed with joy, while the Heavenly City echoed with sounds of rejoicing as the good news spread to thousands upon thousands of angels. The Son, now a three month old human fetus, did a little dance in Mary's womb. Though physically separated from the Father and the Spirit, he was never out of communication range. In Nazareth, Mary felt a tiny flutter in her womb and wondered if she was imagining it. "What a great song!" exclaimed the Father. "Almost exclusively drawn from Scripture!" "I highlighted certain passages as he studied," said the Spirit, "but Zechariah did a great job of weaving them into his song." "As we knew he would," added the Father, smiling. "Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah – and everybody's favourite – King David!" "Don't forget Hannah," the Spirit reminded the Father. "He quoted Hannah's song." "He even quoted me," interjected Gabriel from behind the Throne, hoping he wasn't speaking out of line. "Yes, Zechariah stumbled and fell at the beginning of his race, but he recovered in spectacular fashion," said the Father. "Preparing his son John to be forerunner for the Messiah is a marathon, not a sprint. Just watch what he does over the next few years!"

The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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"The Plan is still on track," remarked the Spirit with satisfaction. "No one can prevent its accomplishment. Not those who oppose it. Not even those who support it but lapse temporarily into sin or unbelief." The Son agreed, and did another little dance in Mary's womb.

_____________________ by Elsa Henderson December 2011

The Plan Begins by Elsa Henderson

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December 2011