13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And \he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
There are so many things I could write about Elizabeth and Zechariah’s shock at having a son. Or we could focus on how God set John apart even from his conception, but what really got my attention was that John was a pivot that turned many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He helped turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. Israel had chosen a path far from what God desired for them. They walked in what seemed right in their own eyes. They were religious but without relationship to God. They talked a good game but their walk was far from it. Isn’t it interesting that the illustration was given that the hearts of the fathers would be turned toward the children? Could it be God wanted them to see the value in every life? He wanted the fathers to have a heart tendered to children not just occupation, money, or position. John also called the people to repentance from walking in disobedience to living in wisdom and doing things justly or rightly. He did not back down even from the religious leaders. His message was clear, repent and turn back! Most importantly, John made ready for the Lord the people. John taught them about walking right. Jesus completed the idea by being the payment for their sin. Only through the gift Jesus gave could the people be truly forgiven and restored. As was recorded later John came baptizing in water for repentance but Jesus baptized with the Spirit. It is not enough just to be sorry for what we have done, Jesus wants us to have a change of heart. He desires us to follow because of our thanksgiving for what He has done and to receive His gift of forgiveness. Our actions then change to where we are concerned for each life, we walk right with God, and we prepare the way by telling about Jesus. In the end many will turn to Christ as we walk in obedience.