Luke 1:57-66 Naming the Baby
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: June 13, 2018 Luke 1:57-66
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
(Understanding the Text) Elizabeth went into labor. I believe that Mary was there with her. When John was born, I imagine the news spreading like wildfire through the villages and towns around. The old lady had had a baby boy! How old was Elizabeth? I think that she had to at least have been in her sixties because it was not unknown for a woman in her fifties to have a child. The news that a 60+ woman had given birth to a son would have been news enough in itself, but then the gathering for the baby’s circumcision happened, and I am sure anyone who had an excuse showed up to witness it. The time came to give the baby an official name, and Elizabeth told them his name was to be John. John means Jehovah has been gracious; Jehovah has shown favor.
Here I see that it was the custom that at least first-born babies were named after family, especially fathers because the rabbi performing the circumcision wanted to name the baby Zechariah. When Elizabeth told him no, other people argued with her. This shows me that a woman’s opinion was not as important as a man’s and that they thought that she was just being emotional. Zechariah saw that they were not listening to Elizabeth and motioned for them to give him something to write on. This tells me that he still could not speak at that point. Was he also deaf? That may have accounted for some of the confusion since he would not have heard Elizabeth’s first comment and been able to shake his head yes (or whatever way they showed affirmative with gestures). When everyone started arguing with her, he would have known that there was a problem. However, maybe he could hear, and the people were simply not paying attention to him because he had a handicap. When he wrote John, the people may have been thinking that he just spoiled his wife too much. He had always had a weakness for Elizabeth by not replacing her when she was barren, and now he was giving in to her emotionalism about the name also. However, before they could take that thought too far, Zechariah began speaking for the first time in more than nine months!
(Revelation of God) It says fear came on all their neighbors. I don’t think that this is fear like afraid. I think this is fear like respect for God’s works and wonder about what this meant for their futures. It is more of an awe that something extraordinary was happening. All the little miracles had added up into one big miracle. This ensured that the news that John was special spread to the whole area around. Since this included the Levite village, John grew up knowing that he had a special mission from God. God wanted to ensure that this one person fulfilled his part of the plan. John the Baptist was a linchpin in the plan. Without him listening to God and performing his mission, many people would be lost that Jesus could have saved, but with John the Baptist’s preparation, those people were saved and the stage was set for Jesus’ ministry.
God ensured John’s knowledge of his mission in several ways. With his miraculous birth he ensured that John would have signs that God had a special plan for him. By being raised a Nazarite, John was reminded daily that his life was special and in service to God. The only other Nazarite that the scriptures gave a detailed description of was Samson. John would have been able to see the positives such as Samson’s powerful works, but he also would have seen the negatives that led to Samson’s downfall. I’m sure Samson’s story would have had a profound impact on John and his parents. Finally, the fact that all his neighbors and family knew that God had special plans for him would reinforce the message that he received from his parents. The belief of so many people in the idea that John was favored by Jehovah added to the Spirit guiding him would have cemented the knowledge of his mission even when Satan tried to sow disbelief in his mind. It would have confirmed his belief in his parents’ words to him, especially when they told him that the Messiah was already in the world and that he was a relative of John’s. John grew up knowing that his relative was the Messiah and that it was John’s mission to prepare the way for him and that he was being raised for that one special mission. It instilled both confidence and humility.
(Understanding the Text / Application) John’s parents must have died when he was fairly young, maybe a teenager, because they were old to start with. John himself would have been only in his late twenties or early thirties when he died, so he may have only lived about 15 years longer than his parents. They lived long lives and accomplished some ordinary stuff. John lived a short while and accomplished amazing results. They were all loved by God and important. It doesn’t matter if I live many more years, or if I die tomorrow. What matters is that today I have a relationship with my Savior and serve Him as He directs me.
(Prayer) Help me to live my life well no matter how much longer I have. I want to serve You as long as I live. I never want to let You down, but I know I will. Hold me close to You.