Why did Zechariah doubt?
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| English: Zechariah, the Biblical prophet, watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Everyone was so excited that the aged Zechariah and Elizabeth had finally had a child that they fully expected to honor this son by calling him after his father. Gabriel, however, had told Zechariah that his son’s name was to be John, and Elizabeth knew it as well. Zechariah still could not speak, so Elizabeth spoke for him.
Relatives and friends objected that the name John was not in their lineage, and they went to Zechariah to find out what he thought they ought to call the baby. We read that “he asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John’” (1:63). Just as an act of doubt had caused Zechariah to be struck dumb nine months earlier, so this act of obedience to the word of the angel unstopped his tongue so he could speak once more.
Names are important in the Bible. To name someone is to have dominion over him. Adam and Eve named the animals in the Garden of Eden, for instance; they were not named by the animals. Just so, when Jacob wrestled with a man, who was, we learn, a theophany or visitation in human form of God, he did not name his Opponent; rather he was given a new name: Israel (Gen. 32:24–32).
Parents usually have the satisfaction of naming their children. In a few instances, however, we see God himself intervening to name the child. When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham or Jacob’s to Israel or Saul’s to Paul he was not only exercising dominion over these men as his servants; he also illustrated his fatherhood to them in a special way. The fact that God named John shows this cherished Father-son relationship.
The name John means “the Lord is merciful” from the Hebrew name Johanan. As Zechariah himself said in his song of praise, the Lord was now coming to redeem his people, “to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant” (Luke 1:72). God had been gracious to Zechariah and Elizabeth; now he was going to be gracious to all people.Given the opportunity, what would be your choice for a new name that would have spiritual significance? Would this name recognize God’s peculiar mercy in your past, his relationship of fatherhood and lordship over your life, or a characteristic of his faithfulness that you would honor? Most important, has God set his name and fatherhood upon you?
