Advent Dec 4 - Lk 1:18-20
▸ ± Lk 1:18-20 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
People who don't know God are always trying to make him out to be a capricious monster. Perhaps you have heard that when Zacharias asked how he would know the angel's promise would come to pass, that the angel cursed him with being mute until John was born. This is not a curse but a sign. He gets to participate in the same prophecy the angel had given.
Water represents the word of God. There was a drought in Israel until Elijah spoke. Then there were 400 years of silence until John spoke. Now John's father would be silent until John spoke. Then there would be no Word of God (Christ) until John spoke.
