Holy Heat Day 1 / The Prophetic Prelude

Luke 1:1-25 / 누가복음 1:1-25 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^[a] among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. ³ With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. ⁷ But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Who was Luke?

Not only through his writings in both the gospel of Luke and in the book of Acts (Acts of the Apostles), but also through biblical references, we know that Luke had a high level of education and was a practicing physician (Colossians 4:14). His writings reflect his detail and research-oriented disposition by exhibiting extensive historical and medical awareness regarding the events of and around Jesus Christ. Uniquely, Luke is the only non-Jewish or Gentile author in the New Testament and personally traveled with the apostle Paul on his missionary journeys. In many ways, the character and reputation of Luke precedes and adds credibility to his writings not only through internal consistency but also through his character and proximity to the events. Luke was a physician, well-educated, research-oriented, and deeply faithful and loyal as a companion; and for such a unique writer we must wonder what his perspective and purpose in writing the gospel of Luke might have been.

The Prophetic Starting Point

While the gospel rests on the identity, works, and life of Jesus Christ, Luke decides to begin his writing by investigating and presenting the situation of John the Baptist’s birth. While there are over 300 Messianic Prophecies regarding the coming of Jesus Christ, all such prophecies are prefaced by and signaled by a former prophecy regarding one who would come before Jesus to set the stage for Him.

Isaiah 40:3 – A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’

Malachi 3:1 – I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me…

Historically and chronologically speaking, Luke rightly brings attention to the story of John the Baptist’s birth before recounting the birth of Jesus Christ. Not only did the conception of John the Baptist happen prior to the conception of Jesus Christ, but the identity of who God declared John the Baptist would serve as the greatest beacon and announcement that the Savior of the world had come.

The Circumstances of John’s Birth

There was a priest named Zechariah who had a wife named Elizabeth. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were descendants of prominent priests or priest families and were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. Yet, they remained barren and childless until they had eventually given up all together because of old age. One day when Zechariah was tending to the temple, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and prophesied that he would have a son. Zechariah falls into disbelief to which the angel of the Lord provides a radical sign: Zechariah would be unable to speak until the day that John is born. Sure enough, when Zechariah had completed his service in the temple and returned home, his wife became pregnant with his child whom the Lord had promised to provide.

Who was John the Baptist?

The angel of the Lord describes John the Baptist as one who will be great in the sight of the Lord. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before being born and bring back many of the people of Israel to God. We know that he would dedicate his life to preaching a message of repentance not only by his words but also through his lifestyle. His clothes were made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, eating locusts and wild honey, fulfilling a single great prophecy that would serve to be the greatest revelation that would set the stage for Jesus Christ. All the while, the Lord had not abandoned Elizabeth’s womb but reserved it to establish the great stage on which Jesus would bring salvation to the world. Zechariah and Elizabeth went from despair and resignation to bearing one of the greatest prophets to ever walk the earth.

God Grants Certainty

Why would God wait until Zechariah and Elizabeth were well beyond child-bearing age to miraculously provide them with a child? To the apostle Luke, the entirety of this situation was a medical catastrophe. Not only was conception impossible, but a child at this age would provide for a plethora of medical complications. So, why would God wait until this moment to open Elizabeth’s womb? God’s purpose is to provide certainty. Upon revealing His great plan through the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, scripture tells us that Zechariah doubted and did not believe in the words of the angel; because of this, the angel of the Lord would render Zechariah mute until John would be born. The purpose of this aligns with God’s purpose regarding the parental circumstance of John’s birth: to provide certainty and extinguish doubt. The impossibility of the circumstance rules out any law of humanity, nature, and fortune, directly providing the certainty of God’s hand and provision. Furthermore, despite all the medical complications and risks, Elizabeth would bear a healthy and strong child, providing yet more evidence that this is a miracle from God.

Conclusion

Is there something you had deeply hoped to see change or appear in your life but have yet to receive it? This story tells us that God builds certainty of His love, provision, and great purpose in our lives by first building impossibility. So, when that which you had hoped in so deeply is finally granted, we would have certainty in knowing that it was not because of our good words or luck that such a thing has finally appeared. It could only be God. The call today is to trust in God with the impossible and silence the doubts and despair that so easily slip through our lips. When we examine the character, love, and power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, like Zechariah, our doubts are silenced and our hearts willing to wait with anticipation as God accomplishes the impossible in our lives. That which seems out of reach, are just the parts of our lives that God is reserving to overcome the impossible.

Reflection:

1.     Is there something you hoped would change or appear in your life but now feels out of reach?

2.     Why does this circumstance now feel impossible to you?

3.     How can I surrender this hope to God and trust that He is only reserving this part of my life for greater things?

제목: 예언의 서곡본문 말씀: 누가복음 1:1–25

누가란 누구인가?

누가복음과 사도행전, 그리고 성경 속 여러 언급을 통해 우리는 누가가 고등 교육을 받은 의사였다는 사실을 알 수 있습니다 (골로새서 4:14). 그의 글은 매우 세밀하고 연구 중심적이며, 예수 그리스도와 그 주변 사건들에 대한 풍부한 역사적, 의학적 지식을 담고 있습니다.

특이하게도, 누가는 신약성경에서 유일한 이방인(비유대인) 저자입니다. 그는 사도 바울과 선교 여행을 함께하며 초대 교회 사역의 현장을 직접 경험했습니다. 그의 글은 단순한 문학적 완성도를 넘어서, 신실한 삶의 증거로써 더욱 깊은 신뢰를 줍니다.

누가는 의사이자 학자, 연구가이며 충성된 그리스도인이었습니다. 이러한 독특한 배경을 가진 누가가 복음을 어떻게, 그리고 왜 이렇게 시작했는지 생각해 보아야 합니다.

예언의 출발점

복음의 중심은 예수 그리스도의 생애, 사역, 그리고 정체성에 있습니다. 하지만 누가는 예수님의 이야기보다 먼저, 세례 요한의 출생 이야기로 복음을 시작합니다.

왜일까요?그 이유는, 예수님의 오심에 대한 300개 이상의 메시아적 예언이 모두 먼저 오게 될 한 인물—예수님의 길을 예비할 자—에 대한 선행 예언으로부터 시작되기 때문입니다.

이사야 40:3 – “외치는 자의 소리여 이르되 너희는 광야에서 여호와의 길을 예비하라 사막에서 우리 하나님의 대로를 평탄하게 하라.”말라기 3:1 – “보라 내가 내 사자를 보내리니 그가 내 앞에서 길을 준비할 것이요..."

역사적이며 시간 순서상으로도, 누가는 세례 요한의 출생 이야기를 예수님의 이야기보다 먼저 기록함으로써 복음의 흐름을 정당하게 설정하고 있습니다.

세례 요한은 예수님보다 먼저 잉태되었을 뿐만 아니라, 하나님께서 요한에 대해 선포하신 정체성과 사명이야말로 세상의 구원자이신 예수님이 오셨음을 알리는 가장 강력한 신호였기 때문입니다.

요한의 탄생 배경

당시 제사장 중에 사가랴라는 사람이 있었고, 그의 아내는 엘리사벳이었습니다. 두 사람 모두 제사장 가문 출신으로 하나님 앞에서 의롭고, 주의 모든 계명과 율례를 흠 없이 지키는 자들이었습니다. 그러나 그들은 자녀가 없었고, 이미 고령으로 아이를 갖는 것을 포기한 상태였습니다.

어느 날 사가랴가 성전에서 직무를 수행하던 중, 주님의 천사가 그에게 나타나 아들을 낳게 될 것을 예언합니다. 사가랴는 믿기 어려워하며 의심했고, 그 결과로 천사는 사가랴가 아이를 낳을 때까지 말하지 못하게 될 것이라는 징표를 줍니다. 그의 직무가 끝나고 집으로 돌아간 후, 엘리사벳은 실제로 임신하게 되었고, 하나님의 약속대로 생명을 잉태하게 됩니다.

세례 요한은 누구인가?

천사는 세례 요한을 가리켜 주 앞에서 큰 자가 될 것이며, 태어나기도 전에 성령 충만함을 받을 것이라 말합니다. 그는 이스라엘 백성을 하나님께로 돌아오게 하는 사명을 받았고, 단지 말뿐 아니라 삶 자체로 회개의 메시지를 선포한 자였습니다.

그는 낙타 털 옷을 입고 가죽 띠를 띠며, 메뚜기와 야생 꿀을 먹는 생활을 하며, 예수님의 오심을 준비하는 예언의 성취자로서 살았습니다. 엘리사벳의 태가 오랫동안 닫혀 있었던 것이 아니라, 하나님께서 예수님께서 구원의 사역을 펼치실 무대를 예비하시기 위해 간직하고 계셨던 것이었습니다. 사가랴와 엘리사벳은 절망과 체념 속에서 역사상 가장 위대한 선지자 중 하나를 낳게 된 것입니다.

하나님은 확신을 주십니다

하나님께서 왜 사가랴와 엘리사벳이 자녀를 낳기에는 불가능한 시점까지 기다리셨을까요? 누가에게 있어 이 상황은 의학적으로는 재난과도 같았습니다. 임신은 불가능할 뿐만 아니라, 그 나이에 아이를 출산하는 것은 수많은 합병증과 위험을 동반하기 때문입니다.

그럼에도 하나님은 바로 그때, 엘리사벳의 태를 여셨습니다. 왜냐하면 하나님은 확신을 주시고, 의심을 불태우시기 원하셨기 때문입니다. 사람의 능력이나 자연의 법칙, 혹은 운으로 설명할 수 없는 상황 속에서, 하나님은 자신의 손길을 명확하게 드러내시는 분이십니다.

또한, 천사가 전한 말씀을 사가랴가 믿지 못했기 때문에 그는 말을 하지 못하게 되었고, 그 침묵의 기간은 하나님의 뜻에 대한 확신을 깊이 새기는 시간이 되었습니다. 결국 엘리사벳은 건강하고 강한 아이를 출산했고, 이는 또 하나의 하나님의 기적이 되었습니다.

결론: 불가능 너머의 확신

혹시 여러분도 마음속 깊이 바라고 기다려온 일이 아직 이루어지지 않았나요? 이 이야기는 우리에게 말합니다: 하나님은 자신의 사랑, 공급, 목적을 드러내기 위해 먼저 불가능을 쌓아 올리십니다.

그토록 간절히 바랐던 일이 마침내 이루어졌을 때, 우리는 그것이 우리의 행운이나 노력이 아닌, 오직 하나님의 손길로부터 왔음을 확신할 수 있습니다.

오늘 우리의 부르심은 불가능해 보이는 상황 속에서도 하나님을 신뢰하고, 낙심과 의심의 말을 잠잠히 하는 것입니다.

사가랴가 그랬던 것처럼, 예수님의 성품과 사랑, 능력을 바라볼 때 우리의 의심은 잠잠해지고, 하나님께서 우리 삶 속에서 불가능을 이루실 때까지 기꺼이 기다릴 수 있는 믿음이 생깁니다.

지금 당장은 손에 닿지 않는 것 같을지라도, 어쩌면 하나님께서는 바로 그 영역을 통해 자신의 능력을 나타내실 무대로 준비하고 계신 것일지도 모릅니다.

묵상 질문:

1. 당신이 오랫동안 바랐지만, 지금은 포기한 것 같은 소망이 있나요?

2. 왜 그 일이 지금은 불가능하다고 느껴지시나요?

3. 이 소망을 하나님께 어떻게 맡기고, 더 위대한 계획을 위한 준비라 믿으며 기다릴 수 있을까요?