Theme: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD
This statement was made by the Angel Gabriel in the course of breaking the news to Mary that her cousin Elisabeth had conceived a son in her old age and that the pregnancy was then six months old. He then added “… For with God nothing shall be impossible”. (Luke 1:37) In other words, God could bring to pass or do what human beings think is not possible. Though people had written off Elizabeth as barren, she could still bear a child by the power of God with Whom all things are possible. It is from this statement of the angel that this theme has been chosen.
Text: “Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” – Luke 1:18, World English Bible.
Comment: While Zacharias the priest was performing his duties in the temple, an angel appeared to him telling him that his prayers had been heard and informing him that his wife, Elizabeth would bear him a son. Using human considerations to judge the word of the angel, Zacharias doubted the promise given to him, since “they both were now well stricken in years” – Luke 1:7.
For his doubts, the angel told him that he would not be able to speak for a while until the child was born. True to the words of the angel, Elizabeth conceived and later gave birth to a son. This miracle brought great rejoicing to her neighbours and her cousins and they glorified God Who had shewed great mercy upon her. His name was called John and while they wondered in amazement, “his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God”. – Luke 1:58-65.
The word of God should always be believed without our looking for signs and wonders. True worshippers of God “walk by faith, and not by sight”. (2 Corinthians 5:7) What happened to Zecharias the priest is a warning to worshippers of God not to doubt the word of God. The Bible says, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” – Proverbs 30:5.
Theme: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 11:32 - 40
Text:“For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.” – Jeremiah 32:3.
Comment: Because the king and people of Judah had given themselves to the worship of the devil, God Almighty used Jeremiah the prophet to warn them, telling them that if they would not repent, He would make Jerusalem and the temple they took pride in to suffer the fate of Shiloh, where the name of God was in earlier times before it was destroyed and abandoned. (Joshua 18:1; 19:51; 1Kings 14:2.) For warning the people against sin the leaders determined that Jeremiah must die. (Jeremiah 26:1-10) However, some of the elders, together with Ahikam, an officer of the king, intervened to prevent them from their wicked plot.
Again, when the Chaldeans besieged Jerusalem, Jeremiah was instructed by God to tell them to submit to their rule to avoid death and destruction. This was seen as treason for which the leaders of the people convinced King Zedekiah to cast Jeremiah into.a well. But God also delivered him. When we stand up for the truth, even in the face of danger, God will give us victory in the end. St. Paul in his writings recalled God delivered them “from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1:10).. He added that God Almighty shall deliver him “from every evil work, and will preserve him unto his heavenly kingdom. – 2 Timothy 4:18