God chooses two humble and faithful people to be the bridge that gaps the old and new covenants.
Today's Bible verse is Hebrews 4:16, from the King James Version.
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<v Speaker 1>Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne
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<v Speaker 1>of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace
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<v Speaker 1>for help in time of need. Hebrews four sixteen. Gracious,
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<v Speaker 1>Heavenly Father, thank you for this incredible invitation to approach
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<v Speaker 1>you with boldness and confidence, knowing that we will find
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<v Speaker 1>grace and mercy in our time of need. Help us
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<v Speaker 1>to truly understand and appreciate this profound privilege. You have
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<v Speaker 1>opened the way for us through the sacrifice of your son.
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<v Speaker 1>Because of him, we can come to you directly with
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<v Speaker 1>all our fears, doubts, struggles and joys. Teach us to
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<v Speaker 1>turn to you in every situation, whether in times of joy, pain,
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<v Speaker 1>or uncertainty. May we continuously seek your assured that you
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<v Speaker 1>are always ready to listen, to extend mercy and to
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<v Speaker 1>grant us the grace we need and the precious name
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<v Speaker 1>of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you for sharing this
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<v Speaker 1>moment of prayer. Now immerse yourself and the teachings of
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<v Speaker 1>today's episode from Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
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<v Speaker 2>The voice of God had remained silent towards his chosen
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<v Speaker 2>people for four hundred years the sons and daughters of
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<v Speaker 2>Israel ached for the arrival of their prophesied savior, a
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<v Speaker 2>messiah promised by the scriptures to liberate them from their shackles.
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<v Speaker 2>Despite the silence, their faith persisted, grounded by rituals and
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<v Speaker 2>traditions that wove the fabric of their unique culture. Israel
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<v Speaker 2>had emerged as a hub of learning, religion, and governance,
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<v Speaker 2>albeit under the crushing weight of Rome's iron rule. Judaism thrived,
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<v Speaker 2>yet was gripped by the rigidity of pharisitical interpretations, and
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<v Speaker 2>Caesar's brutal regime overshadowed any semblance of peace. Israel cried
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<v Speaker 2>out for a savior to quell the religious and military turmoil.
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<v Speaker 2>In the age of King Herod's reign over Judea, a
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<v Speaker 2>priest named Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth served as pillars
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<v Speaker 2>of their community. Childless yet devout, they sought solace and
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<v Speaker 2>purpose in serving God. The barrenness of their union was
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<v Speaker 2>a silent wound they carried, yet they found fulfillment in
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<v Speaker 2>different ways. Zachariah was a priest and Elizabeth was a
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<v Speaker 2>nurturing presence in their village.
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<v Speaker 3>Hello everyone, and welcome to another Christmas episode of the
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<v Speaker 3>Jesus Podcast. I'm Ethan from pray dot Com. We're taking
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<v Speaker 3>time from now until Christmas to explore the rich and
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<v Speaker 3>powerful story of the Nativity. So far, we've taken time
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<v Speaker 3>to set the stage for Christ's arrival. We immersed ourselves
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<v Speaker 3>in prophecy and history to put ourselves in the shoes
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<v Speaker 3>of ancient Israel. The prophecies have been declared, the boot
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<v Speaker 3>of Rome is pressed down harder, and Israel is ready
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<v Speaker 3>for its redeemer. Now we enter the story of Zechariah
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<v Speaker 3>and Elizabeth. These two figures are significant to the overarching
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<v Speaker 3>narrative of scripture. Zechariah is a priest under the Old
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<v Speaker 3>Covenant of Israel. He ministers in the temple and performs
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<v Speaker 3>sacrifices on behalf of God's people. He represents the Law
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<v Speaker 3>of Moses and the relationship between God and Israel. Elizabeth,
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<v Speaker 3>much like the matriarchs of the Old Testament, is barren
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<v Speaker 3>in her old age. She also she also represents the
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<v Speaker 3>Old Covenant people who pine after a tur child to
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<v Speaker 3>save them. Zechariah and Elizabeth are about to be visited
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<v Speaker 3>by an angel, hearkening to the arrival of a new
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<v Speaker 3>Covenant established by God. Zechariah and Elizabeth represent the transition
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<v Speaker 3>between the Old and the New Testaments, so let's immerse
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<v Speaker 3>ourselves in their story, and this dramatic telling of Loop
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<v Speaker 3>chapter one afterwards will take time to unpack the timeless
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<v Speaker 3>Christmas themes.
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<v Speaker 2>Zachariah rose from his bed with aching bones. The sun
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<v Speaker 2>rose over the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Its light trickled in
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<v Speaker 2>ever so slightly through his window, illuminating his sleeping wife
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<v Speaker 2>beside him. He adorned himself in his ceremonial garb and
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<v Speaker 2>prepared for the day of Atonement, a sacred occasion marked
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<v Speaker 2>by offerings and sacrifices. His priestly division was assigned to
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<v Speaker 2>perform the rites that day. As he ascended the temple steps,
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<v Speaker 2>the Golden Tower of Jerusalem shimmered with the dawn's first light.
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<v Speaker 2>Zachariah greeted his fellow priests as they prepared to cast
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<v Speaker 2>lots for the day's rolls, a ritual of divine selection.
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<v Speaker 2>As the crowd of worshippers swelled outside the temple, lots
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<v Speaker 2>were cast under the radiant glow of the sunrise. Zachariah
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<v Speaker 2>looked on as two of his companions were chosen to
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<v Speaker 2>prepare the altar and perform the morning sacrifice. As the
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<v Speaker 2>third lot was cast the honour of offering incense in
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<v Speaker 2>the Holy of Holies, Zachariah's heart pounded with anticipation. To
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<v Speaker 2>his disbelief, his name emerged, bestowing him the rare opportunity
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<v Speaker 2>to enter God's sanctified dwelling. A resonating gong signaled his
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<v Speaker 2>steps towards the imposing veil that partitioned the Holy of Holies.
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<v Speaker 2>Clutching the incense, he entered the veiled room in enclave
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<v Speaker 2>reserved for the yearly ritual. The dimly lit sanctuary, accented
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<v Speaker 2>by the soft glow of a solitary lampstand, was filled
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<v Speaker 2>with the smoky aroma of incense. In unnerving silence pervaded,
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<v Speaker 2>broken only by Zachariah's height and heartbeat. Zachariah looked around,
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<v Speaker 2>getting the feeling that he was not alone. He knew
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<v Speaker 2>that entering the inner sanctuary meant he would be in
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<v Speaker 2>the presence of God, yet he felt something else in
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<v Speaker 2>the room, something otherworldly, was with him. Before he could
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<v Speaker 2>articulate a prayer, a radiant being appeared beside the altar.
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<v Speaker 2>Zacharia covered his eyes and fell to his knees. A
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<v Speaker 2>messenger from God stood before him, an angel whose visage
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<v Speaker 2>was partially obscured by the incense smoke. Zachariah pressed his
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<v Speaker 2>face to the ground, his mind consumed by the notion
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<v Speaker 2>of imminent death. Is God going to strike me down?
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<v Speaker 2>Thought Zachariah. Fear overcame him. The angel's features were human like,
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<v Speaker 2>but he was not a mere man. Perched beside the altar,
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<v Speaker 2>he spoke with calming reassurance, saying, fear not, Zachariah, your
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<v Speaker 2>prayers have been heard, he said, a hint of a smile,
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<v Speaker 2>dancing on his divine features. As Zachariah stood up, the
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<v Speaker 2>angel unfolded a divine prophecy. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear
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<v Speaker 2>you a son, and you shall call his name Charm.
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<v Speaker 2>The joy and gladness of his birth will bless your home,
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<v Speaker 2>for the Lord has chosen him for greatness. A smile
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<v Speaker 2>curled around the angel's face.
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<v Speaker 4>He will turn many of the children of Israel back
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<v Speaker 4>to their God, and he will go before him with
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<v Speaker 4>the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the
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<v Speaker 4>hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient
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<v Speaker 4>back to wisdom. He will prepare the way of the Lord.
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<v Speaker 4>Zachariah listened with awe and disbelief. Although a divine being
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<v Speaker 4>stood before him, the concept of his wife conceiving it
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<v Speaker 4>her age seemed impossible.
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<v Speaker 2>But how can this be? Zacharia explained, I am an
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<v Speaker 2>old man in my wife if his advanced in years,
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<v Speaker 2>who he couldn't possibly I am Gabriel, the angel interrupted
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<v Speaker 2>with righteous light.
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<v Speaker 5>I styled in the presence of God himself. I was
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<v Speaker 5>sent to bring you good news. Yet you stand here
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<v Speaker 5>in doubt of his power because you have not believed
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<v Speaker 5>my words. You will be silent until the promise of God.
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<v Speaker 2>Has been fulfilled. Zachariah held his mouth and felt the
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<v Speaker 2>power of his voice leave him. In an instant, Gabriel
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<v Speaker 2>departed from him, emerging from the Holy of Holies. Zachariah
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<v Speaker 2>was rendered mute, instilling a sense of trepidation amongst the
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<v Speaker 2>other priests. He returned home, unable to share what he
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<v Speaker 2>had seen. He entered his home and greeted his wife.
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<v Speaker 2>They held each other close, and Zachariah shared a tender
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<v Speaker 2>moment with his bride of many years. In the ensuing months,
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<v Speaker 2>Elizabeth felt the first stirrings of life within her. As
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<v Speaker 2>she touched her belly, tears of joy streamed down her face.
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<v Speaker 2>Even as she praised God and Zachariah grappled with his
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<v Speaker 2>enforced silence. They felt the divine hand in their lives. However,
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<v Speaker 2>the full breadth of God's plan was yet to unferl
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<v Speaker 2>something they would realize with the unexpected visit of Elizabeth's
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<v Speaker 2>cousin Mary.
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<v Speaker 3>Our podcast has been dedicated to finding the synergy between
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<v Speaker 3>the Gospel and the Hebrew Bible. One of the most
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<v Speaker 3>significant links between the two is the story of Zechariah, Elizabeth,
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<v Speaker 3>and John the Baptist. These figures connect the traditions of
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<v Speaker 3>the Old Testament to the hope of the New Testament.
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<v Speaker 3>Zechariah as a priest under the Old Covenant of Israel.
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<v Speaker 3>He ministers in the temple and performs sacrifices on behalf
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<v Speaker 3>of God's people, though sacrifices ultimately pointed toward the atonement
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<v Speaker 3>of Jesus on the Cross. When he meets Gabriel, he's
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<v Speaker 3>told that his son would be a herald proclaiming the
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<v Speaker 3>way of the Lord. John the Baptist would go on
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<v Speaker 3>to be a forerunner for Jesus, preparing people's hearts for
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<v Speaker 3>his arrival. We cannot underestimate the powerful imagery used in
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<v Speaker 3>the account of Luke. Zechariah entered the presence of God
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<v Speaker 3>with fear, adorned in ceremonial garments, not sure if he
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<v Speaker 3>would live or die. Contrast that with the encouragement we
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<v Speaker 3>are given in Hebrews chapter four. Having then a great
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<v Speaker 3>high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the
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<v Speaker 3>Son of God, Let's hold tightly to our confession, for
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<v Speaker 3>we don't have a high priest who can't be touched
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<v Speaker 3>with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has
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<v Speaker 3>been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
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<v Speaker 3>Let's therefore draw near with boldness to the Throne of Grace,
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<v Speaker 3>that we may receive mercy and may find grace for
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<v Speaker 3>help in time of need. The role of a priest
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<v Speaker 3>like Zechariah was to be an intermediary between the people
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<v Speaker 3>and God, making prayers and sacrifices on their behalf. In
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<v Speaker 3>a greater sense, Jesus is our high priest, which connects
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<v Speaker 3>us to the heart of God. Because of his sacrifice
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<v Speaker 3>on the cross, we don't have to approach God with trepidation,
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<v Speaker 3>but with boldness and assurance of his love for us.
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<v Speaker 3>Zechariah's story is the last Biblical account of a temple ritual,
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<v Speaker 3>hearkening to a new age of Christ, who is the
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<v Speaker 3>fulfillment of the Old Testament. There is also profound imagery
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<v Speaker 3>found in Elizabeth. She had waited long for the Lord
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<v Speaker 3>to provide her with a child, and had lost hope
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<v Speaker 3>that she would ever conceive. Her barrenness represents the lifeless
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<v Speaker 3>state of Israel. Then, Israel had pined after the promised
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<v Speaker 3>son foretold by the prophets, but it had been so
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<v Speaker 3>long that hope was fading. But God was on the move.
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<v Speaker 3>He visited Elizabeth in her old age, just like he
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<v Speaker 3>did with Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Hannah. He opened up
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<v Speaker 3>her womb and gave her a son, John. All these
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<v Speaker 3>accounts in the Bible of barren wombs bearing children illustrate
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<v Speaker 3>what God does in our hearts. Spiritually speaking, we are
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<v Speaker 3>unable to produce life for ourselves. We feel empty and
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<v Speaker 3>without hope, But God chooses to enliven us with his
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<v Speaker 3>spirit and fill us to the brim with new life.
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<v Speaker 3>The miraculous nature of John's conception also prepares us for
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<v Speaker 3>another miraculous conception. In our next episode, we'll meet Elizabeth's
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<v Speaker 3>cousin Mary, who also receives a visit from the angel Gabriel.
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<v Speaker 3>God chooses her to carry a significant burden, and the
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<v Speaker 3>world will never be the same
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