Conception of St. John the Forerunner. Icon of St. John the Forerunner, with feasts. First third of the 16th century, Rostov Kremlin State Museum. Photo: pstgu.ru
At the same time that the conception of our Savior was nigh, there was the glorious and miraculous conception of St. John the Forerunner. Many mothers conceive children, but there are few whose conceptions are glorified and celebrated by the Holy Church. We know of only three mothers whose conceptions in their wombs became the object of wonder to the whole world. These are Righteous Anna, St. Elizabeth, and the Most Pure Virgin Mary. Righteous Anna conceived the Theotokos, Elizabeth conceived the Forerunner, and the Virgin Mary conceived Christ our Savior. All of these conceptions were announced by angels and occurred through the grace of God, but they all came to pass through conversations between the heralds and the conceivers, for God Himself also required the participation of the conceivers’ will. That is why the herald, Holy Archangel Gabriel, when he entered the altar to the priest Zacharias who was serving before the face of God, said:
“Be not afraid, Zacharias, your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son, and you will give him the name John. And many will rejoice in his birth.”
Zacharias replied, “What you are saying to me is joyous news, but it is unexpected and strange, for it is unnatural to give birth to children in old age. I am old, and my wife is also advanced in years. How can we conceive and give birth to a son?”
The angel answered:
“From your very first words, Zacharias, I see that you have little faith; you do not believe that my words will come true. It is true that what I am telling you is not natural for you, but this is the will of God, for whom nothing is impossible: God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham (Mt. 3:9). Don’t you know that God could create Adam from earth and Eve from Adam’s bone, and give to the aged Sara her son Isaac? Therefore the Almighty God is granting the birth of a son to your wife in her old age; for your prayer has been heard.”
“I”, said Zacharias, now offer my prayer for the coming of the awaited Messiah, Whom God has promised through the lips of His holy prophets; I pray that God would quickly send Him to earth to save the seed of Abraham from slavery to alien tribes; I pray to Him also that He would forgive my sins and the sins of all our people. But to have a son is something for which I no longer pray, for I have already reached old age, and my wife is advanced in years.”
Appearance of the Archangel Gabriel. Icon of St. John the Forerunner, with feasts. First third of the 16th century, Rostov Kremlin State Museum. Photo: pstgu.ru
The angel said to him:
“I am Gabriel, who stands before God; at God’s revelation I know that you no longer pray to be given a son, but rather for those things you have told me. Nevertheless, before, when you and your wife were not yet old, you fervently prayed to the Lord that He would send you a son. Not the slightest movement of the human heart can be hidden from the All-Merciful Lord; He hears those who pray to Him, and fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. Having heard your former prayer, He grants you a son who has a name that means grace; for the Lord knows according to His blessing when to fulfill the requests of his saints—and now a son shall be born to you, and he will be great in the sight of the Lord.”
To which Zacharias answered:
“I now see, O bringer of good tidings, that you are an angel of God, for your conversation testifies to this, your countenance clearly shows this, and the power of your words confirm this. At first, when you suddenly stood before me and began to speak, I was terrified as once was Prophet Daniel when he saw the angel: I saw this great vision, he said, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength (Dan. 10:8). Likewise the mother of Sampson said, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God (Judges 13:6). Therefore was I afraid and do not dare to protest your angelic words; however, I ask you, why will the son to be born to me be called great? Could he be higher and greater than the prophet Jeremiah, to whom the Lord’s words were addressed: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (Jer. 1:5)?
The angel said:
“Your son shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not only be equal in spiritual stature to the prophet Jeremiah—he will surpass him. If the latter received illumination before his birth, then this one will be more filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb; Jeremiah was only foreordained to prophecy concerning the Messiah, but this one will be worthy to place his hand upon Him and to baptize Him. And he will surpass not only Jeremiah but also the other great saints by the grandeur of divine grace; for even in our angelic hierarchy, which ever beholds the face of the Lord of Sabaoth, God does not reveal the mystery of His good will to all equally, but through the higher ranks reveals them to the lower. Many stars appear before the rising of the sun, but there is only one daystar that goes before the sun itself. Many prophets have preached the coming of the Messiah, but the boy born of you will not only preach in word, but will also point out to people the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. This is why your son will be great, and greatest among those born of women. As the fulfilment of joyful tidings is more pleasant than the tidings themselves, so will the prophet born to you have greater honor in comparison with other prophets. Before him prophesied all the prophets and the law itself, but this one shall be the completion of all the prophecies, the end of the Old Testament, and Forerunner of the new grace.”
Zacharias replied:
“Good and joyful are your tidings, O angel of the Lord! If every wise son gladdens his father, then all the more would a most wise son gladden me, an elder, even more than all the prophets! But how can I rejoice when I doubt your words? There can be no joy in doubtful things, only in sure things. And so I pray you, angel of God, tell me how I can be fully persuaded of what you are telling me?”
Then Gabriel answered:
“You continue to doubt and do not believe my words, Zacharias. Could I really tell a lie—I who am God’s messenger? After all, God is true in all His words and holy in all His works (Ps. 144:13), and with God nothing shall be impossible (Lk. 1:37). You are the priest and teacher of Israel, and truly you must know that the time has come which I counted by weeks when I was sent to Babylon to the prophet Daniel. Haven’t you read his prophesies? Look them over and know that the Savior of Israel draws nigh, and before his face will precede an angel in the flesh—your son, who will prepare the way of the Messiah; who will go before Him in the spirit and strength of Elias. But because you did not believe my words, you will be mute and will not speak a word until the day this is fulfilled.”
Angel deprives St. Zacharias of the gift of speech. Icon of St. John the Forerunner, with feasts. First third of the 16th century, Rostov Kremlin State Museum. Photo: pstgu.ru
And at that moment dumbness locked Zacharias’s lips, but the bonds of Elizabeth’s barrenness were loosed, while the angel departed to the throne of the Almighty. Glory to the Lord unto the ages. Amen.
