Scripture is from New King James Version (KKJV)
Notes on Scripture (below): by tkbrown
Luke 1:57-80
57 — “Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.”
58 — “When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.”
59 — “So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child, and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.”
60 — “His mother answered and said, ‘No, he shall be called John.'”
61 — “But they said to her, ‘There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.'”
62 — “So, they made signs to his father–what he would have him called.”
63 — “And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, ‘His name is John.’ So, they all marveled.”
64 — “Immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.”
65 — “Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.”
66 — “And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts saying, ‘What kind of child will this be?’ And the hand of the Lord was with him.”
67 — “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:”
68 — “‘Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,'”
69 — “‘and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,'”
70 — “‘as he spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,'”
71 — “‘that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,'”
72 — “‘to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,'”
73 — “‘the oath which He swore to our father Abraham:'”
74 — “‘To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,'”
75 — “‘in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life,'”
76 — “‘and you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,'”
77 — ‘”to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,'”
78 — “‘through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us,'”
79 — “‘to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.'”
80 — “So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
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Notes on Scripture: by tkbrown
Here, in Luke 1:57-80, we are told of John’s birth. His mother, Elizabeth was well-advanced in years. Thus, when the neighbors and kinfolk ’round about heard of John’s birth, they spoke of it often, speculating as to the child’s purpose in life. In other words, they viewed John’s birth as a miracle and were certain he was a child with special purpose.
If you recall, when we covered — in Week One–Luke 1:5-25 — the angel’s visit to Zacharias. Gabriel informed him of John’s impending birth. However, both Zacharias and his wife — Elizabeth — were advanced in age. Having never had children, Zacharias did not believe this could happen and said as much. For this disbelief, Gabriel informed him he would be unable to speak until the child was born.
When Elizabeth’s time came, the babe was born. According to Jewish custom, on the eighth day when the babe was to be circumcised, those in attendance wanted to name him Zacharias because that was his father’s name. Elizabeth informed them the babe’s name should be ‘John’. They expressed concern about this because no one in the family had the name, ‘John’.
Zacharias was brought in, and he confirmed that the babe’s name would be ‘John’. Then Zacharias was able to speak again, and he praised God for the blessings bestowed upon him. From that time, Zacharias taught John the reason for his special birth — that he should go before the Lord to prepare the way for Jesus and His ministry.
Last week, I said we would also look at John’s life in this lesson. However, John’s life ministry is covered in sufficient manner, I believe, to warrant studying those scriptures in a separate lesson. Also, I believe it is important to cover it in the order it occurred. Therefore, we will next study the birth of Jesus and His childhood — since that is the order in which they occurred chronologically. Then we will study John’s ministry just prior to Jesus’ ministry. Thank You for following our study of the scriptures. God Bless!
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Extra Note:
These are harrowing times in our world today. The coronavirus, COVID-19, is marching across our lands with a virulence that most alive today have never witnessed. It is a time to engage in fervent prayer to our God in heaven, that this time of tribulation might be brought to an end.
My mother was born in 1918 — when the Spanish Flu ravaged the earth and devoured the lives of many. She was too young to remember the quarantines and other measures put into place by the government, but my grandparents, great-aunts, great-uncles and great-great-grandparents remembered and talked about it from time to time. She spoke often, to me, of the stories they all told.
It is imperative that we adhere to the self-quarantine and social distancing measures put into place as well as any other measures recommended. Let us all join together in these prayers, that the suffering wreaking havoc in our world might be drawn to a close.
Thank You for taking the time to read my posts. If you have questions or comments, please note them below. Have a Blessed Week!
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Week One -- Scripture: Zacharias to have Son . . .
Week Two -- Scripture: Jesus' Birth Foretold . . .
Week Three -- Scripture: Zacharias' son, John, is born . . .
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by tkbrown 
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