Luke 1:65, 80 (ESV)
[65]
And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these
things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
[80] And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the
wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
That
is an interesting contrast. Luke 1:57-80 tells the story of the birth of John
the Baptist. When his mother, Elizabeth insisted that he be called John, not
Zechariah after his father, they asked Zechariah what he should be named. Zechariah
asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John” (Lk 1:63). Immediately
he was able to speak again after having been made mute by the angel in the
temple. The result of these events was verse 65, “Fear came on all their
neighbors. And all these things were talked about.” The news spread throughout “the
hill country of Judea.”
In
contrast, John lived in the wilderness, away from people until the day he was
to begin his public ministry. The news spread about him, but he remained private
until the right time. What was he doing in the wilderness? We aren’t told anything
about that time. Many speculate that he spent time with the Essenes, a religious
group that had separated themselves from society in order to stay pure. Whether
that is true or not, John remained separated from the world until the right
time.
That
is a concept specifically related to the Christmas Story. John began his
ministry at just the right time. Romans 5:6 tells us that Jesus died at just
the right time. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.” He came “when the
fullness of time had come,” in other words, at just the right time.
God had made a covenant with his people. They had
been waiting hundreds of years for its fulfillment. Now, at just the right time
John began his ministry to introduce the Savior to the world. When Jesus left this
world he promised that he would come back. It has been over two thousand years
since that promise. But he is not late. Just as he came at just the right time,
so he will come again at just the right time. We are an impatient people. We want
to see the promise fulfilled now, especially when life gets hard. But time is
irrelevant to God. 2 Peter 3:8-9 remind us,
[8] But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one
day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise
as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should
perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God is patient toward us. Perhaps we should be patient with him. He is coming again. His promise will be fulfilled just as the promise of his first coming was fulfilled. We are to live in the expectation that it could be today. God’s desire is that more would come to repentance before he returns. Let us pray and live to that end.
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