Chapter 1: He is Coming
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For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1.37 Glory, hallelujah! I lift up holy hands to the glorious King of kings, who is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. Nothing is impossible for you. All things belong to you, were created by you, and will be sustained by the power of your word. You who created the universe and holds it in the palm of your hands is the great I Am.

I am and ever shall be. I am the same today as I was yesterday, as I will be tomorrow. You, dear Lord, are beyond space and time. Nothing is impossible if I only believe. With God, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Through the birth of Jesus, I have been set free. I look forward to this season that reminds me of His love and the great sacrifice that He made.

and that now all things are possible for me. Teach me to have mountain-moving faith. Invade my mind with the truth of your word. Take away my hardened heart and replace it with a heart that beats in alignment with your heart of compassion and love. As I decrease and melt into your heart of love, I live and breathe in you. When I seek to do your will for your honor and glory,

I can trust the purity of your power working through me. I give you all the praise and glory and only seek to serve your purposes here on earth. In Jesus' name, amen. Stay tuned to immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever told from Pray.com's podcast, Heroes in the Bible.

Hi, I'm Dr. Tony Evans, and I'm excited for you to join me on Heroes in the Bible. Jesus. Please follow this podcast on Apple or Spotify to get the latest episodes so you can strengthen your relationship with Jesus. Welcome to the greatest story ever told. It is a tale of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness.

This is a story that continues to shape and mold the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God right into the hearts of you and I. He is the Lamb of God, Prince of Peace, Son of David, King of Kings, Chief Cornerstone, Good Shepherd, Lion of Judah, and Only Begotten Son of God. He is our ultimate hero, Jesus Christ. Every generation since Adam and Eve have pined after this long-awaited Savior,

but he was not the hero anyone expected.

Many envisioned a giant slayer like David. Others pictured a prophet summoning fire from the heavens like Elijah. But Jesus came to us in an unexpected way. The maker of the stars and captain of the cosmos chose to descend upon our world wrapped in humility. Our hero did not come as a charioteer riding the stars, but as a baby lying vulnerably in a manger. I'm excited to begin this journey with you.

I hope this fresh take on the life of Jesus will compel you to draw near to God and challenge you to take his character upon you. The truth is we can't encounter the story of Jesus and leave unchanged. His life, miracles, and words demand a response from us. With each episode, you will discover deeper layers to the person, work, and might of Jesus. My prayer for you is that Jesus would grip your heart and remind you that he can be your hero too.

We will begin this episode with a prelude, a story captured from another space in time. It is impossible for us to explore Jesus without first going to the beginning, when mankind was first exposed to darkness and hope for the light began. Here is episode one, He is Coming.

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Prelate to Chapter 1. In the beginning, there was silence.

There was no singing of angels in the heavens, nor creatures howling on the earth. Darkness loomed over the chaotic waters, and creation was but an idea not yet manifested. Then, in the dark and quiet mystery of an untamed universe, a voice spoke. There be light. The voice came.

and a burst of life and light broke through the noiseless void. The Word of God formed and fashioned every detail of the cosmos. This Word was powerful. This Word was with God and was God. Beams of light and streams of water obeyed the Word, and it was good.

God created life itself with His very voice. The earth and the fullness therein was created by Him and for Him. Within His creation, He chose to reflect His own character and His own image through mankind. From the dust, He formed men and women, and He stamped them with His likeness. He created a garden teeming with life and freedom. God dwelled in this garden with them.

God commissioned man to tend to His creation and enjoy it. They were to be fruitful and multiply all throughout the earth, bringing the character and image of God wherever they stepped. God and His creation danced in harmony with one another. It was a beautiful relationship. Yet every relationship requires choice. God gave the first men and women a choice.

They could choose to dwell with Him and follow in His ways, or they could be their own gods and know the burdens of good and evil. Mankind chose wrongly. They chose to live a life that led away from God and towards death. Because of this, they were cast out from the garden. The ground beneath them was cursed and no longer produced food without labor.

The unity between husband and wife was tainted with strife. The bond of brotherhood was marred with jealousy. Mankind chose to act as though they were their own creators, and they ignored the voice of God. Darkness loomed once again. Mankind was drawn away from the light. They tasted death, and an altogether worse darkness dwelled among them.

Even though the light still shone brightly, it became dim to their own and broken. They fell deeper and deeper into their own sin. The darkness was too much to bear. Its weight was heavy like the waves of the sea. The swells of sin billowed and beat against the vessels of their souls. Yet there was one who had the single word that calmed it all. The weight mankind was destined to drown under

would be poured out on another. God himself, the Word, would descend in a cosmic rescue mission to redeem his image bearers. The death that bound the children of God would be chased out by the light of the world. By his wounds they would be, and by his blood, they would be washed clean. This is the story of that light returning once again and the hero of all creation redeeming his people.

This new word was preceded by a voice speaking into the silence. This voice came from a man named John. Chapter 1: He is Coming Nearly 500 years had passed since God had spoken to His people through the prophets. The people of Israel longed for their promised hero. The law and the prophets had spoken of a Messiah who would come to rescue them from oppression and bondage.

So they waited, holding fast to their religious traditions and practices that kept them tethered to their culture. The age of education, religion, and government had emerged in Israel, but not without cost. The Roman Empire had conquered almost all the known world, and Caesar's grip on the nation of Israel was hard and cruel.

The Jewish people remained faithful to the practices of the temple, and the priests and Pharisees grew more rigid in their religious dogma. The nation was pining for a Messiah. Religious oppression from within and military oppression from without left God's people longing for a Savior. In the days when Herod was king over Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, were beloved members of their community. Together they sought the righteousness of God. Since they had not been blessed with the ability to have children, the two of them dedicated their lives to the ministry of God. It pained them that they could not have children. It was a desire of their hearts for so long. Yet now that they were advanced in years, they had come to accept where the Lord had them.

It was before dawn, and the sun had not yet made its way over the horizon. Zechariah woke up and breathed in the coolness of the morning. He dressed himself in his ceremonial robes and strapped on his sandals. It was the Day of Atonement, a special day where the priests would make sacrifices on behalf of the people of God. His specific division was on duty that morning.

Zechariah walked the road leading up to the temple in Jerusalem. He could see its gold fixtures reflecting the rising sun. Its rays of light spread across the city streets, making it impossible to ignore. Zechariah walked up to the temple and greeted his fellow priests. As was the custom, they were going to cast lots to determine special roles for the priests.

The first lot was to choose who would cleanse the altar and prepare the fire for sacrifice. The second lot determined who would kill the mourning sacrifice. The third lot was the most special of tasks. The third lot determined who would come and offer incense in the Holy of Holies, the presence of God, covered by a thick veil in the depths of the temple. This third lot was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Hundreds of people were gathering outside the temple to take part in the morning worship. The sun was peeking over the temple roof and shone brightly over their faces. The priests gathered and the lots were cast. Zechariah watched as the lots fell. The first was cast and fell on Amram. He would cleanse and prepare the altar. The second lot was flung into the air and landed on the name of Phival.

He would kill the morning sacrifice on behalf of the people. Then came the third lot. The high priest tossed the lot high into the air and everyone watched as it fumbled around the floor. Zechariah's eyes widened as he saw the lot fall on his name. His heart began to pound and his eyes immediately darted towards the high part of the temple. He was just chosen to enter the holiest place

The chosen dwelling place.

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The gong sounded and reverberated all throughout the temple courtyard as Zechariah took steps forward towards the veil. The thick curtain was motionless, his bottom laying heavy on the stone floor. Zechariah gulped, holding the incense in his hand. He did his best to keep his hand from shaking as he passed through the veil opening. Holy of Holies.

the most holy place where no man could enter except for this one day each year. Zechariah faced the golden altar with the incense. He took a step forward, being mindful of the rope tied around his waist. Many men had died there behind the veil, so priests took precautions. The room was dimly lit by a single golden lampstand. It was silent, almost too silent.

The only sound Zechariah could hear was the pounding of his own heart. He approached the altar cautiously. Zechariah had never experienced something like this. Despite the room being empty, he could clearly feel the presence of another. The incense burned and filled the room with a rich smoke.

Its haze made the dim light from the lampstand disperse in several directions. Zechariah closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Before he could utter any word of prayer, a burst of light knocked him down on his back. Zechariah stumbled to his feet before gazing up to see an angel of the Lord on the right side of the altar. The smoke covered his face, and Zechariah thought he was being attacked. The angel was a glorious sight.

almost indescribable in nature and stature. He was gloriously terrified. Fear overcame Zechariah as he fell to his face, trembling. "This is where I die," he thought. "The angel must have come to kill me." The angel was perched on the altar, looking down at the trembling priest. Despite their closeness to heaven, angels did not fully understand the relationship God had with these creatures.

So imperfect, yet so beloved by the Most High. The angel peered at Zechariah. As many humans did when seeing angels, he was incredibly afraid and shaking. The angel comforted him, saying, Do not be afraid, Zechariah. Today your prayers have been answered.

The quivering priest looked up to see what seemed to be a smile on the angel. Slightly curious, but still afraid, Zechariah rose to his feet. The angel continued, saying, "The Lord has found you and your wife people of favor. You too will soon bear a son, and his name will be John." Zechariah's jaw nearly hit the floor with disbelief as he watched the creature speak.

Sensing the doubt in the priest, the angel continued, "Ah, what a joy it will be for your household! Many will rejoice at this little one's birth, for he will be special. Yes, he will be a great voice proclaiming the coming of our Lord. His words will go forth like iron to wood and reach the hearts of many. Be sure that this child is not given to wine or strong drink.

for he will need his wits about him for the coming mission. The angel's presence grew more palpable as he raised his hands to heaven and shouted, Yes, Zechariah, your son will be filled with the Spirit of the living God. Even from his mother's womb, the Holy Spirit will mold and shape his heart to know his will. Zechariah stepped back, tempted to slap himself to wake up, but it was not a dream.

before him stood a heavenly being telling him that he and his aged wife were going to have a son, and somehow he was going to be special. The angel cocked his head towards the frail priest. An intensity boiled up in his eyes, and his voice grew more serious. The spirit and power of Elijah was prophesied to return and prepare the nation of Israel for their king. It will be your son, Zechariah,

who carries that burden. He will turn many hearts to the wisdom and justice of God. He will prepare the way for the coming Messiah, the Messiah.

"But this cannot be true!" Zechariah exclaimed. "Look at me! I'm an old man! My wife is well advanced past childbearing years. Perhaps you have the wrong..." "I am Gabriel." The angel interrupted with a gust of wind behind his voice. The booming sound launched Zechariah off his feet. "I stand in the presence of the Most High Creator Himself.

It is I who was sent to speak to you this good news, and here you stand in doubt? The angel's power was felt in this moment. It wasn't human. It was something else entirely. Zechariah covered his face. Before he could respond, Gabriel spoke, saying, You will see the goodness of God before your very eyes. But behold, you will not be able to speak until your son is born. Your speech will be taken from you.

therefore forcing you to truly consider the blessing of God within yourself. Hear me, this word will be fulfilled." Gabriel was silent for a moment and leaned down to the crying priest with a resolute voice filled with power and hope. He whispered, "He is coming." The angel disappeared into the smoke of the burning incense. Much time had passed since Zechariah entered behind the veil.

The other priests were growing worried. However, when he emerged, they were unable to know what had happened, for just as Gabriel declared, he was unable to speak. Zechariah's face was white with shock, yet deep within his soul, he knew what the angel said was true. He stumbled home, and that night he made love to Elizabeth and fell asleep in her warm embrace.

Just a few months later, as Elizabeth was walking to retrieve water, she could feel the slight kicks of the baby in her womb. Her eyes welled up with tears as she fell to her knees. "The Lord has smiled upon me," she whispered to herself. So Elizabeth continued to praise God. As Zechariah struggled in his silence, God was clearly at work in them. They could see the will of God dimly.

but not yet fully formed. That was until they were paid a visit from Elizabeth's cousin, Mary.

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in everything you wear. Wear Boston Proper. Sign up for VIP access and enjoy 20% off. Shop at bostonproper.com and wear it like no one else. Hi, Mom. Hi, Papa. Hi, Daddy. Where's the Couch Hands? On the freeway. Right next to speeding cars. Please be careful. Be alert. Be work zone alert. Brought to you by the Kids of Couch Hands.

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This episode set up a foundation for us, specifically with the prelude. The prelude took us all the way back to the beginning when the Word of God spoke the expanse of heaven and the foundation of earth into existence. We were given a poetic overview of the creation story, followed by the telling of man's fall from paradise.

At the end of the prelude, we are supposed to feel this longing for the light of mankind to return. Not just a longing, but a deep need to be saved. No doubt, many of us have felt like boats being tossed to and fro by the storms of life. Ever since the Garden of Eden, we have been longing for peace, light, and life. The prelude connects us to that deep need while also offering us hope that redemption is coming. He is coming.

The prelude puts a great deal of emphasis on the Word of God. John 1 tells us that the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is referred to as the Word of God. Why? To put it simply, words are our greatest tool to express our identities, hopes, and intentions. Jesus is God's way of expressing his identity, hope, and intentions for us. Jesus is the embodiment of who God is and the highest expression of truth.

And just as the Word of God formed the cosmos, He wants to form us as well. He wants to take the chaotic nothingness within us and create order. He wants to speak peace to the seas that rage within us and speak light and life into the barren wastelands of our hearts. The creation story is not just a poetic account of what happened. It is an invitation to have the same thing happen to us. As this series unfolds and the Word of God, Jesus, speaks,

Remember that it is the same voice that said, let there be light. Allow the unformed parts of your heart to be spoken to and wait as paradise grows within your soul.

After the prelude, we're introduced to Zechariah, a priest in the Temple of Jerusalem. He was a part of a religious structure that was designed to preserve the Jewish people under intense persecution. The history of Jewish suffering cannot be understated. Since their enslavement in Egypt, they have been attacked, enslaved, and subjected by every major empire that ruled each age.

However, faith, the law of Moses, tradition, and a rich heritage kept them alive. It is important to mention this because the religious Jews will occasionally come across as villains in this series. They aren't the villains. They built a dogmatic religious structure that protected them from assimilating into Roman culture, and it was that system that kept their culture alive long enough to see the long-awaited Messiah come.

Zachariah is not just a character in this episode. He is a symbol. He is a symbol of the transition between two religious systems. The old covenant, promises and laws established by God in the Old Testament, is about to be fulfilled, making a path for a new covenant through Jesus. Zachariah's son is going to be the forerunner for Jesus, preparing hearts for the new work God is about to do.

There is symbolic significance to Zechariah entering the Holy of Holies behind the veil. This was the place where the manifest presence of God dwelt, separated from the rest of the world by a thick curtain. This whole story is about the veil being torn, giving every man and woman access to God. At the end of this series, you will hear about the veil again.

Our hero's body will be torn asunder, and the veil separating God and man will be torn as well. When Zechariah enters the Holy of Holies, we are given the ominous feeling that someone else is there with him. Clearly, the presence of God is palpable in that room, but there is another as well, a creature unlike anything Zechariah has ever seen.

The story uses the word creature purposefully. Oftentimes, when angels are portrayed in movies, they're given a cute and harmless quality. But that is not how the Bible describes them. Some angels are described in detail and are frankly terrifying. Angels like Gabriel are described with more human-like characteristics, but they were not simply humans with pretty wings.

There was a different quality to them and a glory that instilled fear in anyone they came into contact with. The Bible also tells us that we get access to God in a way that angels marvel at.

Although they are heavenly beings, their relationship with God is not like ours. They do not bear his image or get access to his heart in the same way. This is why Gabriel's interaction with humans in this story is supposed to be a little awkward and different from a simple human-to-human interaction. Gabriel will visit again in this series.

The angel has a message for Zechariah. His wife will give birth to a baby boy and his name will be John. According to Gabriel, he will be a great voice proclaiming the coming of the Lord. His words will go forth like iron to wood and reach the hearts of many.

Elizabeth bearing a child is highly improbable, and Zechariah reminds Gabriel that they are both beyond. Zechariah's protest is an interesting one because it reveals an ignorance of the Scriptures. All throughout the Old Testament, God showed favor to his chosen people by opening up the barren womb.

There are six stories of barren women in the Old Testament, Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel, who are all matriarchs. There was also Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, the unnamed mother of Samson, and a Shunammite woman who was an assistant to Elisha. In all these instances, God opens up their wombs so they can give birth to God's chosen patriots, heroes, and prophets. This is perhaps one of the most important patterns in the entire Bible.

This ongoing motif was trumpeting the promise of a son. In each of these stories, the son that came from the barren woman went to suffer and redeem God's people in some way. Isaac was almost sacrificed at the altar, but went on to continue the promise of Abraham. Jacob fled for his life, but became Israel. Joseph was sold into slavery, nearly killed, but rose to power to redeem his family.

Samson waged war against the Philistines and died to save his nation. Samuel was given up as a young boy to be a priest, then served the nation of Israel as their last judge. The Shunammite son died but was brought back to life by Elisha. All of these men came from barren wombs and modeled in some way the life of Jesus. Zechariah should have known better when protesting God's promise.

Let me ask you a question. What is more impossible than a barren woman becoming pregnant? A virgin becoming pregnant. God is going to transition from doing the improbable to the impossible. Our story ends with a dim picture of things to come, but the image is getting clearer.

The unknown future presented to Zachariah and Elizabeth represents the obscurity of Jesus' arrival. There are whispers, veiled prophecies, and echoes of things to come, but nobody can fully be prepared for what's about to happen. An unlikely hero is coming, and the long-awaited light is about to shine into the darkness. Our journey has begun, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Join us next time for Episode 2, You Are Chosen.

We will meet the two people chosen by God to raise his son. Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories, daily prayers, and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to Pray.com. And to expand your Heroes in the Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at TonyEvans.org forward slash heroes.

Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify to get the newest episodes right as they come out and always be inspired by the Bible. God bless. Hi, Mom. Hi, Papa. Hi, Daddy. Where's the Couch Hands? On the freeway. Right next to speeding cars. Please be careful. Be alert. Be work zone alert. Brought to you by the Kids of Couch Hands.

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