Luke 1:9-11
according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is how incredibly rare and significant this duty was for Zacharias. The entire order of priests was determined by lot, but the specific task of burning incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God, was the most coveted, with some scholars noting it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most priests. This highlights the extraordinary nature of the divine appointment that was about to unfold.
The narrative has just established Zacharias and Elizabeth as righteous people who longed for a child. Now, the story focuses on Zacharias's priestly duties, specifically a significant and rare honor: drawing the lot to enter the inner sanctuary and burn incense, a solemn act representing the prayers of the people ascending to God. This pivotal moment sets the stage for a divine encounter and the announcement of John the Baptist's birth.
Every detail in God's house had a purpose, even down to how duties were assigned. Imagine a massive priesthood, all serving God, but how to ensure fairness and order?
Divine Order in Priesthood
God established a detailed system for the Levitical priesthood, even before David's reforms. This included specific duties and a structure for their service. David, inspired by God, organized the 24 priestly courses, ensuring that the sacred duties in the Temple were carried out systematically and without chaos.
The Role of the Lot
To prevent disputes and ensure impartiality, especially for highly coveted roles, the priests used lots. This wasn't a game of chance but a way to discern God's will for who would perform specific tasks on any given day or week. The drawing of lots was a recognized method within the Old Testament for making decisions.
The Incense Offering
Burning incense was a particularly significant and highly desired duty. It was performed twice daily, morning and evening, and symbolized the prayers of the people ascending to God. The priest entering the Holy Place to do this was a profound moment, entering the very presence of the Lord.
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When Zacharias stepped into the Temple, he wasn't just entering a building. He was stepping into a space that represented God's dwelling among His people.
More Than Just Walls
The 'temple' mentioned here refers specifically to the Holy Place, the inner sanctuary accessible only to priests. This was not merely a structure but a symbolic representation of God's presence dwelling with Israel.
A Mediator's Role
For a priest to enter this space was to act as a mediator. He went into the very presence of God on behalf of the people. The act of burning incense was a tangible reminder that access to God was not automatic but mediated through appointed service and, ultimately, through a divine representative.
The People's Silent Prayer
While the priest was inside, the people waited outside, praying in silence. This communal act of prayer, coinciding with the incense offering, visually and spiritually linked the people's hopes and petitions to the priestly mediation happening within the sacred space.
Zacharias and Elizabeth are described as 'righteous,' yet they faced a profound personal sorrow. How does Scripture reconcile outward faithfulness with inward struggle?
Walking Blamelessly
The text highlights Zacharias and Elizabeth's deep devotion: "both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." This wasn't just outward show; it was a sincere, wholehearted commitment to obeying God's commands in every aspect of life.
The Pain of Childlessness
Despite their faithfulness, they experienced the deep pain of childlessness. In their culture, this was often seen as a sign of God's displeasure or a lack of blessing. Their advanced age made the hope of having a child seem impossible, intensifying their struggle.
God's Purpose in Delay
Luke emphasizes their barrenness not as a failure on their part, but as a divine setup. Their long wait and Elizabeth's impossibility of bearing a child would make the miraculous birth of John the Baptist even more astonishing. It underscored that this birth was not by human effort but by God's powerful intervention, preparing the way for the Messiah.
Understand the original words
naos · Greek Noun
The dwelling place of God’s presence on earth, dedicated to His worship. It was the central location for sacrifices, ritual service, and communion between God and His people.
thymiama · Greek Noun
A substance burned as an offering to God, representing the prayers of the saints ascending to His throne. The act of burning it was a sacred liturgical duty performed in the presence of the Lord.
proseuchomai · Greek Verb
The act of communicating with God through petitions, thanksgiving, or confession. It is an expression of human dependence upon God and faith in His responsiveness to His people.
angelos · Greek Noun
A messenger from God; a spiritual being created by God to serve His purposes, often acting as an intermediary between the heavenly and earthly realms.
thysiastērion · Greek Noun
A physical structure used for offering sacrifices or burning incense to God; it symbolizes divine presence, atonement, and the intercession of the people.
The practice of drawing lots for priestly duties, including the highly revered task of burning incense in the Holy Place, was a deeply ingrained custom established by David and continued through the Second Temple period. This specific, divinely orchestrated moment for Zechariah, occurring during a time of Roman rule and Temple renovation under Herod, highlights the anticipation for God's promised intervention in Israel's history.
c. 1400 BC
Tabernacle Priesthood Established
Following the Exodus, God institutes the Levitical priesthood and the Tabernacle, with specific roles and rituals, including the offering of incense (Exodus 28-30). This sets the stage for future temple worship.
c. 970 BC
Temple Priesthood Organized
King David, inspired by God, organizes the priests into 24 courses or rotations for service, ensuring order and preventing disputes over duties (1 Chronicles 23-24). This system continues into the Second Temple period.
c. 587 BC
Destruction of Solomon's Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and destroy the First Temple, ending the daily sacrificial and incense rituals. This marks a significant disruption of priestly duties.
c. 515 BC
Second Temple Completed
After the Babylonian exile, the Second Temple is built, and the Levitical priesthood resumes its functions, including the order of services established by David.
c. 40 BC - AD 4
Reign of Herod the Great
Herod the Great rules Judea as a client king of Rome. Though not ethnically Jewish, he undertakes extensive building projects, including renovating and expanding the Second Temple complex.
c. 4 BC - AD 30— this verse
Priesthood of Zechariah
Zechariah, a priest from the division of Abijah (the eighth course), serves in the Jerusalem Temple. His wife, Elizabeth, is also from a priestly lineage.
This passage details the divine command for daily incense offering, establishing the sacred custom that Zacharias was fulfilling by lot in Luke.
1 Chronicles 24:7-19This passage outlines David's arrangement of the priestly divisions and their specific duties, which set the framework for how specific roles, like burning incense, were assigned by lot.
2 Chronicles 26:18-19This narrative shows King Uzziah's punishment for presumptuously attempting to burn incense, highlighting the gravity and exclusivity of this priestly duty assigned by lot.
Psalm 141:2This psalm directly links the offering of incense to the prayers of God's people ascending to Him, underscoring the symbolic significance of Zacharias's task.
Revelation 8:3-4This vision in Revelation portrays an angel offering incense with the prayers of the saints, drawing a powerful parallel to the priestly service in Luke and its connection to intercession.
calvinLuke 1:5-13: "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth."
- In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7. And the…
clarkeLuke 1:9: "According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord."
His lot was, etc. - We are informed in the Talmud, that it was the custom of the priests to divide the different functions of the sacerdotal office among themselves by lot: and, in this case, the decision of the lot was, that Zacharias should at that time burn the incense before the Lord, in the holy place.
What's easy to miss here is how incredibly rare and significant this duty was for Zacharias. The entire order of priests was determined by lot, but the specific task of burning incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God, was the most coveted, with some scholars noting it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most priests. This highlights the extraordinary nature of the divine appointment that was about to unfold.
The narrative has just established Zacharias and Elizabeth as righteous people who longed for a child. Now, the story focuses on Zacharias's priestly duties, specifically a significant and rare honor: drawing the lot to enter the inner sanctuary and burn incense, a solemn act representing the prayers of the people ascending to God. This pivotal moment sets the stage for a divine encounter and the announcement of John the Baptist's birth.
The narrative has just established Zacharias and Elizabeth as righteous people who longed for a child. Now, the story focuses on Zacharias's priestly duties, specifically a significant and rare honor: drawing the lot to enter the inner sanctuary and burn incense, a solemn act representing the prayers of the people ascending to God. This pivotal moment sets the stage for a divine encounter and the announcement of John the Baptist's birth.
"according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the…" — What's easy to miss here is how incredibly rare and significant this duty was for Zacharias. The entire order of priests was determined by lot, but the specific task of burning incense, symbolizing t…
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