NOTE: This post begins a series of writings through the book of Luke.

Luke 1:5-7 “In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.”

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Did you catch that? 

“In the days of Herod, King of Judea…” 

Herod was the deceitful, murderous Roman-appointed King who would soon order the execution of every Jewish baby boy in Bethlehem. What a bleak beginning to this story. Yet a glimmer of hope shines through just a few words later: A priestly couple, righteous and blameless in the eyes of the Lord. 

Yet they were the barren ones.

Barrenness is all too familiar for many of us; if not the barrenness of our womb, then perhaps the fruitlessness of our job, our marriage, our ministry, our prayer life, or our fight against sin. For some of us, the wait has felt far too long. How long, Oh Lord? How long will wicked men like Herod sit enthroned over nations while your righteous ones long for a single heir? 

Yet “the Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.” (Psalm 145:17) Behind the bleakest of circumstances is a kind and benevolent King of the World who is working all things together for our good. And one day, when Christ’s Kingdom is consummated, we will have eyes to see it. May we long for that day when we will long no more.