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To whom was Luke written? (Theophilos) Theophilus Lover of God. Prominent man (likely a public official) who received Luke and Acts and patronized the author. By extension, everyone who loves God and wants to know the certainty of things taught about Jesus. I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus (Luke 1:3b)

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So the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done thisI will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heelAdam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. (Genesis 3:14-20)

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In the time of Herod king of Judea (Luke 1:5a) (Herodes) - Herod Name of a royal family that flourished among the Jews in the times of Christ and the Apostles. Herod the Great, son of Antipater of Idumea (Edom). Appointed king of Judea (40 BC) at the suggestion of Antony and with consent from Octavian. He was brave and skilled in war, learned and sagacious, but also extremely suspicious and cruel.

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This is the account of the family line of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. (Genesis 36:9) David became famous after he returned from killing eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. (II Samuel 8:13) Herod prevented them and went off by night to Idumea, where his father was from ---Flavius Josephus, War of the Jews, 263

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Matthew 2:22 Luke 3:1 Acts 12:1 Acts 25-26

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there was a priest named Zechariah (Luke 1:5b) (Zacharias) - Zechariah Yahweh has remembered. Prophet, author, and (likely) priest in Old Testament. Father of John the Baptizer.

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These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron: The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and IthamarDavid separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering...The first lot fell to Jehoiaribthe eighth to AbijahThis was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the Lord, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron (I Chronicles 24:1-19)

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Aaron married Elishebaand she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. (Exodus 6:23) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. (Luke 1:5c) (Eliysheba - Hebrew) - Elizabeth (Greek) "my God has sworn" or "God is an oath Mother of John the Baptizer and related to Mary.

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Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lords commands and decrees blamelessly. (Luke 1:6) The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)

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When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, Give me children, or Ill die! Jacob became angry with her and said, Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children? (Genesis 30:1-2) But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1:7) Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3)

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Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense.Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for generations to come. (Exodus 30:1-8) Once when Zechariahs division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. (Luke 1:8-9)

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2 priests (one morning and one evening) X 365 days per year _______________________ = 730 priests selected annually 18,000 priests 730 chosen annually _______________________ = 24 years, 8 months for an average wait

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And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. (Luke 1:10-12)

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So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, Because I asked the Lord for him. (I Samuel 1:20) But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. (Luke 1:13a) Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. (Genesis 25:21)

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pray continually (I Thessalonians 5:17) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

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Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. (Luke 1:14-15) (Ioannes) - John Yahweh is gracious.

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The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite, they must abstain from wine and other fermented drinkDuring the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long. (Numbers 6:1-5)

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When does human life begin? Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:4) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) Before John was conceived, he had a name, a purpose and a calling from God. Baby is referred to as he not it or the fetus. Even in the womb, John is referred to as a son. Before birth, John displays human emotion (joy). As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. (Luke 1:44) And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son (Luke 1:36a)

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He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteousto make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:16-17)

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I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:1) See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction. (Malachi 4:5-6)

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The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

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Zechariah asked the angel, How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years. (Luke 1:18) Then one of them said, I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son. Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure? (Genesis 18:10-12)

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The angel said to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time. (Luke 1:19-20)

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Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. When his time of service was completed, he returned home. (Luke 1:21-23)

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After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. The Lord has done this for me, she said. In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people. (Luke 1:24-25) I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John (Luke 7:28a) (oneidos) - reproach shame, disgrace.

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Why is the story of John so important? His story connects the Old and New Testaments John was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. John broke Gods silence. Johns conception was a miracle. John was the prophesied forerunner of Messiah. John and Jesus are intertwined in the plan of God.

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