- Who is Zechariah
- Zakaria in the Qur'an
- Pedigree
- Zechariah's Craft
- Guardianship of Mary the mother of Jesus
- Zakariya's supplication
- Son of Zechariah
- Murder of the Prophet Zechariah
- Yahya (John) and Jesus
Zechariah was a prophet who lived in the first century BC. His full name is Zakaria ibn Barkhiya (Dan or Frankincense) ibn Muslim ibn Saduq. He was born in Hebron and died in Jerusalem, having lived a long life on earth for about one hundred and twenty-five years. The name of Zechariah is closely related to the name of his son the prophet Yahya, who corresponds to John the Baptist in the Bible. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah is mentioned seven times in the Holy Book of the Koran under the name Zechariah.
Zakaria in the Qur'an
The first mention is presented in verses 3:38-41 of the Holy Book, which says that Zakaria cried out to God with a request to give him offspring, and he had a vision when the angels of the Lord conveyed to him God's message, a prophecy that “ Allah makes you glad with the news O Yahya, who will confirm the Word of God and will be a master, a self-controlled man and a prophet from among the righteous .” Further in the verse of the Holy Book of the Koran it is said that Zakaria, after the holy vision, doubted that this was possible: “ Lord! How can I have a son if old age has already overtaken me and my wife is barren? " To this, God answered him in a vision that “ So Allah does what He wills!” " But Zechariah still did not believe, and asked God to show him a holy sign. And then God told him: “ Your sign will be that you will talk to people only by signs for three days. Remember your Lord much and praise Him before sunset and in the morning .”
In the Holy Book of the Koran, the prophet Zechariah is mentioned among such names as Isa, Yahya and Ilyas, who, like Zechariah, are counted among the righteous. This is stated in verse 6:85 of the Holy Book of the Koran.
In the Holy Book of the Qur'an there is also a reference to what kindness God showed to his servant Zechariah, and is reminded of how he secretly cried out to his Lord saying: “ Lord! Truly, my bones have weakened, and gray hair has already spread over my head. But before, thanks to prayers to You, Lord, I was not unhappy ” (Sura Maryam (Mary), 4th verse). Zechariah's misfortune was that he was afraid of how his relatives could dispose of his inheritance if his wife did not give him an heir. He asked God to give him an heir who would be pious. God appeared to him in a holy vision and showed him in a prophecy that everything is real if Allah wants it: “ This is easy for Me, because first I created you, although you did not exist at all ” (Sura Maryam (Mary), 9th verse). And in response to Zechariah’s request, God sent him a sign, which said that Zechariah would not be able to talk to people “ for three nights, being in perfect health ” (Sura Maryam (Mary), 10th verse). The whole story is given in verses 19:2-11 of the Holy Book.
In verses 21:89, 90 of the Holy Book of the Koran there is a command to remember Zechariah, who “ called out to his Lord: “Lord! Do not leave me alone, and You are the Best of heirs.” We answered his prayer, gave him Yahya and made his wife capable of it. Verily, they hastened to do good, called upon Us with hope and fear, and were humble before Us .”
Orthodox wedge
Author: Archpriest Boris BalashovA.A. Ivanov. "Archangel Gabriel strikes Zechariah with muteness." 1850s. Tretyakov Gallery
Evangelist Luke begins his story about the gospel of Zechariah by defining the time: In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest from the order of Abius, named Zechariah (Luke 1:5). By this he indicates that the Old Testament prophecy about the time of the Savior’s coming into the world is beginning to be fulfilled: The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until the Reconciler comes (Gen. 49:10). Herod the Great, about whom the Evangelist Luke speaks, acquired for himself the title of King of the Jews from the Roman Senate by bribery. Having received the throne, he, as a foreigner, became a blind tool of the Romans, for which he was especially hated by the people. King Herod was not a Jew, and his reign was actually the taking away of the scepter from Judas, which indicated the coming of the time of the coming of the Messiah-Reconciler.
Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth belonged to the family of Aron and, as the Gospel says, were righteous before God, acting blamelessly according to all the commandments and statutes of the Lord (Luke 1:6). They lived a long life and were both already old, but they did not have children because Elizabeth was barren. Among the Jews, as already mentioned, childlessness was considered a shame and a grave punishment from God.
Zechariah was a priest. Jews became priests not by personal calling, but by descent from the descendants of Aaron. Those of them who belonged to this family and had no legal obstacles to serving in the Old Testament Church became priests. In Israel there were priests who did not live constantly at the temple, but had their own turn to serve, their own turn. The priests of the Aaronic family were divided by David into twenty-four orders, and a certain Abijah was placed at the head of one of them. Zechariah was ranked among this line. Each series held its service in the temple twice a year for one week, and the priests distributed responsibilities among themselves by lot.
Evangelist Luke just describes the moment of service in the Jerusalem temple of Zechariah, a priest from the Abiyan order. Zechariah’s lot fell to perform incense, for which he entered the second part of the temple, which is called the Sanctuary, where the altar of incense was located, while all the people prayed in the open part of the temple intended for him - the “courtyard”. (The incense altar is a metal table, on the grate of which coals were placed, and at a certain moment in the service, incense was poured onto them, and the air was filled with fragrant incense smoke.)
And so, when Zechariah was burning incense on the altar of incense in front of the most holy place in the temple - the Holy of Holies - he saw an Angel and was very afraid. Perhaps because, according to Jewish concepts, the appearance of an Angel foreshadowed imminent death. But the Angel says to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John (Luke 1:13).
What did Zechariah pray for? What prayer of his was heard by the Lord? It can hardly be assumed that Zechariah, at such a solemn moment in the service, prayed for the granting of a son to him, despite the fact that he and his wife were already of advanced age. It is unlikely that Zechariah considered it physically possible for himself and his wife to have children. Therefore, it is more likely that he, as one of the best people of his time, prayed for the speedy coming of the Messiah. Moreover, as a priest - a mediator between God and the praying people - he had to pray not for his own needs, but for the needs of the people, for their salvation. And in response to his prayer, he sees an Angel who announces to him that his wife will give birth to a son. And this son will not only be a joy to him, but many will rejoice at his birth (Luke 1:14). Why? Because this man will be great before the Lord and will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15).
The Gospel goes on to say that this child will be a Nazirite. According to the Old Testament law, a person could take the vow of a Nazirite. Those who took the vow either constantly performed various rituals, institutions, performed certain purifications, or became servants of God for some time. They did not cut their hair, did not shave their beards, did not drink any alcohol (not only wine, but also lighter intoxicating drinks), observed a number of other restrictions and generally avoided any ritual defilement.
This was nothing new. The amazing thing was different: the Angel announces that John will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb, that is, God’s grace, the gift of the Holy Spirit will touch the human heart even in the womb of his mother, that is, before his birth. We know that this is what happened.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God (Luke 1:16). Many, but not all, because the people of Israel had already rejected God many times during their existence, betraying Him. Of course, many misfortunes occurred for this reason. However, when the people returned to God, they again found God’s help, support and strengthening. But still, the people knew their God, although they repeatedly turned away from Him. People continued to fulfill the Law, but the knowledge of God and the fulfillment of the Law increasingly became purely external. And when John turned to Israel with a sermon about repentance and correction of life, many Jews came to him, and they turned to the Lord. And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to return the hearts of the fathers to the children, and to the disobedient the way of thinking of the righteous, in order to present to the Lord a prepared people (Luke 1:17).
Let's imagine the Jordan River, on the banks of which the life of a significant part of the Israeli people passed. A boat is floating along it, and in front of it is another. This boat seems to precede the one floating behind it. Another analogy is an icebreaker breaking ice to make way for a large ship. The term “Forerunner” has entered theology and is applied to John the Baptist. He walks the path of life before the Lord Jesus Christ. For what purpose? To return people to God, to turn their hearts and souls to the Creator, to return the hearts of fathers to their children. So the pious sons of Israel went to great lengths for the love of God, but their descendants no longer had such zeal. But, if the soul does not burn with love for God, it cannot be saved. Therefore, it was necessary to awaken people to repentance. And in his sermons John strove for this. Moreover, when speaking about repentance, he did not just mean some external action, but convinced people to change their way of thinking and correct their lives.
The elderly priest Zechariah did not believe the Angel: How do I know this? for I am old, and my wife is advanced in years (Luke 1:18). Zechariah placed human understanding above the Divine. He doubted the possibility of what was promised, citing his and his wife’s advanced age. Zechariah asks the Angel for a sign as proof. In response to his bewilderment, the Angel calls his name: “Gabriel,” which means “the power of God.” As a sign and at the same time a punishment for lack of faith, he is given muteness and deafness, which will be resolved only after the birth of the baby. Even when naming a newborn baby, Zechariah was explained by signs.
The chopping in the Sanctuary usually did not last long, and therefore the people were surprised that Zechariah hesitated. And when he came out and began to communicate with signs, it became clear that he had a vision. However, despite being mute and deaf, Zechariah did not leave his service in the temple and returned home only when the days of his service were over. After this, Elizabeth actually conceived and hid herself for five months. She sincerely rejoiced because with the resolution of her barrenness, the Lord removed the reproach among people from her. That is why righteous Elizabeth, who undoubtedly suffered many insults because of her barrenness, thanked God so sincerely and with all her heart.
From the book of Archpriest Boris Balashov “Christ and We.” Klin, Christian Life, 2007.
Nativity of John the Baptist Lamp
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Pedigree
Zechariah's lineage goes back to Dawud or David and to Ya'qub. Zechariah was a God-fearing man who sincerely loved Allah, and he devoted his life to the search and acquisition of knowledge, which he sought to spread among the people on earth. The Koran's ninth and third suras describe some episodes from his life, and what the Koran describes corresponds to the information that is described in the Third Book of the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke. But only the Koran is the Scripture of God that has reached modern believers without any changes, while other Scriptures are either distorted or completely lost, and only the Koran should be relied upon when telling the story of the life of the prophet Zechariah.
The history of the construction of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, which is the third most important holy city for all Muslims, after Mecca and Medina, is closely connected with the name of Zechariah. It contains such important mosques for Islam as al-Aqsa and Qubbat al-Sakhra. Since ancient times, Muslims have called Jerusalem the City of the Holy House. In the ninth century, Muslims began to call Jerusalem the "Holy City" or Al-Quds, a name it retains throughout the Muslim world into modern times.
Even before Jerusalem was conquered by the Crusaders, the Arabs were devoted to Jerusalem's shrines and wrote texts of praise that praised the holiness of Jerusalem and encouraged Muslims to visit these shrines. Jerusalem in the medieval period stood at the head of Muslim science: many Muslim scientists were trained in its educational institutions, who later became interpreters of the Holy Book of the Koran, and then went throughout the Muslim world to bring their knowledge to Muslims and became the heads of Muslim communities.
HOLY PROPHET ZECHARIAH (Celebration day: 05/18 September) (The saint departed to the Lord in the 1st century)
The holy prophet Zechariah, a priest from the descendants of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, had a wife Elizabeth, who was also from the clan of Aaron and was the sister of Anna, the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Holy Gospel testifies to Zechariah and Elizabeth that they were adorned with all virtues, passing their life path immaculately. The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke says about them: “ they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly according to all the commandments and statutes of the Lord
” (Luke 1:6).
That their life was truly pious, their holy branch, the honest and glorious prophet, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John, also testifies to this. The Scripture says: “ By their fruits you will know them
” (Matthew 7:16): the fruit of a good tree really cannot be bad, for, as the same Scripture says: “
If the root is holy, so are the branches
” (Rom. 11 :16). Therefore, the holy branch - John could only come from a holy root.
St. Zechariah, the father of the Baptist, served as priest in Jerusalem during the reign of Herod. He was from the daily order of Abijah, that is, from the family of Abijah, whose turn fell in the eighth week.
The eighth lot fell to the priest Abijah (1 Chronicles 24:10), among whose descendants was also Saint Zechariah; That’s why he conducted the service in the temple during the eighth week along with all his succession, for he was in charge over the rest of the priests of his rank.
One day, Zechariah, when he, observing his turn, served before God, according to the custom of the priests, had to enter the temple of the Lord for incense; At that time there were a lot of people at prayer. Entering the sanctuary, Zechariah noticed the angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the incense altar. At the sight of the angel, Zechariah was overcome with fear; but the messenger of God reassured him, saying: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah.” And he consoled the righteous priest, announcing that his prayer was favorable to God; listening to her, the Lord grants him mercy: He blessed his wife Elizabeth, resolving, despite her old age, the bonds of her infertility, and she will give birth to a son, the namesake of grace John, who with his birth will bring joy not only to parents, but also to many people: “Many, - added the angel, - they will rejoice at his birth. The angel Zechariah also announced that his son would be great before the Lord, not in body, but in spirit; he will be a faster and will lead such an abstinent life as no one else; and indeed, this was also the testimony of the Son of God Himself about him: “ For John the Baptist came, neither eating bread nor drinking wine.”
"(Luke 7:33). The angel predicted that even in his mother’s womb John would be filled with the Holy Spirit and would convert many of the sons of Israel to the true Lord God, that he would be Christ’s Forerunner in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah and would prepare the people to receive the Lord Savior.
Hearing all this, Zechariah was surprised and amazed, so he did not dare to believe what was said; This seemed strange to him because Elizabeth was barren, and both of them were already of advanced age. And he said to the angel:
- How can I believe this: after all, I am already old, and my wife, who never had children, has also grown old?
Then the angel answered him:
- I am Gabriel, standing before God; I have been sent to tell and preach this to you. And because you did not believe my words, you will be mute and not say a single word until all this is fulfilled.
Since Zechariah lingered in the altar while talking with the angel, the people who were in the church marveled at this. Coming out to the people, Zacharias was forced to show by signs that he had become mute; Then those present realized that he had a vision at the altar.
Having finished his turn, Zechariah returned to his home, which was in a mountainous country, in Hebron, the city of Judah. This city was one of those that were given by lot to the descendants of Judah and intended for the priests to live in.
When what was announced by the angel was fulfilled, and Elizabeth, who had been barren until then, gave birth to John—Zechariah wrote this name on the tablet given to him—Zechariah’s mouth opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak, blessing God. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he began to prophesy, saying: “ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that he hath visited his people, and brought deliverance unto them, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he declared by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been of the world, that he would save us.” from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us; He will show mercy to our fathers and remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to give us, without fear, after being delivered from the hand of our enemies, to serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. And you, baby, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will come before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to make His people understand His salvation in the forgiveness of their sins, according to the gracious mercy of our God, with which the East from above visited us, to enlighten those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide their feet ours on the path of peace
"(Luke 1:68-79).
But then the time came when our Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, and the wise men, who came from the east through the vision of a wonderful star, announced to Herod about the newborn King. Then Herod, having sent soldiers to Bethlehem to beat all the children, ordered the death of Zechariah’s son, about whom he had heard a lot. Herod knew everything that happened during the birth of John; since all the events that accompanied the birth of John caused fear and amazement among the surrounding residents. All the Jews spoke about these wonderful events; the rumor reached Herod. All those who listened laid down in their hearts what had happened and said: “ What will happen to this baby?
"(Luke 1:66). Herod, now remembering John, thought: “Will not this be the king of the Jews?” Having decided to kill him, the king separately sent assassins to Zechariah’s house, but the messengers did not find Saint John. For when the ungodly massacre of the children began in Bethlehem, groans and cries were heard in Hebron, the city of Judah, where the priests lived, since it was not far from Bethlehem; They soon learned in Hebron, of course, about the reason for such a cry. Then Saint Elizabeth, taking her son, the youth John, who was then already a year and a half old, fled with him to the mountains. And Saint Zechariah was in Jerusalem at that time, performing the usual service in the order of his succession. Hiding in the mountains, Elizabeth tearfully prayed to God to protect her and her son. Seeing the warriors from the mountain, who were carefully looking for the fugitives and were already nearby, she cried out in horror to the nearest stone mountain: “Mountain of God, receive mother and son!” The mountain immediately parted, enclosed them in itself, and thus they hid from the killers who were overtaking them. Not finding those they were looking for, the messengers returned to the king with nothing. Then Herod sent orders to Zechariah in the temple to give him his son John.
“I serve now the Lord God of Israel,” answered Saint Zechariah, “and I do not know where my son is now.”
The angry Herod sent to him a second time and ordered to kill Zechariah himself if he did not give up his son. The ferocious murderers rushed like animals, trying to immediately fulfill the king’s command, and shouted with rage to the priest of God:
-Where did you hide your son? give it to us, for the king commanded so; if you do not give your son, then you yourself will die a cruel death.
To this Saint Zechariah answered:
“You will kill my body, but the Lord will take my soul.”
Then the murderers rushed at Zechariah and killed him between the church and the altar, as the king commanded them; The spilled blood of the saint condensed on the marble and hardened like a stone as a testimony and eternal condemnation to Herod.
Holy Prophet Zechariah, pray to God for us.
Text: St. Demetrius of Rostov, Lives of the Saints, September 5.
To pilgrims about the relics of the saint
:
*The relics were transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople in 415 and placed in the Church of the Virgin Mary next to Hagia Sophia (their location there is reported by “Anonymous Mercati” - a Latin description of Constantinople of the 12th century). At the same time, the pilgrim John Phocas in 1185 saw the tombs with the relics of Zechariah and Elizabeth in the Sebastian Church of John the Baptist, built on the site of his prison. Currently, the relics (or part of them) are in the Athos monastery of Konstamonit. * Some of the relics of Saint Zacharias arrive in the Church of Saint Zacharias in Venice.
Troparion, tone 4:
You were clothed with the garments of the priesthood, in wisdom, / according to the law of God, you offered burnt offerings in a sacred manner, Zechariah, / and you were a lamp and a spectator of secrets, / bearing signs of grace in you clearly, in all wisdom, / and, having been killed with a sword in the temple of God, / the prophet of Christ , with the Forerunner pray // for our souls to be saved.
Kontakion, tone 3:
Today the prophet and priest of the Most High, / Zechariah, the Forerunner parent, / offers the meal of his memory, / feeding the faithful, dissolving the drink of righteousness for everyone, / for this sake he dies, // like the divine secret place of God’s grace..
Magnification:
We magnify you, / prophet of God Zechariah, / and honor your holy memory, / for you pray for us // Christ our God.
Guardianship of Mary the mother of Jesus
The Koran says that the prophet Zechariah came from the clan of Imran, and Jesus, as well as his mother Mary, belonged to this holy blessed clan. Zechariah was appointed guardian of Jesus' mother Mary when she took up residence in the temple in Jerusalem. He visited Mary every day, trying to make sure that she would not need anything. Zechariah saw how God-fearing Mary was. There was always food in her prayer room, and even in summer you could find winter fruits, and in winter you could find summer fruits. Zechariah wondered where such fruits, rare at certain times of the year in those lands, appeared in Mary’s room, and one day he asked Mary about this, to which she replied that these fruits appeared in her room by themselves, miraculously, that is, their God sends: “ This is from Allah, because Allah gives food without any account to whomever He wishes ” (Sura Alu Imran (The Family of Imran), verse 37).
Zakariya's supplication
The Prophet Zechariah saw how absolutely and unquestioningly Mary, the future mother of the Messiah, worships God, how unshakable her faith is that God will feed her and send her food. These observations led Zechariah to the following conclusion: the Lord always hears and responds to our requests and prayers, no matter what our troubles and misadventures. After that, he accepted for himself the greatest concept of faith, the most important principle of correct belief, which is that those who are the righteous servants of God are sent by God with a holy prophecy and endowed with innumerable benefits - such as the fruits that appeared in the future mother of the Messiah Mary in the prayer room, whose appearance at this time of year was a real miracle of God. Seeing such a miracle, Zechariah decided to make a request to the Lord: he prayed to Allah to give him a righteous son, and this should have become a real miracle of God, because Zechariah’s wife was incapable of bearing children at that time, since she was already old and barren. But what seems impossible for a person has no boundaries and framework for God - Zechariah received this lesson from God while looking at Mary. He knew that his old age and his wife's old age, as well as her infertility, were all serious obstacles to having children, but Zechariah still asked the Lord to send him a child, and it was a righteous son that he asked for himself. Zechariah did not have many wealth that he could later leave to his son, passing it on as an inheritance. But he had something much more valuable: the knowledge he had collected throughout his life and his prophetic mission. And he was going to inherit these riches to his son.
The Lord gave an answer to his requests immediately: the Koran says “ Allah gives you joy with the news of Yahya, who will confirm the Word of God and will be a master, a self-controlled man and a prophet from among the righteous throughout the whole earth ” (Sura Alu Imran (The Family of Imran), 39th verse).
When Zechariah had a vision and God's angels brought the news that he would have a son, and this happened during his prayer, the prophet Zechariah was amazed and exclaimed that this was impossible, because his wife was incapable of childbearing, and the prophet Zechariah himself was elderly age by that time. But God sent Zechariah the truth about the same thing that Mary believed - if God wills something, it becomes possible. Zechariah made a request to Allah, asking God to send him a sign indicating that such a miracle would happen. The Lord in a vision informed him that such a sign of God would be that Zechariah would become mute for a while, and he would be able to communicate only through signs, but still he must continue his mission, tirelessly exalting God. Coming out of prayer after the vision, Zechariah had already lost the ability to speak.
prophet Zechariah, father of St. John the Baptist
The first prayer to the prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth, Holy God and rest in the saints, sung with the thrice-holy voice in heaven by angels, praised on earth by man in His saints, giving grace to each by Thy Holy Spirit according to the bestowal of Christ, and by that ordaining the Church of Thy Holy Ones as apostles , oh prophets, oh evangelists, oh shepherds and teachers, their word of preaching, to you who acted all in all, many saints were accomplished in every generation and generation, with various benefactors they pleased you, and to you, you left us the image of your good deeds, in the joy that has passed away, prepare for the temptations that you yourself experienced, and help us who are attacked. Remembering all these saints and the holy prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth and praising their godly lives, I praise You Himself, who acted in them, and believing in Your goodness, I diligently pray to You, Holy of Holies, grant that I, a sinner, may follow their teaching, life, love, faith, patience, and their prayerful help, and more than Your all-effective grace, the heavenly ones with them will be honored with glory, praising Your Most Holy Name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Second prayer to the prophet Zechariah and righteous Elizabeth Oh, blessed saints of God, all the saints who stand before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity and enjoy indescribable bliss! Behold, now, on the day of your common triumph, look mercifully upon us, your lesser brothers, who bring you this song of praise, and through your intercession ask for mercy and remission of sins from the Most Blessed Lord; We know, we truly know, that whatever you desire, you can ask Him for. Therefore, we humbly pray to you, and to the holy prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth, pray to the Merciful Master, may He give us the spirit of your zeal for keeping His holy commandments, so that, following in your footsteps, we will be able to pursue an earthly career in a virtuous life without blemish, and in By repentance, reach the glorious villages of paradise, and there together with you glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen!
Third prayer to the prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth To you, for all holiness and the holy prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth, as guiding lamps, who with their deeds illuminated the path of the heavenly sunrise, I, a great sinner, humbly bow the knee of my heart and from the depths of my soul I cry: beg for me, the Lover of Mankind, God May he not allow me to wander further along the paths of sin, but may he enlighten my mind and heart with the light of His grace, as if we illuminate and strengthen it, I will be able to continue the rest of my earthly life on the right path, and through your intercession I will be honored with the Most Good Lord, for a little while I will be a partaker your spiritual meal in the heavenly realm of the King of glory. To Him, with His Beginningless Father and the Most Holy, Good and Life-Giving Spirit, be glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer four to the prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth Oh, holy saints of God, the prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth, you fought a good fight on earth, you received in heaven the crown of righteousness, which the Lord prepared for all who love Him; In the same way, looking at your holy icon, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in the present We will be worthy, through your intercession, even though we are unworthy, to see good on the land of the living, glorifying the One in His saints, the glorified God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Akathist to the Holy and Righteous Prophet Zechariah and Elisabeth
Kontakion 1
Chosen from the line of Aaron, who gave birth to John the God-praised, predestined to be the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth! For you who have boldness towards the Lord, through your intercession free us from all troubles, who cry to you: Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, who have grown up as good fruit for people. Ikos 1
The angels of earth and the men of heaven have truly appeared, Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, from your youth adorned with all the virtues and having lived your life immaculately together, he wonders, we call you voices of praise: Rejoice, O glorious vegetation of the Aron family. Rejoice, bright adornment of pious parents. Rejoice, guardians of mental and physical purity. Rejoice, zealous guardian of God's commandments. Rejoice, righteous spouses, chosen by God. Rejoice, you have been called to the heavenly table by the Lord. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 2
Seeing from the height of His glory, the Heavenly Father, how your holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth lived piously and holyly, bless your holy branch to produce honest and glorious fruit - John, so that he could be a prophet, Forerunner and Baptist to His beloved Son Jesus To Christ, to Him we give praise: Alleluia. Ikos 2
Archangel Gabriel, directed from above by the Divine Mind, appeared to you, Priest Zechariah, who entered the sanctuary and served according to the order of his order. Seeing the heavenly messenger standing at the right hand of the altar of incense, great fear filled you, and the messenger of God said: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah.” We, touched by the mercy of God towards your family, cry out: Rejoice, strong protection of a chaste life. Rejoice, the immutable victory over sins and passions. Rejoice, generously overshadowed by the grace of God. Rejoice, you who see the hidden mysteries in heaven. Rejoice, like disembodied angels who have lived on earth. Rejoice, having preserved bodily purity in your life. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 3
The ineffable power of God’s mercy has been revealed to you, holy ones, for seeing the righteousness of your walk before the face of God, the Lord has sent you great consolation in your old age, so that you may sing to Him faithfully: Alleluia. Ikos 3
Have a command from the Lord to comfort you, Holy Zechariah, to tell the angel of God that your prayer is acceptable to God and, listening to it, God will grant you mercy: for blessing your wife Elizabeth, resolving the bonds of her infertility, let her give birth to a son of the same name as the grace of John. In the same way, receive this song from us: Rejoice, you who have pleased God with your life. Rejoice, you who have walked holy before Him without fail. Rejoice, for in your prayers to the Creator you exalted your nature. Rejoice, for you have always naturally been comforted by the word of the Lord. Rejoice, you who have placed all your hopes in the Creator. Rejoice, you who have never experienced weariness in your good deeds. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 4
Not overcome by the storm of this worldly life, your son, Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, will be great before the Lord, not only in body, but also in spirit, says the Angel of the Lord, for with his birth he will bring great joy into the world, as many will rejoice at his birth, praising the Creator: Alleluia. Ikos 4
Hearing wondrous words about his son, how he will be called a great prophet and faster, and from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit and many from the children of Israel will turn to the true God for his sake, for he must be the Forerunner of Christ in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah and prepare peoples to receive the Savior, Zechariah was greatly amazed and surprised, not daring to believe what was spoken by the Angel. We, listening to the words of the angels, cry out to you: Rejoice, you who have acquired the great mercy of the Creator. Rejoice, you who have brought great joy to the tongues. Rejoice, having covered your gray hairs with glory. Rejoice, you who have not deprived yourself of rewards in heaven. Rejoice, you who have become like the merciful Lord in everything. Rejoice, you who have always worshiped the Triune God. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 5
Fear God precisely, the angel of the Lord said to Zechariah: I am Gabriel, standing before God and sent to tell you all this good news, especially because you did not believe my words, you will remain dumb and not utter a single word until everything that I have spoken must be fulfilled according to to the will of the great God, to whom I sing glory: Alleluia. Ikos 5
Having seen the people who were in the Church of the Lord, Zechariah paused in the altars, I was greatly amazed at this, but I went out to them and was not able to speak, but only anointed, understanding everything, as if he had a vision in the altars. We, glorifying the wondrous Lord in His miracles, say to you: Rejoice, for the power of God has come upon you. Rejoice, for the will of God has been immutably done for you. Rejoice, for the mercy of the Creator has poured out upon you in abundance. Rejoice, for great joy has been generously bestowed upon you by the Creator. Rejoice, for you have been exalted by the holy hand. Rejoice because you are setting an example for everyone. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 6
The word of the Lord, proclaimed by the angel, seeing the event, Elizabeth rejoiced greatly, for she conceived her son and hid herself for five months, saying: as the Lord has done for me in the days, in the power of the prince to take away my reproach among men, that I may sing His praise: Alleluia. Ikos 6
The grace of God arose abundantly in Saint Elizabeth, when she was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out with a great voice to the Virgin Mary: “Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb! And where do I get this from, since the Mother of my Lord came to me!” Her child jumped in the womb with joy at the coming of the Mother of God. Yes, and the grace of the Holy Spirit has descended upon us, crying out with joy: Rejoice, gilded by the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, the Creator has generously given grace to the overshadowing. Rejoice, great child who conceived holyly. Rejoice, you who have known the joy of fatherhood and motherhood from God. Rejoice, relative of the Mother of God in all honor. Rejoice, most blessed servant of the incarnate Son of God. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 7
I want to announce to people from the angel the named name of my son John, Holy Zechariah, after his birth he wrote and opened your tongue and mouth, and said again, blessing God and singing to Him: Alleluia. Ikos 7
Give you new grace, Lord, righteous Zechariah, fill you with the Holy Spirit, and prophesy to you, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for you have visited and created deliverance for your people and raised up the horn of salvation for us in the house of your servant David, like the mouth of the holy ones.” From the beginning of time His prophet, and you, as a child, were called the prophet of the Most High, for you went before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways.” But we, heeding your prophecy, through you, the righteous women of God, praise the Lord, singing these praises to you: Rejoice, having brought forth the holy into the world. Rejoice, you who brought joy to the world through this Christmas. Rejoice, you who have praised God beyond measure. Rejoice, you who served the Lord faithfully. Rejoice, all who fulfilled His Laws. Rejoice, you have kept yourself pure. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 8
A strange miracle happened around the living people, when I heard about the glorious and wonderful birth of your child, the holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, and with surprise I said to myself: “What will this lad do?” We, rejoicing in the glorious birth of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, cry out to the Lord: Alleluia. Ikos 8
You were filled with great confusion, the prophet of God Zechariah, in vain the Most Holy Virgin Mary with the Infant God came to the temple and in the place of unclean women stood before the doors of the temple, wanting to ask for the lawful cleansing. Having led You into the Holy of Holies by you, at the inspiration of God, brought in and brought up there, and realizing in spirit that this Mother is the Pure Virgin even after the Nativity, put You for this sake in the place of maidens, where wives who have husbands do not stand properly. We, praising the Pure Virgin with you, cry out with love and tenderness: Rejoice, you who have given glory to the Mother of God. Rejoice, you who together with all praised Her. Rejoice, you who have been waiting for God's coming into the world. Rejoice, having pleased the Creator with pure prayer. Rejoice, joyful in the face of the Infant Christ. Rejoice in His erection of the Kingdom of God. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 9
All the angels and saints rejoiced with great joy when you, holy Zechariah, on your righteous hands, were touched in your heart and with the fear of God, you accepted the Infant of God, and as the Creator and God, you cried out to Him: Alleluia. Ikos 9
Human infamy is not sufficient for the worthy glorification of your wondrous life, the holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, for it is not possible to confess and honor all your prayers and fastings, all your tears and sighs even to God. Receive from us, who strive with love for you, this small praise: Rejoice, vessels of the Holy Spirit from the age of election. Rejoice, you stretched out your hand to the Creator in hope. Rejoice, saints of the Most Holy Trinity. Rejoice, you who found the way to God through thorns. Rejoice, having acquired salvation through your labors. Rejoice, you who have trusted only in the Lord for everything. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 10
Wanting to save her child, the mother gave her child water and fled with him to the mountains from the evil child killer Herod, who sent soldiers to Bethlehem, so that all the babies would be beaten, ordered the death of your child too, blessed Zechariah and Elizabeth. We, the Lord, who preserves His chosen ones from the hand of the wicked, say with love: Alleluia. Ikos 10
The Lord, righteous Elisabeth, was a wall of protection for you from the oncoming murderers, when, according to your prayer: “Mountain of God, receive mother and son!”, he commanded the mountain of stone to immediately part and enclose you and your child within itself. Rejoicing in your salvation with tears, we cry out to you: Rejoice in the Lord in all the ways of your preservation. Rejoice, being led through this life by the hand of God. Rejoice, you who carried love for the Creator within you. Rejoice, you who have tasted the incorruptible fruit in Paradise. Rejoice, those who suffered for the truth of God. Rejoice, having desired to be with God. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 11
You offered prayer songs to the Lord God, holy and righteous Zechariah, when the warriors of the beastly Herod came to you with the command to give them your son. You answered them: “I serve this day the Lord God of Israel, and I know not where my son is!” Cry out to God who strengthens you: Alleluia. Ikos 11
The temple of the Lord was filled with heavenly light, O righteous Zechariah, when you said to the warriors asking you: “You will kill my body, but the Lord will receive my soul!” I was killed between the church and the altar, as Herod commanded, your holy blood that was shed was thickened on marble and hardened as a testimony and eternal condemnation of Herod. We, glorifying your martyrdom, sing with voices of praise: Rejoice, you who have dedicated your souls to the Creator. Rejoice, having preserved them in holiness. Rejoice in the heavenly glory of the wedding from God. Rejoice in the joy of your Lord to enter into your calling. Rejoice, for you are now eating incorruptible food. Rejoice, for you continually pray to God for us. Kontakion 12
Divine grace appeared on you, righteous Elizabeth, and an indescribable miracle was marvelously revealed, when in the mountain that hid you and your child, by God’s command a cave was built, a spring of water opened and a phoenix grew over the cave, bearing its fruits in abundance. Rejoicing in such favor of God, you sang to Him with your child: Alleluia. Ikos 12
Singing a joyful song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, after forty days after the murder of the righteous Zechariah, Saint Elizabeth gave up her soul to her Creator and was united with her husband in heaven. Glorifying your righteous life, Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, we earnestly beseech you to hear our song of praise: Rejoice, for in the holy faith you are confirmed. Rejoice, for you are our protection from troubles. Rejoice, for you always protect us from sorrows. Rejoice, for you tame the passions of the body in us. Rejoice, you are the patron of wisdom as a pious spouse. Rejoice, you are a teacher of goodness as our children. Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, good fruit for people who have grown. Kontakion 13
Oh, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth! We pray to you with zeal and love: ask our Lord for confirmation in this life of faith and virtues, deliverance from sorrows and misfortunes, forgiveness of our sins, so that we too may be worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and sing to God forever: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. This kontakion is read three times. Then Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1. Prayer
About the greatness of Christ's righteous women, Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth! We resort to you and pray to you with great hope: bring your holy prayers to the Lord for us sinners, may He send all that is beneficial to our souls and bodies, rightful faith, unfeigned love, prosperity in good deeds, health and eternal salvation to our souls and bodies. Do not despise our prayers offered to you with tenderness, but be our intercessor to the Lord, so that through your help we may be worthy to receive eternal salvation, to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and, together with you and all the saints, to glorify the ineffable love for mankind of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the Trinity we worship God, in forever and ever. Amen.
Son of Zechariah
As reported in the Koran, the prophet Zechariah himself and his wife performed many good deeds; they were God-fearing and called to Allah, and the Lord gave them a righteous son, although both of them were already of advanced age. The Quran says: “ We answered his prayer, gave him Yahya (John) and made his wife capable of it. Verily, they hastened to do good, called upon Us with hope and fear, and were humble before Us ” (Surah Al-Anbiya (The Prophets), verse 90). At the birth of Yahya, God blessed him forever with the words: “ Peace be upon him both on the day of his birth, and on the day of his death, and on the day when he is resurrected!” "(Sura Maryam (Mary), 15th verse).
Yahya, the son of the prophet Zechariah, grew up as an unusual boy - even as a child, he was unusually wise for his age, as was noted by the people, and this wisdom was given to him from above. The child was ordered to adhere to the Taurat strictly, and he treated people from the people with mercy and compassion. God created this child sinless and righteous, and the Quran says that Yahya was not disobedient or proud. By his nature, the Prophet Yahya was a very virtuous man, he is called pious and righteous in the Holy Book of the Koran, his name is placed on a par with the names of Isa (Jesus) and Ilyas. Yahya behaved very meekly with his parents and grew up as a God-fearing boy. Yahya spent his childhood under the supervision of his father, the prophet Zechariah, and from his earliest years he was at the temple of Jerusalem, faithfully serving God. Yahya loved to be alone with himself, adhered to an ascetic lifestyle, and in his daily life he was unpretentious and was content with only the most necessary things. Yahya treated people and animals with care, took care of his parents, and prayed to Allah with them. He was always seen only in a friendly and cheerful mood. He carried out priestly activities and tirelessly reminded people that they should worship Allah, because Allah Almighty is the creator of everything that exists in this world.
The miraculous incident that happened to the family of the prophet Zechariah was the result of the fact that the prayers of him and his wife were heard by God, and this served as a wonderful lesson for humanity.
THE RAISER OF THE VEIL OF TIME. Prophet ZECHARIAH
“And I will say to them: if it pleases you, then give Me My wages;
if not, don’t give it; and they will weigh out thirty pieces of silver as payment to Me.” No, this is not a quote from a hitherto unknown gospel text describing the betrayal of Judas. All this was predicted by the prophet Zechariah 500 years before the birth of Christ. And the words about the thirty pieces of silver, and other equally accurate predictions of Zechariah can be easily found in any edition of the Old Testament. But how could the prophet Zechariah know about the impending betrayal if he lived long before the events described in the Gospel?
Homecoming
In the 6th century BC. The Jewish people suffered one of the most difficult trials in their entire history. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II conquered the kingdom of Judah, destroyed its capital, Jerusalem, and resettled thousands of Jews to Babylon. There they were forced to live for several decades, waiting for the royal decree that would allow them to return home to the Promised Land.
When such a decree finally appeared, the joy of the people knew no bounds - “we were as if we were seeing in a dream,” the psalmist says about this, rejoicing. Jews began to return to Jerusalem in entire families. But all of Judea lay in ruins and, in the years since the Babylonian invasion, had become almost depopulated. The Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Ark of the Covenant, which was kept in it, the greatest shrine of the Jewish people, was lost forever. And despite the fact that it was now possible to begin restoring not only the city and country, but also the Temple, the people could not adequately thank God for the miraculous rescue from captivity. The despondency that gripped the Jews at the sight of the devastated country was so great that it stopped work on the construction of the second Temple. And then God sent two prophets to His people at once, called to console and inspire - Haggai and Zechariah.
According to legend, Zechariah was a relative of Haggai and came from a very noble family. The book of his prophecies is full of complex images. It consists of two parts. The first begins with Zechariah seeing the angels whom God sends to circle the earth; The angels return and say that “the whole earth is inhabited and calm” (Zech. 1
, 11), and only Jerusalem is desolate.
Then God promises to comfort His people and show them mercy. The cities of Judah will be restored, and soon “Jerusalem will populate the surrounding area because of the multitude of people and livestock therein” (Zech. 2
:4). Then Zechariah sees how the contemporary priest Jesus, the son of Josedek, appears before God in filthy robes, which signify the sin of the entire people. But by the will of God, the angels re-robe Jesus, thereby cleansing the entire people from their sins and opening a new, clean page in their history. Next, the prophet describes his vision of a lamp and two olive trees, connecting the word of God to Prince Zerubbabel, a contemporary of Zechariah, and a prophecy about the restoration of both branches of power that the Jews had before the captivity - royal and priestly. It would seem that we are talking exclusively about events contemporary to Zechariah, where are the prophecies about the Messiah? However, not all so simple.
The first part of the book of the prophet Zechariah ends with a vision of angels, again sent into the world, and this time finding peace and tranquility everywhere. But for some reason two crowns are placed on the head of the priest Jesus, who was to restore the Jerusalem Temple, after which Zechariah seems to see a vision that is completely different in its meaning. The prophet begins to proclaim what is difficult to expect from historical prophecy - he calls Jesus the Branch (Heb. Tsem), and says that “He will receive glory, and will sit and rule on His throne; He will also be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between both” (Zech. 6
, 13). But how can one person combine both royal and priestly power? This happened only during the time of Abraham and King Melchizedek, but in the mouth of Zechariah it sounded, to put it mildly, strange if these words were attributed specifically to the son of Yozadek, Jesus, and even while Zerubbabel was alive. One gets the impression that the prophet saw something that amazed him so much that what he saw required a long rethinking.
The day of the Lord is coming
The second part of the book of the prophet Zechariah was written two whole years later, and this time in verse and not in prose. It is so different from the first, both in form and in content (Zechariah no longer writes about contemporary events), that some researchers even consider it to be the author of the so-called Deuterosachariah, an unknown and later prophet.
There are no serious arguments in favor of the version of the existence of Deuterosachariah. In both parts of the book of the prophet Zechariah, lexical unity is preserved; Moreover, in both places there are expressions and images characteristic of Zechariah. Therefore, it is most logical to assume that the difference in the form of presentation of the prophecies may be due to the fact that the prophecies in the second part are different.
First, Zechariah describes how God rebukes the Jews - they did not heed His commandments, “and hardened their hearts so as not to hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts sent by His Spirit through the former prophets” (Zech. 7
, 12).
And then Judea was ruined and desolate. But God relented: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the setting of the sun; and I will bring them, and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness,” He says through the prophet (Zech. 8
:8).
Moreover, Zechariah predicts that the pagans will also recognize the true God: “It will come to pass in those days that ten men from all the nations of different languages will be taken by the half of the Jews and will say, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:23
). Doesn’t all this remind us of the Gospel events, when literally one touch of Christ’s clothes healed, and the pagans came to listen to His disciples or at least touch them?
Yes, the prophet Zechariah is indeed already talking about the distant future. What he sees shocks him, and he exclaims: “Rejoice with joy, daughter of Zion, rejoice, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King is coming to you, righteous and saving, meek, sitting on a donkey and on the colt of a donkey who is under the weight” (Zech. 9, 9). Strange, but not on a war horse, but on a modest donkey, the long-awaited King rides into His city. Anyone who has read the Gospel of Matthew remembers that Christ’s disciples, before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, went to the place indicated by the Teacher, and indeed “brought a donkey and a colt, and laid their garments on them, and He sat on top of them” (Matt. 21
, 7). One can only be amazed at the accuracy with which Zechariah predicted this event.
We have no reason to suspect that Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey was deliberately staged to evoke an association with Zechariah's prophecy. Refuting such accusations, the Apostle John writes: “At first His disciples did not understand this [coincidence - E.P.]; But when Jesus became glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him, and they did them to Him” (John. 12
, 16).
The time at which all this should happen is called by the prophet himself “the day of the Lord.” He says about the Jews: “And the Lord their God will save them in that day, like sheep, His people” (Zech. 9
, 16).
How amazingly this phrase resonates with Christ’s parable about the Good Shepherd and the Lost Sheep! But then events develop very strangely - instead of a joyful meeting of the Messiah, the day of wrath comes, and the “true sheep” are doomed to slaughter... And finally, terrible words are heard about thirty pieces of silver, spoken as if on behalf of Judas. Moreover, the prophet continues: “And the Lord said to me: throw them into the church storehouse - the high price at which they valued Me! And I took thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.” Compare with the Gospel text telling about Judas: “Throwing away the pieces of silver in the temple, he went out, went and hanged himself. The high priests, taking the pieces of silver, said: it is not permissible to put them in the church treasury, because this is the price of blood. Having held a meeting, they bought a potter’s land with them” (Matthew 27
:5-7). Zechariah writes symbolically on his own behalf, but there can be no doubt that his prophecy came true precisely at the time of Christ.
Then Zechariah writes that in the future the people will repent of their sins, but the irreparable will have already happened: “and they will look at Him whom they pierced, and they will mourn for Him, as they mourn for their only son, and grieve, as they mourn for their firstborn.” (Zech. 12
, 10). All researchers unanimously attribute this prophecy to Christ, whose chest was pierced with a spear on the Cross to ensure His death.
Of course, salvation is still possible for those who repent. But the last chapters of the book of the prophet Zechariah speak of completely terrible things. Previously, he proclaimed that Jerusalem would be rebuilt and become a great city, but as soon as this prophecy began to come true, he wrote: “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoils will be divided among you. And I will gather all nations to war against Jerusalem, and the city will be taken, and the houses will be plundered, and the women will be dishonored, and half the city will go into captivity” (Zech. 14
, 1, 2).
Like the prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem, uttered by Christ Himself, Zechariah’s prediction clearly has two levels of interpretation: one of them relates to historical events that have now happened, the other to the destinies of the world awaiting us. In fact, here we encounter apocalyptic prophecies almost for the first time.
However, the “day of the Lord” is not only a day of wrath, but also a day of long-awaited liberation and joy, because when everything that is to come true comes to pass, “the Lord Himself will be King over all the earth” (Zech. 14
, 9).
May the Scripture be fulfilled
The book, as if left by the prophet Zechariah on the hopeful words “in that day,” was immediately included in the canon of the Old Testament, finally formalized by the priest Ezra just a few decades later. Confidence in Zechariah's prophetic gift and ministry was unshakable even during his lifetime. Everything that was said in the first part of his book came true: Jerusalem was rebuilt, the Temple was restored. God's mercy towards the Jewish people was manifested in everything: in how quickly the destroyed cities were revived, and in how the population and wealth of the country, rising almost from ruins, grew. And the book of Zechariah became for the Jewish people a prophecy about the day of the Lord, the day of the coming of the Messiah.
Five centuries after the death of the prophet, the Jews were still waiting for the Savior. But Zechariah’s words that He would unite both royal and priestly ministry in Himself were transformed in the consciousness of the Jews oppressed by the Romans into the image of a great Leader, a King who would free His people not so much from their sins as from the occupiers. Therefore, when one spring, on the dusty road leading to Jerusalem, a Man appeared riding on a young donkey, they shouted “Hosanna!” in the hope that Roman rule had come to an end. But for some reason He advised to continue paying taxes to Caesar, and there was no army with him - only a handful of disciples... And the Jews could not forgive Him for their unfulfilled hopes. Few people can hate if they did not love them before, and then the moment came when Judas, thinking that he had made a mistake in the Teacher, came to the Temple, built including by the hands of Zechariah, and said to the high priests: “If it pleases you, then give me my wages”... However, we don’t know what Judas really said, maybe that’s it. If he could quote Zechariah by heart at the moment of betrayal, then a little later, when describing these events, the Evangelist Matthew - quite possibly out of excitement - is mistaken and attributes these words to Jeremiah. However, the Apostle Matthew repeatedly emphasizes in his narrative that all the messianic prophecies of Zechariah were fulfilled on Jesus of Nazareth.
Anyone who does not accept Christ because he does not entirely agree with the New Testament teaching can accept Him, bowing under the weight of the authority of many prophets, who over the centuries have predicted in detail the life path and suffering of God’s Anointed One. All the prophecies of Zechariah, Isaiah, Moses, and many other prophets were fulfilled on Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore, it seemed completely natural to Matthew, who wrote the Gospel for the Jews (that is, for people familiar with the texts of the Old Testament), to appeal to the authority of the prophets in order to help people accept the long-awaited Savior - not a military leader, but the Good Shepherd, for whose life only thirty pieces of silver were paid , which God Himself, through the mouth of Zechariah, called “a high price.”
In the time of Moses, this was what they paid for a slave who died by accident.
Murder of the Prophet Zechariah
Mother Mariam, following her vow, brought her daughter to the temple in Jerusalem, where she left her in the care of the prophet Zechariah, who was chosen to be the teacher-guardian of Mariam, the mother of the Messiah Isa, by lot, and she learned Taurat thanks to him. Zechariah was the husband of her aunt, that is, Isa and Yahya are related to each other. Zechariah witnessed many of the miracles that were revealed by Allah to Maryam.
The times in which Zechariah lived were such that services in the temple of Jerusalem were performed around the clock, and people from the clan of Harun served in this temple. During this period, there was no prophet in Jerusalem, and the people of Israel turned to God with prayers to send him to them, and then the Almighty made Zechariah their prophet. But not all the Israeli people accepted Zechariah as a prophet; many of the people rejected him. And when the prophet Isa ibn Maryam was born, the people of Israel killed Zechariah. When Maryam gave birth to Isa, the Jewish people accused her of debauchery, but the newborn baby protected his mother from the people miraculously from his cradle. But the Jewish people took out their anger on the prophet Zechariah when men from among the people broke in and killed him. Tradition says that Zechariah was killed in Jerusalem.
Zechariah is an angel
Zechariah was a priest of the Jerusalem Temple, although he lived in Hebron, which was a day's walk from Jerusalem. When it was his turn to serve in the temple, each time he left home for Jerusalem.
One day during a service, Zechariah had to enter an empty temple to pray for the people. All other people were outside at that time. The priest entered and saw that an angel was standing near the altar - a beautiful young man, shining brighter than the sun's light. Zechariah was very afraid, but the Angel said to him:
- Don't be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him a name - John. He will be a joy and consolation not only for you. Many of the sons of the people of Israel will rejoice at his birth. When the Lord comes to earth, your son will go before him to return sinful people to the way of thinking of the righteous and present the Lord with a prepared people.
Zechariah was completely confused when he heard this. And he asked the Angel:
- How is this possible? After all, my wife and I are already old people; at our age, spouses no longer have children.
The angel answered him:
“Here’s a sign for you that my words are true: because you didn’t believe me, you will now remain silent until the day your son is born.”
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, the people were waiting for Zechariah, surprised that he was doing this for so long there, in the temple.
And then Zechariah came out. He looked so shocked that everyone immediately understood that something amazing had happened to him. But he could not say a word, and expressed himself only by signs, like a mute.
A few days later Zechariah returned home to Hebron. Soon Elizabeth realized that she was having a baby. But this was so surprising for her age that she did not tell anyone about it, quietly rejoicing in her long-awaited maternal happiness.
In those days, the savior of the world, the Son of God, was about to be born among the people of Israel. But it was not Elizabeth who was destined to become His mother, but her young relative who lived in the small town of Nazareth. This girl's name was Maria. Six months after the conversation with Zechariah in the temple, an angel also appeared to her and predicted that she would miraculously give birth to a son, whose name would be Jesus. He will become the king of God's people, and his kingdom will have no end.
And so two boys grew in their mother’s bellies, who in a few decades were destined for great things.
Yahya (John) and Jesus
When Zechariah's son Yahya was born, he was about a hundred years old, and this happened six months before the prophet Isa (Jesus) was born. Subsequently, Yahya helped Isa preach for his people, following the mission of Jesus. His birth was sent down by Allah Almighty in order to confirm to the people of Israel that the prophetic mission of the prophet Isa is true. The name of the prophet Yahya is mentioned in the Koran five times, and it was he, as tradition testifies, who predicted the prophetic mission of Isa.
After he came of age, Yahya began his prophetic mission, preaching among the people of Israel the religion preached by the prophet Musa. He recognized the prophetic mission of the Prophet Isa (Jesus) as soon as he learned about it, and began to call his people to a new faith, guided in his priestly preaching activities by the Injil. But the majority of the inhabitants of Israel did not accept the new religion and preferred to still follow Taurat.
At first, King Herod, who led the Jews, treated the prophet Yahya well, but then the prophet Yahya refused to recognize the marriage with a relative that King Herod, the head of the kingdom of the Jews, was about to enter into. Then the head of the Jews, the king, ordered the capture and execution of the prophet Yahya, and he was beheaded. Prophet Yahya died a martyr's death in the name of faith.
