Zechariah’s heart was pounding, and he caught his breath. He had been chosen by lot to offer incense in the Temple itself! This was a once-in-a-lifetime event and indeed a high honor to be selected for this exceptional duty. Previously he had known only how it felt not-to-be chosen. What had he known? An inevitable […]
The quarters where the priests would stay were up the stairs at the Court of the Priests. Before reaching that, however, there was a band of space, the Court of the Israelites, where ritually pure Jewish men were allowed to worship separately from women and with a view of the slaughter tables, the square altar […]
Zechariah was a full-blooded Jew. That sign prohibiting Gentiles didn’t apply to him, so he arrived at last to the Court of Women, that location where Jewish men and women could gather and place their offerings in the trumpet-shaped offering boxes. He quickly glanced around to see if anyone was putting money in there and […]
Now Zechariah acknowledged (with a sense of satisfaction) the sign on the stone wall proclaiming disaster to any Gentile who tried to go past this point in their worship. They had to stay in the outer court where goods for worship were bought and sold, where money was changed for the currency needed inside. He […]
Finally arriving at his destination, there was the ritual bathhouse for immersion, since one could not enter the precincts without it. It served as a reminder to all visitors that the Temple was a special place of religious significance. Zechariah then climbed the fifteen uneven steps, the southern staircase that led to the Temple complex. […]
Zechariah’s mind was full of thoughts of faith and family, doubt and duty, as he approached Jerusalem. Looking up toward the Temple Mount, he marveled, as any traveler would. What an impressive wall of massive stones, and Herod’s Temple, a comparatively small but beautifully ornate structure facing east at the end of the courtyard. The […]
Yes, Zechariah held a deep wound in an embrace of emotions. This wound refused to be comforted, and it ruled his thoughts. Oh how he’d tried to shake it out of his mind! Zechariah had no heir. No child. No Isaac of his own. No legacy for him or for his dear wife, Elizabeth. […]
Twice a year to offer incense, that’s the ritual for those belonging to the priesthood. There were about 18,000 priests who each made the journey twice a year. These 18,000 were separated into 24 divisions and Zechariah belonged to the eighth order, that of Abijah. It was his turn to go for this one-week service […]
How long Zechariah had been making this journey, he could barely remember. “A long time, that’s for certain,” he thought as he looked down at his sandals which he trusted would make the journey once again to Jerusalem and back. “A bit worn…just like me,” he chuckled to himself. “Oh, they’ll make the return okay. […]
Every story begins with the Storyteller. You might be thinking I’m the Storyteller, but I’m not. The Scriptures in this particular Story come from Gospel-writer Luke and also include occasional additions from Gospel-writer Matthew. Luke and Matthew answer the question “Who?” But why does the Storyteller offer to tell us a Story? Stories […]
