Forced silent retreat.

Imagine if you would be left without the ability to speak for a few months. And writing would be extremely limited. No access to media. Slow life turns into silent life. Silent life turns into a life of solitude.

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth. 
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years. 

Once when he was serving as priest
in his division’s turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. 
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense. 
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard. 
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John. 
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. 
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. 
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God. 
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” 

Then Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this? 
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 
And the angel said to him in reply,
“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. 
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. 

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others.” - LK 1:5-25

Zechariah had a chance of his life to present an offering. by the altar of incense, which was not to be given again. After the supernatural encounter, He had a few months’ time to meditate upon the words he has heard. How did he feel about not being able to give opinions, pray out loud, correct others, give instructions, be thankful, and not being able to show verbal affection? Was his ego hurt? Was he impatient? Forced and prolonged silent retreat. Mini wilderness experience.

Life of solitude which would prepare him to receive the son of promise, John, whose whole life would be spent in silence and solitude, consecrated to the Adonai, Lord. Life of solitude and silence as a taste of what his own son will choose a lifestyle. Do you ever wonder what John has heard from his dad and mom about his peculiar birth and the words that came from heaven about who he will become? That even his name “YHWH is gracious” was already given to him from heaven. Do you ever wonder what kind of conversations did they have between them as parents and with their young and then growing son about what God said? Do you ever wonder what kind of change Zechariah experienced in those few months? Did his heart speak, sing, whisper?

God is persistent, personal, and direct about what he wants to do for us. Since he can not do it without us, He will use all means to focus our attention on His ways. To keep a few sentences sent from God in your heart and not be able to communicate anything else is a solitude that brings the order of love to the center of your existence, so you can go in before you go out.