Solzhenitsyn’s Harvard Address

“It is time, in the West, to defend not so much human rights as human obligations.”

– Alexander Solzhenitsyn

I’m preaching on Gabriel’s announcement of John the Baptist’s birth in Luke 1:5-25.

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

(Luke 1:8-10 ESV)

John’s father is in the temple offering the incense sacrifice, it is most likely the more well attended evening sacrifice considering the reference to the “whole multitude of the people”.  When Zechariah asks for a sign that his wife Elizabeth would conceive in old age he is stuck mute.

And 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 answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

(Luke 1:18-20 ESV)

I’ve been struck to the reference to 141.  My study Bible included it as a cross reference, but no commentaries I’ve read have mentioned it.  I’ve been returning to all week pondering how Zechariah’s silence was a guard over his mouth, and the Lord watching over the doors of the lips of the one who called on the Lord with prayer and incense.

O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips!

(Psalm 141:1-3 ESV)