[The angel said to Zechariah] “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 1:20
An angel appears to Zechariah, a priest who has been faithful for years, and tells him his prayers have been heard. His wife Elizabeth will have a son. Zechariah responds with what sounds like a very human question: “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years” (Luke 1:18).
An angel also appears to Mary. She’s young, ordinary, and living a quiet life when her world is suddenly interrupted. She’s told she has found favor with God and will give birth to the Son of the Most High. Her response is also very human: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34).
One question led to discipline, the other to an explanation.
The first time I read that, I found it confusing. Even a little unfair. Why is Zechariah disciplined, struck with the inability to speak, while Mary is patiently answered? Aren’t they both just asking reasonable questions?
Luke wants us to slow down here.
The fact of the matter is that Zechariah isn’t just any man. He’s a priest, standing in the temple, offering incense, surrounded by the stories of God’s faithfulness. He knows the Scriptures. He knows about Abraham and Sarah. He knows about Hannah. He knows God has done this kind of thing before. And the angel even tells him, “Your prayer has been heard” (Luke 1:13). This is something Zechariah has asked God for.
But his question isn’t really about how it will happen. It’s about whether it will happen. “How can I be sure?” he asks. That isn’t a request for understanding – it’s a request for proof.
The angel’s response makes that clear: “You did not believe my words” (Luke 1:20). Zechariah isn’t punished for asking a question. He’s disciplined for not trusting the answer.
Mary’s question comes from a different place. She isn’t doubting God’s ability. She’s trying to understand God’s method. Her question doesn’t push back against the promise; it leans into it. And when the angel explains, she responds with open hands: “I am the Lord’s servant… May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).
Then there’s Joseph.
Joseph doesn’t get an announcement right away. He gets confusion first. Mary is pregnant. He knows the child isn’t his. Matthew tells us he was faithful and kind, and he planned to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:19). And that’s important because it tells us that Joseph is a decent fella doing the best he can with the information he has.
God doesn’t scold him for that. Instead, He meets Joseph in his disappointment.
An angel appears to him in a dream and fills in the missing piece: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Joseph isn’t given guarantees, so the risk is still there. You know how people are – they will still talk about this. Life will still be complicated. But Joseph trusts God and obeys Him despite not knowing exactly how all of this will work out.
That seems to be the common thread.
When God shows up unannounced, we aren’t given the luxury of full certainty. What we are given is a choice – whether to trust Him with what we know, even when so much remains unclear. Zechariah asks for certainty before belief. Mary and Joseph move forward with belief even when certainty is incomplete.
Furthermore, God’s disciplining of Zechariah with silence could also be viewed as an act of mercy. It gives him time to watch God keep a promise, to learn that good news doesn’t always need proof to be true. And when his voice finally returns, the first thing he does is praise God.
Maybe that’s something we can reflect on.
God isn’t threatened by our questions. But there’s a difference between asking for understanding and asking for control. When God interrupts our plans – and maybe it’s through news we didn’t expect, or changes we didn’t choose, or paths we never considered taking – He may not explain everything right away. But He will always give us enough light for the next step.
What about you? Has God ever showed up and interrupted your plans? If so, what did you learn about Him?
Feel free to share your experience in the comment section!
Former Blackout Artist 