Nine months before this event, Zechariah was chosen by lot to burn incense in the temple. Most priests had a deep-seated fear of God, especially when this honor was bestowed upon them. Zechariah loved the Lord, but, like the rest of the Jews, he had learned to fear the Lord while living in exile in the land of Babylon.
Then the angel appeared with him while he was serving in the Temple. The fear of the Lord was heightened. Though he received the great message of becoming a father, Zechariah doubted, and so he could not speak. This reinforced his fear of the Lord.
Now with knowledge of the advent of the Messiah, Zechariah sings, “Jesus will rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and enable us to serve him without fear.” (69, 74) Jesus has the power to remove fear. 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Hebrews 2:14-16 states, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.”
What is fear to Jesus? What fear do I have? Are you afraid of sharing your faith in Jesus? Do not say, “I am afraid because I might say something wrong?” Ask Jesus to become your courage. Serve him in obedience and love. Serve him with no fear when you serve him in righteousness.
