weather-prophets. By studying the sky, the clouds, and the
winds, they can tell what sort of weather we are likely to have.
But these Jewish prophets talked with God, and he told them
what to foretell, so they never made any mistakes.
These prophets did not all live at one time; nor did they all
tell the same things about the king. One said he was to be born
in Bethlehem, and was to belong to Davids family. Another
said when he should be born; and others told something else
about his life. Still another said that before he came God would
send a great prophet, who would teach the people how to get
ready for the Christ, their king.
At the time of our story there had been no prophet for four
hundred years; but the Jews, remembering and believing what
the prophets had promised so long ago, were looking for their king.
For, if the prophets had spoken truly, it was almost time for him
to come. They had forgotten that some of the prophets had said
that the king was to be poor, and a man of sorrows. They ex¬
pected him to come in great power, and make them a strong free
nation again.
Although many Jews were now living in Palestine, they were
under the rule of the Homan Emperor. The Emperor had so
large a country that he could not look after it all himself; but
divided it into what were called provinces and appointed rulers
to take charge of them for him. The Jews did not like to obey
the Roman Emperor, they did not like the rulers who were sent
to them, and they did so long for their own strong king.
Herod, one of the Roman rulers, who was called a king, was
very much disliked, and he began to be afraid that he would lose
INTRODUCTION
5
his throne. So to please the Jews he built them a temple, even
more beautiful than the one which Solomon had built for them.
That one had been destroyed when the Jews were driven out of
their country, and the one which had been built when they had
returned was now so old that it was falling to pieces.
The temple was not much like our churches, nor was the ser¬
vice like ours. There was one building of two rooms. In the
smaller of these only the High Priest went, and only once a year.
In the other any priest could go.
Around this building were four large open spaces called
courts, separated from each other by walls. The one next the
building was for the priests alone; the next for the Jewish men;
the third for the Jewish women, and the fourth for all who were
not Jews. No one could go farther than the court in which he
belonged. When we speak of people going into the temple, we
mean they went into one of these courts.
The priests were the ministers, who did all the work of the
temple, and, took charge of the services. In those days the peo¬
ple did more than pray to God to forgive their sins. In the tem¬
ple was an altar, or sort of table covered with brass. On this
altar a fire was kept burning day and night. Twice every day a
lamb which had just been killed was burned on this altar, and
while it was burning the people prayed to God, asking him to
forgive their sins, and to destroy the memory of them as the fire
was destroying the lamb. This was called offering a sacrifice.
Another thing the priests did was to offer incense. Incense
was made of sweet spices, and was very fragrant. While it was
burning the people in the courts outside were praying that their
prayers might rise to God as sweet and pure and well pleasing as
the incense.
One day, just about the time that our story begins, the work
of burning the incense fell to the lot of a priest named Zacharias,
6
INTRODUCTION
who had a wife Elizabeth, but who had no children. Both were
very sorry for this, and often when they prayed, they asked God
to give them a little son.
On this day, as Zacharias alone in the temple was burning
the incense, and praying to God, he looked up and saw an angel of
the Lord standing at the right side of the altar. When Zacharias
saw him he was afraid. But the angel said: Do not be afraid,
Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; God will give you and Eliza¬
beth a baby boy, and you must call his name John. He will
bring you joy and gladness, and many other people will rejoice
that he is born. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord,
and will turn many from their wicked ways, and teach them to
love God. This child is the one whom the prophets said would
come to make the world ready for the Christ.»
Zacharias could not believe what he heard, and asked, How
shall I know that what you say is true?» The angel answered,
«God sent me to tell you about it, and because you have not
believed my word you will not be able to speak again until the
day when it comes true.»
The people outside in the courts waited for Zacharias to come
back, and wondered why he stayed so long in the temple. When
he did come out he could not speak to them. They knew that
something had happened, for he made signs to them, but did not
speak. When his week of service was over he went to his home
in the hill country of Judea, and there, when the time came, the
baby boy was born.
Little Jewish children were not named until they were eight
days old. When it w r as time for this baby to be named, the
friends called him Zacharias, after his father. His mother said,
«No, he is to be called John.» The friends thought it was
strange to call him that, for no one in the family ever had that
name; and, too, it was the custom to call the first boy by his
INTRODUCTION
T
fathers name. They made signs to Zacharias, asking how he
would have him called. Zacharias asked for a writing tablet and
wrote, His name is John.»
The friends wondered still more when the father also chose
that name, but they soon had still greater reason for surprise.
Zacharias, who had not spoken for so long, began to talk again.
Would you like to know what he said first? He thanked God
for what had happened, and then told the friends who were with
them that the Christ, the promised king, was coming very soon,
and that this child of his was the prophet who would teach the
people about their king. This story was told all through the hill
country of Judea, and the people asked, What kind of a child
will he be?»
9
THE STORY OF JESUS THE CHRIST
THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST
In Galilee, in the northern part of the Holy Land, is the
little town of Nazareth. In this town lived a beautiful young
woman, loving and gentle and pure. She was named Mary, and
was the cousin of Elizabeth.
A little while before John was born, as Mary was sitting
alone one spring day, the angel who was sent to Zacliarias came
to her and said, «God is very kind to you, Mary, for he has