Although we know quite a bit about the history of the Jews between the periods of the Old and New testaments, the scriptural record leaves a gap of about three hundred years. That's a long time to go without prophetic direction. If God revealed things to men during this period, it was in private, at least in the Eastern Hemisphere.
It is out of this period that Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, comes. His own life was winding down, unworthy of any special mention as Judea limped along, a captive state in a poor corner of the Roman Empire. He had no children. At this point he deserved credit only for having remained faithful despite a dearth of direct evidence that would have enhanced faith.
Then came the day Zacharias was to enter the temple to attend to his priestly responsibility, perhaps for the only time in his life. While there, he was visited by an angel, the first overt act by God in this new dispensation. Not only would Zacharias become a father, but his son (to be named John) would have a prominent role in clearing the way for an entirely new (to most) way of thinking about - nearly everything.
All this took Zacharias by surprise. His only response was to question how it (a son born to aging parents) could happen. Sure, this was a weak response for someone whose whole life was supposed to be based on matters of the Spirit, but could any of us have done much better? Zacharias was punished for doubting by losing the power of speech until the promised son was born. He needed no more convincing, though it must have puzzled him trying to grasp it all.
We know the main points of John's message, and that he was an influential contemporary of Jesus. The record shows him as especially fearless in condemning the failure of the religious institutions of his day. There is evidence that Zacharias did not live long into John's life, but it's still worth considering whether some part of the son's fiery message might have come originally from his own low key father.
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