different tones. Others thought it was like a gong which, when struck or thrown on the floor, could be heard at
a great distance. The supposed purpose of the Megrephah was so that everyone in the area would know
when certain portions of the Temple service were about to occur, especially the burning of the incense. It is
interesting to note that neither Josephus or Philo, both contemporaries of the late Second Temple times,
mention such an instrument in any of their writings.]
Just what were the prayers that were being offered during the time of incense burning? The Jewish Sages
have preserved this information as well, and once again Edersheim gives us a detailed account. This time
from his book; The Temple; Its Ministry' and Services:
'The prayers offered by priests and people at this part of the service are recorded by tradition as follows:
―True it is that Thou art Jehovah our God, and the God of our fathers; our King and the King of our fathers;
our Saviour and the Saviour of our fathers; our Maker and the Rock of our salvation; our Help and our
Deliverer. Thy name is from everlasting and there is no God beside Thee. A new song did they that were
delivered sing to thy name by the sea-shore, together did ail praise and own Thee as King, and say, Jehovah
shall reign who saveth Israel‖. (p. 168).
At this point, three more prayers were said, both by the officiating Priest and by the Priests, Levites and
people assembled outside. Today, these are known as the last three prayers of the Amidah or Eighteen
Benedictions. Along with the Shema, these prayers are a part of the most intimate part of the modem
Synagogue service. (Many of the prayers used in the synagogue today were taken from the Temple service
so they might be preserved until the day comes when the Temple is rebuilt.)
The Last Three Prayers
"'Be graciously pleased, YHWH our God, with Thy people Israel, and with their prayer. Restore the service to
the oracle of Thy house: and the burnt-offerings of Israel and their prayer accept graciously and in love; and
let the service of Thy people Israel be ever well-pleasing unto Thee‖.
"'We praise Thee, who art YHWH our God, and the God of our fathers, the God of all flesh, our Creator, and
the Creator from the beginning! Blessing and praise be to Thy great and holy name, that Thou hast
preserved us in life and kept us. So preserve us, keep us, and gather the scattered ones into Thy holy
courts, to keep Thy statutes, and to do Thy good pleasure, and to serve Thee with our whole heart, as this
day we confess unto Thee. Blessed be the Lord, unto whom belongeth praise‖.
"'Appoint peace, goodness, and blessing; grace, mercy, and compassion for us, and for all Israel Thy people.
Bless us, O our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Thy countenance. For in the fight of Thy
countenance hast Thou, YHWH, our God, given us the law of life, and loving mercy, and righteousness, and
blessing, and compassion, and life, and peace. And may it please Thee to bless Thy people Israel at all
times, and at every hour with Thy peace. [May we and all Thy people Israel be remembered and written
before Thee in the book of life, with blessing and peace and support.] Blessed be Thou, YHWH, who
blessest Thy people Israel with peace"' (pp. 1 68 - 169).
The Vision
It must have been at this very point when the angel of YHWH appeared between the Altar of Incense and the
seven-branched Menorah in the first room of the Temple called The Holy Place. One can only imagine how
startled and afraid Zacharias must have been at that moment. Here he was at the apex of his life, burning
incense before the YHWH of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – when a most unexpected event took place:
(11) ―Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
(12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
(13) But the angel said to him, ̳Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard...'" (Luke 1:11- 13
NKJV)
The prayer of Zacharias that YHWH had heard was not a private prayer of his own making. Rather, it was
the prescribed prayers (just mentioned) which were normally offered during this ritual. The initial prayer
(which the angel said had been heard) extolled YHWH as being; 'our God‘, ̳our King‘, 'our Saviour‘, 'our
Maker‘, 'the Rock of our salvation‘, 'our Help and our Deliverer‘. In addition to this prayer, the last of the three
'benedictions' call for the people of Israel to experience "the light of Thy countenance...‖ Taken together,
these prayers were an appeal for the Messiah to appear.
Thus it was, that YHWH withheld from Zacharias the most honoured of Temple rituals until that time when
He was ready to reveal the coming of the Messiah through a son born to this precious priestly family.
―...and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John‖. (Luke 1:13b NKJV)