Luke 1:8-10
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Zacharias belonged to the division of Abia. Every direct male descendant of Aaron was automatically a priest, this meant for all ordinary purposes there were far too many priests.

They were divided into 24 sections. Only at Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles did all the priests serve. For the rest of the year each course served two periods of one week each. Priests who loved their work looked forward to that week of service above all things; it was the highlight of their lives.

There was as many as 20,000 priests and so there were nearly a 1,000 in each division. Zechariah’s division of priests was serving in the temple during this particular week. Each morning, one of the priests would enter the Holy Place in the temple to offer incense. Incense was burned in the temple twice daily. Lots were cast to decide who would enter the sacred room and one day during the week Zechariah was chosen by lot.

Offering the incense was considered a great privilege. It was very possible a priest would never have the privilege of burning incense all his life; but if the lot did fall on any priest that day was the greatest day in all his life, the day he longed for and dreamed of. On this day the lot fell on Zacharias and he would be thrilled to the core of his being.

God was guiding the events of history to prepare the way for Jesus to come to earth.

The greatest day of Zachariah’s life was to become even greater.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21