Michael Penny

John the Baptist Michael Penny

Surprisingly, the New Testament does not open with Gabriel visiting Mary in Galilee and telling her she is to be the mother of the Son of God. Rather we see Gabriel in Jerusalem, in the temple, telling an old priest, Zechariah, that in their old age he and his wife are to have a son, who is to go before the Lord "in the spirit and power of Elijah". This child was to be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb, and was to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. So it is not surprising when he was born the neighbours asked "What then will this child be?" This book answers that question.