The particular office of Zacharias was to pray in behalf of the people, for pardon of public and national sins, and to earnestly pray for the coming of the long-expected Saviour whom they believed must redeem his people. When Zacharias attempted to pray, he could not utter a word. The people waited long for the appearance of Zacharias, to learn whether God had given them any visible token of his approbation. They began to fear from his long tarry that God had manifested his displeasure. When Zacharias came out of the temple, his countenance was shining with the light which the heavenly angel had reflected upon him. But he could not speak to the people. He made signs to them that an angel had appeared to him in the temple, and because of his unbelief he was deprived of the power of speech, until the prediction of the angel should be fulfilled. {2SP 45.1}

Zakarias særlige embede var at bede for folket, for tilgivelse af offentlige og nationale synder, og at bede alvorligt for den længe forventede Frelsers konge, som de troede måtte genløse sit folk. Da Zakarias prøvede at bede, kunne han ikke længere sige et ord. Folket ventede længe på at Zakarias skulle vise sig, og lære om Gud havde givet dem et synligt tegn på hans bifald. De begyndte at blive bange for at han var så længe væk, at Gud havde vist sit mishag. Da Zakarias kom ud af rtemplet, skinnede hans ansigt op med det lys som den himmelske engel havde genspejlet på ham. Men han kunne ikke længere tale til folket. Han gjorde tegn for dem at en engel havde vist sig for ham i templet, og var blevet frataget talens kraft på grund af sin vantro, indtil englens forudsigelse skulle opfyldes.