Steven Spielberg Blew it

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

(Verse 6): Here are two people that the Bible says were "righteous before" God. They were "walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord." This doesn’t mean that they were "sinless." Scripture makes it clear that there’s not a righteous man on the face of the earth (see Romans 3:10). However, God made a way for Israel to obtain righteousnesses through the Old Testament sacrificial system. Animal sacrifice provided a temporary covering for sin. Elizabeth and Zacharius were a childless couple who were well advanced in years, obviously implying that they were well beyond the child-bearing age.

Zacharius was chosen to go into the temple of God. He was about to burn incense in the Holy of Holies behind the great veil of the temple. The first temple originally housed the Ark of the Covenant. At the conclusion of the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Nazis looked into the Ark and were instantly killed by what seemed to be an evil spirit. The writers of the movie sure messed that up. It’s not evil that comes out of the Ark and kills sinners, it’s the perfect, holy, just and good Law of God.

If let loose upon humanity, it, like greased lightning, would instantly kill anyone who has violated its perfect precepts. It's that Law that each of us must face on Judgment Day. Those who are in Christ are free from what the Bible calls "the curse of the Law" (see Galatians 3:13).

Within the temple there was a huge 60 feet high and 4 inches thick curtain, made out of hand woven cloth that spanned the entire width of the temple. If the priest had any sin in his heart, it would instantly draw the penalty of death at the hand of God Himself (see Habakkuk 1:13).

Zacharias would no doubt have prepared himself with a sober self-examination, and with animal sacrifice, and put on the priestly clothing. He would with fear and trembling take fire from the alter and fill a golden censor and pass through the veil. He then would have begun to pray and rock the censor, scattering smoke into the room. The smoke was symbolic of the prayers of the people. It’s no wonder everyone outside was in prayer...

Pics. Movie poster. Indiana Jones and Sallah lift the Ark of the Covenant, in "Raider's of the Lost Ark."