Zacharias, husband of Elisabeth, was a righteous and blameless person was childless! Zachariah was also a priest. One day as he was serving in the temple the angel Gabriel appeared to him and announced that his wife would have a child.
Although Zacharias was moved by the awesome presence of the angel, he could not accept that his aged wife could still give birth because she was beyond child bearing age. In order to stop him confessing his unbelief he was unable to speak and remained speechless until the day that the baby should be given a name.
The custom was to name the baby after his father but Zacharias asked for a tablet and wrote, his name is John as instructed by the angel. Then he was able to speak.
Luke 1:63-64 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
Center for Evangelists 
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