In the gospel of Luke, when Zechariah (Zecharias) was standing before the Lord as High Priest and Gabriel appeared to him to tell him that his wife, Elizabeth, was going to have a child, he questioned Gabriel saying that he was old and his wife well-stricken in age. Gabriel responded to his "questioning" by afflicting him with an inability to speak until after his son, John, was born. Gabriel told him it was because of his disbelief! But ever wonder about this? Just a few verses later, Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her that she is going to have a Son, the Messiah of Israel. Mary asks, "how can this be?" since she was a virgin and had not been with a man. Well, the angel Gabriel was (apparently) more tolerant of Mary's "questioning." Mary was not afflicted with the inability to speak until after Jesus was born like Zecharias was! Instead, Gabriel patiently explained to Mary what would happen and told her that with God nothing shall be impossible. Amazing, isn't it? Zechariah questioned Gabriel and he was punished for his disbelief with being mute. Mary questioned Gabriel and he merely answered her with an explanation and did not punish her for "disbelief".
 
Could this be because Zecharias is a type of Israel? Israel, who always needed a "sign" from God for everything, rather than having FAITH??? And that Mary is a type of the Church, who is supposed to walk by FAITH, not by sight? Both were "miracle" births. Elizabeth birthed John the Baptist when she was well beyond the age of child-bearing - just as Israel's "birth" was truly a miracle when everyone thought the Jew had nearly perished (in Hitler's ovens).  Mary birthed the Savior of the world through the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit--- just as the Church was birthed on Pentecost through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit! Israel is punished for her disbelief (during the Great Tribulation) just as Zecharias was punished for his disbelief by being made mute. The Church ESCAPES the Great Tribulation, just as Mary was shown great favor and mercy and escaped any punishment or rebuke from Gabriel when she questioned him as to "how can this be?"
 
Rene