How do you view angels? In the Bible, angel announcements tend to cause fear, so they have to come with assurances. This Advent we will explore how these assurances are more than simply about an angel appearance. In each one, God has something specific to say to the character(s), to Israel, to us. In the passage for today, the assurance is that, out of the silence of several centuries, God has heard the prayers of Israel and is about to act on their behalf. It is a story about prophets, priests and kings, but mostly it is a story about silence and signs.