Read Luke Chapter 1.
Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah, had every reason to complain about her circumstances. In an age and society when it was considered a disgrace for a woman to be childless, she was just that. And by the time her name is recorded in Luke's Gospel, she is far too old to have a baby. All of her life in a remote hill village, she had seen other women becoming pregnant and watched their joy as they have given birth to a boy or a girl. She has watched these children growing up to become teenagers and then adults, and all of these experiences of interaction in a family setting have sadly passed her by.
Her husband is well respected and his sons would have been priests too. Priesthood was hereditary. So Elizabeth has failed to provide an heir for her priestly husband. The line of priesthood will end with Zechariah and his death would likely be in the near future. In the first century many would have criticised Elizabeth and regarded her as a failure and a social misfit. In fact, Luke's Gospel is littered with stories of people who were despised by the society of the day and Elizabeth is the first of these. Now she is too old to have children and it seems too late for her to conceive and fulfil her dreams of having a son.
It is interesting to note that there is no criticism of Elizabeth. Her husband was struck dumb because he was reluctant to believe that God could provide him with a son at this stage in their marriage and with a wife who is barren and too old to conceive. There is no suggestion that Elizabeth shared her husband's lack of faith. Once again, on the pages of the Bible, we have a woman who is more spiritual than her husband - compare to Hannah [See Day Share entitled, Hannah: A Godly Woman 24/02/2021].
God had a plan for Elizabeth - even though she did not realise it. She might have been living in relative obscurity in a remote village in Judah, but God wanted to use her and His plan would involve the incarnation - the coming of the Son of God into the world in a human body. First of all, in God's plan Elizabeth would give birth to a son who would become John Baptist, the herald of the coming Messiah. The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of John 'as the one crying in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord." (Luke 3:1-6 and Isaiah 40: 3-4) Although he is described as the son of Zechariah (Luke 1:2), Elizabeth was his mother and her barrenness and age were no barriers to God.
Elizabeth's miraculous pregnancy was used as an object lesson for a much younger relative. Mary had asked her heavenly visitor, Gabriel the question, How will this be? How can I possibly have a baby since I am a virgin?" And here is the angel's reply,
Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail. ” [Luke 1:36-37 NIV]. Notice that Gabriel highlights the supernatural element of the conception of this baby - 'Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child' and the reasons given was related to her age and her barrenness. Gabriel was making the simple but sublime point that there is nothing impossible with God - or as the NIV translates the sentence - "No word from God will ever fail."
And Elizabeth, the older woman was a powerful support for young Mary as she faced the stigma associated with being pregnant outside of wedlock. Luke records that Mary made the tiring journey over rugged terrain from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea to stay with Elizabeth before she had given birth to baby John. So the two relatives have a shared experience and provide mutual support. Both have been instruments for divine intervention - the conception of John to a woman who had been declared barren and now was beyond the menopause and a young virgin who had never 'known a man.' Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit when she sees Mary coming to her humble home and the baby in her womb gives her a message that this is no ordinary child that this young girl is carrying. Elizabeth graciously but perceptively described Mary as the 'mother of my Lord.' She sees that she is being given a privilege and a favour by having Mary in her home and Mary spends three months in obscurity away from the gossip and the slander of her home town. This allows Joseph time to come to terms with what is being asked of him - to be the earthly father for the Son of God.
Elizabeth is one of the many Bible women who are undervalued by generations of Christians. Some Christians have made too much of Mary but in the tradition to which I belonged she has been almost ignored. But Elizabeth has been relegated to the lower division than her younger relative. She was a godly woman who fulfilled a vital role in God's plan.
Against all the natural laws, giving birth to a son who would prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
Accepting without question the message of the angel to her husband Zechariah that her barren womb would conceive even in old age.
Providing support and refuge for her relative Mary in her home in the hill country of Judea when she was facing condemnation for being pregnant while betrothed to Joseph but as yet unmarried.
Identifying the significance of the baby in Mary's womb as 'her Lord' and thereby recognising the deity of the still unborn child.
Here are the words of Elizabeth spoken when she was five months pregnant and was isolated in her own home in a remote village
“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people” [Luke 1:25 NIV]. Notice that this godly elderly lady recognises the hand of the Lord in all her circumstances. Like Hannah she traces her pregnancy to divine intervention and she is thankful for the end of her shame and disgrace associated with being unable to conceive. If there is one lesson to learn from this incident, it is this - we should acknowledge that God is at work in our lives and that His way is perfect. We should trust Him completely for the unknown future and we can safely leave matters giving us concern and distress in His powerful hands.
[Photo by Juli Kosolapova on Unsplash]
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. Luke 1:56 NIV https://luke.bible/luke-1-56 This was prior to the birth of John according to Luke's account. There is a whole debate about the date for Christmas. I suspect it was not December 25th. But I am glad that even in this secular society there is still a celebration of the birth of God's Son.
Thanks Robert. I have been studying the timing of all this as it relates to Lord's birth. Although Luke does not say, have you read anywhere if Mary stayed for birth of John? And have you read much on the timing of this re Christ's birth in Dec (?) or not.