Blessed is She . . . a birth announcement to a baby and his mom
Zechariah comes out of the Holy of Holies ~mute! He tries to use sign language to communicate what had happened, but ...
they know something supernatural had happened, but . . . ? ? ?
He goes home, and in the 'natural course of events' Elizabeth, his wife, becomes pregnant. It says she stayed in seclusion for 5 months. However, it never says WHY.
I checked a few commentaries ... nothing! OK, some 'drivel' ~ clearly biased guesses. Sometimes I wish commentators would just say "Wow! don't have a clue!"
Elizabeth wasn't ashamed. She says, "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." (Luke 1:25)
So why 5 months of seclusion? My answer: We don't know ... don't have a clue!!
What we do know is that in the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Gabriel ~ the angel who came to see Zechariah in the Holy of Holies ~ goes to see Mary. He tells her that she is favored of God and she will become pregnant miraculously...without 'knowing' a man. The father will be the Holy Spirit. She says, "How can these things be ... ?" too, but the angel does not accuse her of unbelief, as he had accused Zechariah. Clearly Mary's confusion was ... as it were ... biological confusion. Her question is understandable: who -- really -- who could have thought of a virgin birth except God? Once Gabriel explains, she says, "May it be to me as you have said. (Luke 1:38) SUCH FAITH!!
But then the next part of the birth announcement is made by JOHN (who is later called John the Baptist.) Remember Gabriel's promise to Zechariah? The baby would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. As part of the announcement to Mary, Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth is pregnant. Mary goes to be with Elizabeth. As she gets there, John "leaps" in his mother's womb. And Elizabeth knew in that moment ~ instantly ~ that Mary was pregnant with the Messiah, Jesus --- she clearly knew from her speech that Mary carried the Messiah.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth . When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Luke 1:39-44
Then Elizabeth says something wonderful and true:
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Luke 1:45
they know something supernatural had happened, but . . . ? ? ?
He goes home, and in the 'natural course of events' Elizabeth, his wife, becomes pregnant. It says she stayed in seclusion for 5 months. However, it never says WHY.
I checked a few commentaries ... nothing! OK, some 'drivel' ~ clearly biased guesses. Sometimes I wish commentators would just say "Wow! don't have a clue!"
Elizabeth wasn't ashamed. She says, "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." (Luke 1:25)
So why 5 months of seclusion? My answer: We don't know ... don't have a clue!!
What we do know is that in the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Gabriel ~ the angel who came to see Zechariah in the Holy of Holies ~ goes to see Mary. He tells her that she is favored of God and she will become pregnant miraculously...without 'knowing' a man. The father will be the Holy Spirit. She says, "How can these things be ... ?" too, but the angel does not accuse her of unbelief, as he had accused Zechariah. Clearly Mary's confusion was ... as it were ... biological confusion. Her question is understandable: who -- really -- who could have thought of a virgin birth except God? Once Gabriel explains, she says, "May it be to me as you have said. (Luke 1:38) SUCH FAITH!!
But then the next part of the birth announcement is made by JOHN (who is later called John the Baptist.) Remember Gabriel's promise to Zechariah? The baby would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. As part of the announcement to Mary, Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth is pregnant. Mary goes to be with Elizabeth. As she gets there, John "leaps" in his mother's womb. And Elizabeth knew in that moment ~ instantly ~ that Mary was pregnant with the Messiah, Jesus --- she clearly knew from her speech that Mary carried the Messiah.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth . When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Luke 1:39-44
Then Elizabeth says something wonderful and true:
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Luke 1:45
There it is again: that wonderful KEY: Mary believed God. She did not let circumstances, or the opinions of others, or her own analytical questions, or ANYTHING else call into question the word of God to her. With amazing faith she placed her life, her reputation, her relationship with friends and family, her marriage, and her future securely into God's hands.
Something else we do not know is why Mary went to see Elizabeth. Were they close friends? I suspect so. Was it because it would have been QUITE awkward to suddenly show signs of pregnancy that her mom and dad and ... JOSEPH...would find unmistakable? Maybe. Was it because she knew her "relative" (cousin, aunt??), Elizabeth, was old(er) and would need lots of help during the end of her pregnancy? Maybe. The scripture does not say why she went...just that she went. Scripture tells us that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for 3 months. How wonderful that 3 months must have been!! I am sure they talked A LOT! I am sure they planned and projected and day dreamed about their two miraculous sons. I can feel their mutual joy! I think that visit gave both women courage. The days ahead would not be easy: Mary had a visit from an angel...but her parents didn't, and Joseph didn't. She needed courage! What I love is that there is no mention of her wavering...not a sound of recrimination toward God. Elizabeth and Mary -- two women facing dreadful difficulty -- hugged each other and rejoiced! Having someone who believes WITH you, someone who is standing IN the unfolding of the miracle WITH you . . . that make all the difference.
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