The Coming of Jesus as experienced by Elizabeth

Luke 1

When we think of the Christmas story we don't often think of Elizabeth but she was probably quite intimately involved with Mary and I think her story has something to say to us. 

Elizabeth came from a priestly family, she was upright and kept the commands of her faith. She was a good woman but she was infertile and in those times a misfortune like infertility was thought to be a punishment from God for some kind of misdemeanor. You could forgive an ancient woman for feeling that it was a punishment: she had nobody to care for her in her old age, nobody to carry the family name and always the social stigma and shame. 

Imagine the speculation of the neighbours. Imagine living through 20 or 25 years when you might expect to be fertile but no baby ever came. What would a woman have done to deserve that? As she got older her hopes must have gradually and painfully died.

This woman, Elizabeth endured years of pain and shame and her hopes were gone. She must have wondered what she had done to deserve this.

Then one day, her husband came home from a shift at the temple and he was mute. An angel had visited him and told him they would have a child but he wasn't sure about it and so the angel struck him mute but Elizabeth didn't know this, she wasn't there and she didn't see an angel herself.  

She must have wondered what was happening to her or maybe her husband wrote it down for her, we know that he could write but could she read?

So, there was potentially some fear and confusion about the pregnancy and I wonder what she thought she was suffering from. Then Mary comes for a visit. If Elizabeth hadn't already found out what was going on, Mary would have been able to tell her. By this time Elizabeth was six months pregnant and we know that Mary stayed for three months, long enough to support Elizabeth through the last months of pregnancy and probably the birth. I would imagine she might have been persuaded to stay for the circumcision when the baby was eight days old, as well.

Elizabeth might have mentored Mary through the early months of Mary's pregnancy, she might have been a mother figure to Mary and had the opportunity to have a surrogate daughter for a little while.

When the baby was eight days old and about to be circumcised the rabbi was going to call him Zacharia after his father but we see Elizabeth speak up and say that her son is to be called John. This woman who had been stigmatised by her position in time and by her infertility was speaking up! to the rabbi, a powerful man, and being listened to. What a turn around that was.

God's favour on Elizabeth is evident as she transforms from a sad and isolated figure into a respected woman, close to the mother of Jesus, it was like influencing royalty. We can't forget  the greatest blessing in all of this, her baby boy, which of course brought joy to everyone around, like all children do.

We don't know whether Elizabeth lived to see John grow up but it is recorded that he was the greatest of all prophets. It is my opinion that once God blessed Elizabeth with a child He would also have given her the opportunity to see him grow into the man he was destined to be and I think that she saw him become a celebrated man of God. 

Elizabeth was hurting but she was patient and faithful and she eventually became so uplifted that she was influential with mary, her voice was heard by powerful men and her son grew to become a highly respected, Godly man.

For Elizabeth, the coming of Jesus brought healing, joy, respect and comfort. Her  long years of torment were turned around in spectacular fashion and her faithfulness was repaid many times over.

Home League Christmas 06.12.2017