Elizabeth and Mary

Elizabeth is a name that’s come down my family line. One grandmother was called Elizabeth and the other, like me, had it as a middle name. I even chose it as my daughter’s name. Despite all that, and even knowing that Elizabeth is a character in the Bible, and hearing about her at Christmas, I’ve not thought much about her. And with forty blogs about Biblical women, this is my first time writing about her.

Luke introduces us to two women who were instrumental in the story of God coming to earth. These women, Elizabeth and Mary, were active participants with important roles to play. Elizabeth is often overshadowed by her more famous relative, Mary. But from what I’ve discovered about her character, this is something she would approve of.

Elizabeth

We are first introduced to her as being married to a priest called Zechariah, and we are told she herself was from a priestly family. Luke tells us they were “righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.” (Luke 1:6 NLT) Praise indeed. But everything was not right with their life, because they were childless and by this time, both were old, and she was well past childbearing age. All hope was gone that she would ever be a mother.

I hate the word “barren” to describe a woman who has not had a child, as it suggests that their whole life is a waste, and that is not how God sees us. In Elizabeth’s time, being childless was not equated with righteousness. In fact, it was the opposite, and childlessness was viewed as the woman’s fault, as she must have done something wrong. For decades, she must have had to endure disgrace, gossip and stigma for her failure to conceive. But after all these years, something was about to happen.

Zechariah

Zechariah was serving in the Temple, as he had for decades, and on this day he was chosen to enter the sanctuary to burn incense. This would only happen once in a lifetime, or even not at all, so he must have felt that the day was a culmination of his life’s work. As he was in the sanctuary, an angel appeared and told him he would have a son. This child would be called John, and he would prepare people for the one who was to come after him. He did not believe the angel and was struck dumb and could no longer speak. Later, he arrived home to his wife, and she believed and soon afterwards conceived, and we hear her voice for the first time.

“How kind the Lord is!” She exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” (Luke 1: 25 NLT)

How they must have rejoiced with their whole family and community.

Mary

Six months later, the action moves to Nazareth for the main event. The angel visited a young woman called Mary, who, through the Holy Spirit, also conceived. A few days later, she sets off to visit her relative, Elizabeth. When Mary arrives, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps for joy and filled with the Holy Spirit, she recognises who Mary’s child is. In Luke’s gospel, it is these two women who are the first to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Even though Elizabeth knew Mary’s baby was the Lord and hers was only to prepare the ground for him, she was not jealous and there would be no competition between their sons.

Elizabeth says, “Why am I so honoured that the mother of my Lord should visit me?” (Luke 1:43 NLT)

It was only after this that Mary sang her famous song, called the Magnificat. See my December 2022 blog, Mary’s Song of Deliverance.

I would love to know what they talked about for the next three months that Mary stayed with Elizabeth. Despite their age difference, they had a lot in common. Mary would have gained strength and support from Elizabeth’s wisdom, and she would have needed it for what was to come for her.

John and Jesus

When Elizabeth and Zechariah’s baby boy was eight days old, it was time for his circumcision and his father could still not talk. Everyone assumed his name would be Zechariah, like his father, but it was his mother who said that his name would be John. Zechariah confirmed this by writing his name on a tablet, and immediately his voice was restored. He too was filled with the Holy Spirit, and like Mary and Elizabeth, gives an amazing prophecy about his son.

After this, Zechariah and Elizabeth fade from the story as Luke concentrates on Jesus’s birth. In Luke chapter 3, John and Jesus make their appearance as adults. John fulfils the prophecies of his parents and after he baptised Jesus, he too fades into the background. His job was done.

Elizabeth and Zechariah were getting on in age, and they must have thought their best years were behind them, but God had other plans. Sometimes we feel that our prayers have gone unheard, as they would have felt after all those years without a child. But with their advancing years came their true purpose.

It does not matter how old you are, God has not finished with you. I only started writing at 55, after a career in education, but nothing in all those years in the classroom and lecture hall was wasted. God’s economy has no wastage, as it led me to the place I am today.

Whatever stage of life you are in, rejoice and anticipate a fruitful future.

Elizabeth and Mary, Carl Bloch

“How kind the Lord is! He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Elizabeth prophesies with her womb and her voice.

Jerome, letter to Principia AD 397

God’s economy has no wastage