The Song of Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-45

With the skill of an artist, Luke sketches a wonderful literary picture of the young, exhausted teenage mother-to-be (having traveled over the Judean hills from her home in Nazareth) and her older relative embracing, as the yet unborn John the Baptist jumps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. The picture is part of a mural painted across the closed door of the Old Testament. The hope of the ages has arrived. Anticipation of centuries has met in a single embrace. The forerunner and the One who walks the path are inches apart. The drama of this scene should be riveted in our minds.

Elizabeth breaks into song. The joy of her surprising pregnancy, along with all the sewing she has been doing in anticipation for her unexpected baby’s birth, is suddenly swallowed up in a greater joy. She begins by elevating Mary above all other women of the human race. There is not the slightest tinge of envy in her voice. The joy of her own expectation has suddenly been diminished by the shadow of her Savior’s mother being cast on her doorway. If you stare for a moment with your imagination, you can feel the pleasure.

Riding on the wings of heaven’s Dove, Elizabeth’s attention is shifted from the mother to the child. She suddenly is reminded that Mary did not come from Nazareth alone; but an unborn passenger is present, and the ground suddenly becomes holy. As she sings, “Blessed [is] the fruit of your womb,” you can almost hear a giggle in her voice. Suddenly, John is not leaping alone, but the two women join him. Every woman in human history would have given anything to trade places with these two embracing females.

Elizabeth’s maternity experience is given an unlikely physical confirmation of validity. There had been no doubt she would have a child; but now, the other half of God’s purpose could be more fully understood through Mary’s presence. The Messiah was soon to be born. The grip of sin would be loosened. The enemies of God’s righteousness would be ultimately and finally defeated. There was much about their future that they did not know, but the experiential knowledge of the moment made that insignificant.

The detailed sequence of events is hidden in silence from us, but Mary must have told Elizabeth of Gabriel’s visit and her surrender, yet she hungers for confirmation. It is this element of their exchange that causes Elizabeth to move to the third stanza of her song and she says, “Blessed [is] she who believed.” Mary’s faith is brought to the forefront. The young would stay with the old until the latter delivered. Her return to Nazareth would, perhaps, not have as much of a skip in her step. With her condition visually more obvious, she must return to tell Joseph what has transpired. What would happen? She did not know! Faith demands a good deal of unknown to qualify as faith.

The Song of Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-45

The praise of Mary’s station v. 42

Moses

Naomi

Matthew

The praise of the Messiah v. 42

The old woman

The old man

The Wisemen

The praise of Mary's faith v. 45

The release

The grasp

The release