The central theme of the beautiful story of when Mary visits Elizabeth is the unshakeable unquestioning faith of both women. We see this through several faith moments that occur during the visit.
What Is the Context of Mary's Visit with Elizabeth?
Elizabeth was an elderly barren woman experiencing the shame in her era of being childless. Her priestly husband Zechariah, having no child to carry on his name, might’ve sought another wife. But he didn’t. Rather, the couple remained faithful to each other and faithful to God.
One day, Zechariah won the cast of lots determining which priest would attend to the incense in the temple. While in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared and said to Zechariah, who was fearfully startled: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:13-17
Zechariah found this hard to believe since he and his wife were far beyond childbearing years, so he questioned Gabriel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along I years.” (Luke 1:18)
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke 1:19-20)
Just as Gabriel had prophesied, when Zechariah returned to Elizabeth, she did become pregnant and Zechariah could not speak.
When Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy, Mary, a young relative engaged to her fiancé Joseph, was also having her own unexpected encounter with Gabriel. He visited her one night and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 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.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:29-38
Mary understood Gabrielle’s message that she and Elizabeth were both having miraculous pregnancies that few would understand or believe possible. She didn’t hesitate but hurried off to visit Elizabeth who lived about 50-100 miles away.
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. Luke 1:39-40
Here are four significant faith moments when Mary visits Elizabeth:
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1. Mary Had Faith That Elizabeth Would Welcome Her
It wasn’t by chance that Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth. God knew that Elizabeth was the perfect spiritual mother and mentor for Mary because not everyone would accept as true either of their miraculous stories of God’s supernatural intervention. Mary had faith that she would find comfort and reassurance in spending time with her older relative Elizabeth.
Gabriel’s mention of Elizabeth’s pregnancy compelled Mary to go to her immediately! She wasn’t daunted by the inconvenience, time required, energy expended or sacrifice, considering she was in the first trimester of her own pregnancy. Mary didn’t stop to count the cost, weigh the hardships of the travel, analyze if that was really what the Lord meant, worry about how it would affect her schedule, or wonder if Elizabeth was too old to relate to her.
Mary must have felt that Elizabeth was a safe person. She could go to her with this supernatural story and Elizabeth would receive her with compassion. Once there, she would learn that Elizabeth had her own supernatural God story.
2. Elizabeth Had Faith That There Was a Reason God Sent Mary to Visit Her
Imagine Elizabeth opening the door to a teenage unwed pregnant distant relative she hasn’t seen in years. She was going through her own hardship of being an elderly pregnant woman with a husband who couldn’t speak. But from Elizabeth’s response at Mary’s arrival, it doesn’t seem like she worried or fretted that the house was a mess, or she was out of bread, or that she looked a sight and Zechariah really wasn’t himself lately. She didn’t tell Mary that there were a million things she had to do to get ready for her own baby so this probably wasn’t a good time for Mary’s visit.
Elizabeth wasn’t judgmental or condemning. Instead, the Bible tells us . . .
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. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:41-45
Before Mary could even explain her immaculate conception, the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth and she knew Mary was carrying the blessed Messiah. Elizabeth began to prophesy about Mary and her baby. She knew Mary had also believed and trusted in the Lord just as she herself had done. Two women of faith from different generations but the same God.
In Face-to-Face With Elizabeth and Mary: Generation to Generation, I note that while Mary needed someone to prepare her for pregnancy and giving birth to the Messiah, more importantly, she need someone who understood and had insight into what his future would entail.
3. Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth Confirmed God’s Plans
God had a plan for Zechariah and Elizabeth’s, son, John the Baptist, to be the forerunner of Mary’s unborn son Jesus Christ, the future Messiah. Upon their meeting, both women knew that immediately. After the Holy Spirit–inspired greeting from Elizabeth, Mary’s heart filled with joy as she trusted God and responded to Elizabeth with a Spirit-filled hymn of praise and faith called the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes
4. Elizabeth and Mary’s Strong Common Bond Was Their Faith in God
Even though there was a significant age gap and the women’s individual mission from God was different, their lives, and their babies’ lives would be intricately intertwined. Mary stayed for three months with Elizabeth and since Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Mary arrived, perhaps Mary even helped with the birth of baby John.
We have the vantage point of knowing the future for both babies. During Mary’s visit there would be great camaraderie between the two women, one very young and one very old, who were each fulfilling God’s purpose in a way that was probably difficult to explain believably to others. I’m sure they spent a great deal of time in prayer and affirming each other that while their experience came with certain hardships, the blessings far outweighed the difficulties.
We don’t read any discussion of poor me or why me, only praise God it’s me! Mary had to be overjoyed and affirmed as she listened to her older wiser relative confirm that she, Mary, was blessed indeed, as are all of us who put our faith in God. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:45
What Can We Learn from These Faith-Moments?
There had to be many who questioned Elizabeth and Mary’s stories, but someone who has experienced something similar to us can understand our concerns and even fears. That’s why it’s so valuable that we maintain faith-filled relationships where we feel safe to share our stories.
It takes real courage and fortitude to stand strong when the world is trying to undermine your faith. It’s so important for Christians to gather and worship together corporately at church, in small groups, and mentoring relationships to encourage each other, pray together, study God’s Word, and remind them that Jesus is real and alive today in every believer’s life. Nothing happens by chance to a believer.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11
Faith Is Believing in What We Don’t Understand
The foundation of the Christian life is the gift of faith that we freely receive by asking Jesus into our heart. Believers should look for the hand of God in every circumstance. Recognizing God’s supernatural intervention and purpose comes with spiritual maturity. The Bible says that believers who have yet to see God’s involvement in their life, but still believe, will be rewarded for their patience and unquestioning faith. But in reality, becoming a Christian is evidence of a divine revelation in every believer’s life.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Heb. 11:1-3
All things are possible with God!
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” St. Augustine
Photo Credit: Flickr/Lawrence OP
Janet Thompson is an international speaker, freelance editor, and award-winning author of 20 books. Her passion is to mentor other women in sharing their life experiences and God’s faithfulness. Janet’s new release is Everyday Brave: Living Courageously As a Woman of Faith available at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes and Noble, and signed at author’s website. She is also the author of Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness; Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten; Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby?; Dear God They Say It’s Cancer; Dear God, He’s Home!; Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter; Face-to-Face Bible study Series; and Woman to Woman Mentoring: How to Start, Grow, & Maintain a Mentoring Ministry Resources. Janet is the founder of Woman to Woman Mentoring and About His Work Ministries. Visit Janet and sign up for her weekly blog and free online newsletter at womantowomanmentoring.com. Join Janet on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.