11. Judaea’s Anticipation of the Saviour

Meanwhile a hundred miles away in the hill country of Judaea…

The gospel according to Luke begins in Jerusalem and in the temple. It begins with an old priest and his old wife. Their testimony shines clearly through the text.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Luke 1:5–6 NKJV)

That, in itself, would be a remarkable testimony but it is given a special glow with the next sentence.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. (Luke 1:7 NKJV)

What relentless heartache is contained in these simple words. They lived in a culture where to be childless was regarded as a sign of divine disapproval, but this old couple had avoided the bitterness that often comes with continual disappointment and had maintained their testimony.

The pattern of priestly service determined that, since the office of tending the incense altar was the moment when a priest approached closest to God, the privilege should happen only once in a lifetime. Zecharias’ priestly ministrations had been interrupted by an angelic visitation from Gabriel himself. Gabriel had a message from heaven’s throne room.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  (Luke 1:13 NKJV)

Zecharias was first incredulous and then literally dumb-founded. He then returned to his home in the hill country of Judaea. But we will leave Zacharias’ story to a later blog. Luke time-stamps his record.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth…  (Luke 1:26 NKJV)

When 6 months later Mary received her visitation from Gabriel she set out with haste and headed for the hill country of Judaea and the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth. No doubt Mary and Elizabeth had a lot to talk about. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice her unborn miracle child leaped in her womb. Somehow the tiny person that was John recognised the presence of the tiny person that was Jesus, and John leaped with joy in his mother’s womb; and Elizabeth, and presumably John, were filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as Gabriel had promised.

Elizabeth brings a word of encouragement that re-enforces the significance of the faith link of Mary’s original response to Gabriel.

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45 NKJV)

It is the completion of a pattern.

1. The word from God’s mouth
2. The authentic faith-response of the recipient
3. The assurance of fulfilment
4. And later, the fulfilment itself.

Synergy. The wonder of God and man united in the fulfilment of God’s plans.

Mary’s Anticipation

This sets the scene and prepares us for Mary’s response. Traditionally Mary’s response is regarded as a song but the scripture simply records that she spoke these words.

 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” (Luke 1:46–55 NKJV)

We recall that Mary here is in the earliest days of her pregnancy and her world has just been turned upside-down. But her prophetic response reveals that it is not only her world than is to be turned upside-down. The world itself would one day feel the impact of these angelic visitations and the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption.

But when they did not find them (Paul and Silas), they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” (Acts 17:6 NKJV)

Thanksgiving

My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.

Mary’s response is truly wonderful. With all the mystery as yet unfolded and her own sorrows as yet unclear she lifts her voice in praise and exaltation of the faithful God of Israel. And all generations do ‘call her blessed’. We don’t worship her, neither do we believe she intercedes for us. Neither do we believe in her sinlessness, we cannot fail to note her conscious need of a personal Saviour; God my Saviour. But we do bless God for her; and for her willingness to present her body – a living sacrifice in the service of God’s purposes. We thank God for the record of her full consent to a life changing, world changing miracle:

Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38 NKJV)

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45 NKJV)

Revolution

And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. (Luke 1:50–53 NKJV)

In some circles these verses have been seen as a mandate for revolution. But the subject in all these assertions is God himself. It is God himself who will turn the world upside-down. There is no justification for violent overthrow here. The counsel of God remains the same.

Come, behold the works of the Lord,Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; Come, behold the works of the Lord, He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. (Ps 46:8–11 NKJV)

Revolution? Yes, but not as many have thought it.

The time has come

He has helped His servant Israel, As He spoke to our fathers,In remembrance of His mercy, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” (Luke 1:54–55 NKJV)

In spite of the nation’s failure God will fulfill his promises. 

Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith Jehovah,and thy Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.  (Isa 41:14 ASV)

For centuries God’s faithful servants had prophesied in many ways that Messiah was coming. Now Mary in the company of Elizabeth sees the days counting down to the fulfilment of all that had gone before. The Seed promised to Eve, to Abraham, to Judah, to the Covenant people of Israel, is coming. Promises made to ‘Abraham and his Seed forever’. Did she understand the double significance of her final sentence? Almost certainly she did not but by the Spirit she promised the culmination of all God’s purposes for the human race.

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. (Gal 3:16 NKJV)