Luke 1 tells us of Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias. He was one of the priests that served in the Temple. They were both righteous before God, and so faithful that the Lord called them "blameless" in 1:6. There was only one "issue" that could be found in them; they had no child because she was barren, and they were both well-stricken in years. (vs.7) But, the Lord had in-store a "great performance" (vs, 20,72 &73) for them both. God was going to answer her decades-long prayer!
1) Elizabeth HEEDED. She was righteous and walked with the Lord for many years, as the Lord Himself said in Luke, and believed that He COULD & WOULD answer her prayer for a child, if it was His Will. She continued in prayer for a child, even though physically it would have been impossible; BUT, she believed that NOTHING was impossible with God!(Luke1:37) The angel Gabriel declared (to Zacharias while serving) that the Lord had heard their prayer, and that He would give them a son, and his name would be called John. Elizabeth believed, or HEEDED, and God blessed her faith in His Promise!
2) Elizabeth HID! She WISELY HID the fact that the Lord promised to work a miracle for them, but specifically chose to keep this PRECIOUS BLESSING an intimate secret between them and the Lord! As a child of God, some of our most precious blessings and praise take place when we are in the prayer closet; just us and JESUS!! Luke 1:25 tells us the innermost thoughts of her heart, where she realized what God was doing! He was answering the prayer of her greatest heart's desire by a miracle! He was taking away her reproach of being barren, and most of all making her son the Prophet of the Highest, the Forerunner to the Messiah! She did so for five months; five being the number of GRACE in the Bible! What GRACE the Lord had bestowed upon her for her faith, and she continued to display her godly WISDOM by doing so!
3) She HEARD and was HOLY GHOST filled! When her sixth month with child began, and it was made public, Luke 1:39-60 gives the account of the unexpected visit from her cousin-Mary, the mother of JESUS! Mary's greeting, or salutation as scripture says, was HEARD by Elizabeth and immediately she was filled with the HOLY GHOST! The baby leaped in her womb (vs 41) when it sounded in her ears, and HE was the one filled with joy and the Holy Ghost, from the day forward! (Luke1:15). It made Elizabeth speak out with a loud joyful voice, and she again WISELY gave witness to the fact, or oath that MARY was to be the mother of the SAVIOUR, and there would be a performance of those things told her by the Lord! (vs.44&45).
4) Lastly, Elizabeth HAD GREAT MERCY & FAITH upon her! When her full time came, she brought forth her son, and all that heard it-from her neighbors to her cousins (Mary, Joseph etc.) (vs 58) rejoiced with her, and saw the great mercy the Lord had shown to her! On the eighth day, when according to the Law, he was to be circumcised and named. She continued in WISDOM of faith, and said his name was to be John, as the angel had foretold. This of course didn't sit well with the religious leaders, as custom was to name a son after their father, or other family members. They protested to Zacharias, for his answer. It came back the same; JOHN! Then the Lord worked another miracle! (to be later listed in this series).
Elizabeth was a WISE WOMAN in her deep-rooted FAITH and BELIEF in the Lord and His Word! She HEEDED it and HID it's precious blessing! She HEARD the greeting of Mary and the Lord's presence, and was HOLY GHOST filled! Lastly, the Lord greatly blessed this Wise Woman with a child that would be the Greatest Prophet ever known among men, and placed him in the great plan of SALVATION! She HAD GREAT MERCY AND GRACE shown unto her, as a blessing for trusting and serving HIM FAITHFULLY all her days!
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