During the Christmas season, I was reading in the first chapter of Luke the beautiful story of Elizabeth and Mary, two women chosen of God to bear very special sons.
Elizabeth and her husband, Zacharias, were both of the line of Aaron, the priest. Though they lived in a time when children gave families prestige, they were up in years and had no children. But they had something else of greater value. Verse 6 tells us, “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”
The use of the word “both” stands out to me. It says husband and wife were equal in their relationship with God and in their devotion to him. How often we see families where only one is a Christian or at best one or the other is only serving God half-heartedly. How that weakens the family unit and especially their effectiveness in prayer and service to God.
Jesus said, “If any two of you agree together, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done.” So when a couple serves God whole-heartedly, there is always that “two” to agree together. To be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever is a grievous thing to our Savior. Of course, sometimes that comes about because, though both were unsaved at the time they married, one gives their heart to the Lord. And the Bible teaches as long as the unbelieving spouse wants to stay together, the marriage should remain and the believing spouse, by their right living before God, should serve as a witness in the family.
Because of the special place their son would fill, the angel Gabriel himself appeared to Zacharias in the temple to tell him he would soon be a father. He also told him what to name his son - John. I guess we can understand how that news would be a little hard for Zacharias to accept. Hence his question, “How will I know this? We’re really too old to have children you know.”
I can picture Gabriel just sort of shaking his head. “Alright, have it your way,” he sort of said. “You want a sign - a sign it is. How about you don’t talk anymore until the baby is born. Will you believe me then?”
So it was Zacharias came home and had to write his wife a note telling her the good news. One of the few times in history the husband knew about a pregnancy before the wife.
For five months Elizabeth hid herself, quietly rejoicing over the changes taking place in her body as the child grew.
When she reached her sixth month, the angel Gabriel came to earth to announce the birth of another baby. This time to a young girl named Mary, engaged, but not yet married. This would, however, be an even more supernatural pregnancy - the child she carried would be conceived as the Holy Spirit overshadowed her.
Gabriel also told Mary of the pregnancy of her cousin, now six months along. Mary wasted no time; she immediately traveled to Elizabeth’s home. The minute she walked through the door the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit. And prophetically she spoke, “Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” Nobody had to tell Elizabeth - she knew by the spirit of God what kind of baby Mary carried.
Mary too began to prophecy and magnify the Lord.
For the next three months, Mary stayed with Elizabeth. I can only imagine the wonderful conversations they must have had - these two women - one old and one young - both called of God for a divine purpose.
Just after Mary left, Elizabeth gave birth to a son - and just as the angel had instructed, they called his name John. And after nine months of silence, Zacharias again could speak.
And as for Mary, well, the rest of her story can be found in the second chapter of Luke - we call it the Christmas Story.
Elizabeth and her husband, Zacharias, were both of the line of Aaron, the priest. Though they lived in a time when children gave families prestige, they were up in years and had no children. But they had something else of greater value. Verse 6 tells us, “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”
The use of the word “both” stands out to me. It says husband and wife were equal in their relationship with God and in their devotion to him. How often we see families where only one is a Christian or at best one or the other is only serving God half-heartedly. How that weakens the family unit and especially their effectiveness in prayer and service to God.
Jesus said, “If any two of you agree together, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done.” So when a couple serves God whole-heartedly, there is always that “two” to agree together. To be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever is a grievous thing to our Savior. Of course, sometimes that comes about because, though both were unsaved at the time they married, one gives their heart to the Lord. And the Bible teaches as long as the unbelieving spouse wants to stay together, the marriage should remain and the believing spouse, by their right living before God, should serve as a witness in the family.
Because of the special place their son would fill, the angel Gabriel himself appeared to Zacharias in the temple to tell him he would soon be a father. He also told him what to name his son - John. I guess we can understand how that news would be a little hard for Zacharias to accept. Hence his question, “How will I know this? We’re really too old to have children you know.”
I can picture Gabriel just sort of shaking his head. “Alright, have it your way,” he sort of said. “You want a sign - a sign it is. How about you don’t talk anymore until the baby is born. Will you believe me then?”
So it was Zacharias came home and had to write his wife a note telling her the good news. One of the few times in history the husband knew about a pregnancy before the wife.
For five months Elizabeth hid herself, quietly rejoicing over the changes taking place in her body as the child grew.
When she reached her sixth month, the angel Gabriel came to earth to announce the birth of another baby. This time to a young girl named Mary, engaged, but not yet married. This would, however, be an even more supernatural pregnancy - the child she carried would be conceived as the Holy Spirit overshadowed her.
Gabriel also told Mary of the pregnancy of her cousin, now six months along. Mary wasted no time; she immediately traveled to Elizabeth’s home. The minute she walked through the door the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit. And prophetically she spoke, “Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” Nobody had to tell Elizabeth - she knew by the spirit of God what kind of baby Mary carried.
Mary too began to prophecy and magnify the Lord.
For the next three months, Mary stayed with Elizabeth. I can only imagine the wonderful conversations they must have had - these two women - one old and one young - both called of God for a divine purpose.
Just after Mary left, Elizabeth gave birth to a son - and just as the angel had instructed, they called his name John. And after nine months of silence, Zacharias again could speak.
And as for Mary, well, the rest of her story can be found in the second chapter of Luke - we call it the Christmas Story.
