41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:39-45)
This story has become so familiar to us that it’s easy to miss the miracles!
Mary and Elisabeth were cousins (Luke 1:36). They knew each other. Surely Elisabeth was aware that Mary was engaged but not yet married. She was just a teenager, yet Elisabeth prophesied about Mary being pregnant with the Messiah. That could not have come out of Elisabeth’s mind. She never would have said those things because they were illogical.
Elisabeth also referred to Jesus as her Lord (v. 43). He had just been conceived. Today, He would have been called a fetus, yet she recognized Him as Her Lord and Savior. Many others proclaimed Him Lord at His birth (Luke 2:11) and after His birth, but Elisabeth proclaimed He was Lord from the moment of conception.
It is interesting to note that John the Baptist, who was just a six-month-old fetus at the time, leapt for joy in his mother’s womb. This means that a six-month-old fetus has emotions. It is also when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Before he was viable outside of the womb, God considered him a person and filled him with His Spirit!
Elisabeth spoke these words without reservation. She placed a blessing on Mary for believing what the Lord had told her and then reassured her that it would surely come to pass (v. 45). What an encouragement and confirmation this must have been to Mary. Meditate on these wonderful insights as you go about your day.
