39 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43 I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”
46 Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!
47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,
48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.
“From now on, all people will call me blessed
49 because the Almighty has done great things to me.
His name is holy.
50 For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation.
51 “He displayed his mighty power.
He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.
52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.
He honored humble people.
53 He fed hungry people with good food.
He sent rich people away with nothing.
54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.
55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
Read Luke 1:39-56 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
While reading this passage, a couple details in this event prompt me to have a couple of insights and questions which may have to wait until heaven.
Earlier in Luke chapter 1, we learn that Mary is visited by the angel during the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and soon after this angelic visit, Mary makes the trip to see her. While the majority of this passage focuses on their initial meeting and on Mary’s song of praise, it ends with an interesting verse related to the timing of this event: “Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.” (v. 56)
If Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Mary came, and Mary stayed three months, this makes me wonder if Mary was there to help with John the Baptist’s birth. Perhaps this was one reason she made the trip. Since Mary was young, she may have been curious and possibly a little worried about delivering a baby, and she saw an opportunity to learn about pregnancy and giving birth in spending time and helping Elizabeth during the last months of her pregnancy.
But this might not have been the only reason.
Part of me also wonders if it was some time during these three months, perhaps near the beginning, when Mary miraculously became pregnant. For those who were familiar with the timing of Mary’s birth, it may have been clear that Joseph could not have been the Father because Mary was several cities away with Elizabeth and Zechariah.
I wonder if this three month trip to stay with Elizabeth was a God-directed decision as a way of even more emphasizing Jesus’ miraculous virgin birth. In any case, after three months, when Mary returned pregnant, Joseph would have every right to be a little confused and questioning about his upcoming marriage – which then prompts God’s angel to make another visit to keep things going according to plan.
The more I read the events in the Bible, the more I see God’s hand at work in the details. If God directed the decisions and details of what happened then, I can trust that He has the details figured out for today as well!
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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