Advent Passage: Luke 1:1-25, 57-80

The anticipation we experience during Advent provides a season to consider what it means to wait on the Lord. Tucked within the Biblical narratives of Jesus’ birth and early life, we meet two women who waited on the Lord with hopeful expectation. Today, we’ll revisit one of these women: Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.

The angel Gabriel announced Elizabeth’s pregnancy to Mary as a sign to her that God’s plan for Jesus’ coming was already in motion. With that knowledge, Mary hurried to visit Elizabeth and stayed with her until the time of John’s birth.

Elizabeth was married to Zechariah, a faithful priest. He was one of Aaron’s descendants from the tribe of Levi. Whereas Mary’s genealogy was a royal line, Zechariah’s genealogy was a priestly line.

In Luke 1:6-7, we learn that both Elizabeth and Zechariah were “upright in the sight of God,” but they had not been blessed with children. Much like the “prosperity gospel” culture today, in Elizabeth’s time, people often incorrectly associated God’s blessings with being “upright.” So, in their community, Elizabeth likely experienced sideways glances and subtle insults because she did not have children.

Therefore, their barreness was likely a source of emotional and relational pain. Yet, Elizabeth and Zechariah remained faithful to God and His promises. We know Zechriah felt the pain deeply because he did not trust Gabriel’s announcement. In response, Gabriel rendered Zechariah silent until after John’s birth. When that time came, Zechariah sang out his own song of praise.

In the meantime, Elizabeth experienced great joy in her pregnancy, although she remained secluded for the first five months. I imagine she had her own worries from past attempts to deliver a healthy baby. In this way, Mary’s visit was a sign for Elizabeth. As soon as she saw Mary, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and blessed Mary. I am certain Mary’s visit was also a great blessing to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth waited on the Lord and praised Him for the birth of John. In the long years of waiting, she and her husband remained faithful. This, my friends, is the definition of hope. The hope we have in Jesus is not a response to the judgment of the world around us, but an abiding trust in the righteous justice of God. Through her years of waiting, God planned a better blessing than she could imagine. I am so glad she trusted the Lord.

© 2025 Lori Myers Berry

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