Elizabeth: Faithful in the Waiting

Faithful in the Waiting

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Elizabeth waited for a baby for many, many years. Her story shows that God sees people who wait, and that He is never late.

A priest's daughter. Elizabeth “was of the daughters of Aaron” (Luke 1:5). She grew up in a family that served God, and she married a priest.

Walking with God. “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). Elizabeth's faith was her own.

A long sorrow. “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years” (Luke 1:7).

Hard words from people. In those days some people treated a woman with no children as if God were against her. Elizabeth later called it her reproach, which means shame (Luke 1:25).

Not a punishment. The Bible calls Elizabeth righteous (Luke 1:6). Her sadness was not a punishment from God.

Other women who waited. Sarah, Rachel and Hannah also waited for children. When Sarah laughed at the promise, God asked, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).

God remembered Rachel. “Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb” (Genesis 30:22). Rachel said, “God has taken away my reproach” (Genesis 30:23).

God's timing for Sarah. “Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him” (Genesis 21:2).

Elizabeth's turn. “Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months” (Luke 1:24). Her long wait was over.

Her praise. “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people” (Luke 1:25). She gave God the credit.

Good to those who wait. “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25).

Keep praying. Jesus taught “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Not losing heart means not giving up.

When the answer is different. God does not give every person the thing they ask for. Some couples never have children. God still sees them, loves them and has good plans for them (Romans 8:28).

Right on time. “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4). God's timing for Jesus was perfect, and so was His timing for Elizabeth.

What to do. Think of something you are waiting for. Tell God about it every day this week, and thank Him that He sees you while you wait.

Elizabeth's story begins with a long sorrow and ends with a song of joy. She shows what faithfulness looks like while the answer is still delayed.

Her name. The name Elizabeth means my God is an oath, a promise He keeps. Aaron's own wife bore the same name (Exodus 6:23), a fitting name for a daughter of Aaron.

Righteous and blameless (1:6). Verse 6 says “both.” Elizabeth was not righteous only because her husband was a priest. Her own walk with God was sincere.

Barren (1:7). Barren means unable to have children. Gabriel uses the word again in 1:36, when he tells Mary about the one “who was called barren.” People had given Elizabeth that label for years.

Reproach (1:25). The Greek oneidos (say: OH-nay-doss) means disgrace in the eyes of others. Childlessness was often treated as a sign of God's displeasure, yet Luke 1:6 had already called her righteous.

A pattern of mercy. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah and the mother of Samson were all unable to have children until God acted (Genesis 18:14; 25:21; 30:22; Judges 13:2-3; 1 Samuel 1:5-6). Each son had a part in God's plan.

Rachel's words. “God has taken away my reproach” (Genesis 30:23). Elizabeth's praise in Luke 1:25 says the same thing. The God of Rachel was still at work.

Five quiet months (1:24). Elizabeth stayed at home for five months. In her sixth month, Gabriel told Mary about her as a sign that nothing is impossible with God (1:36-37).

“He looked on me” (1:25). God looked on Elizabeth with care. Long before, Hagar had called the Lord the God who sees (Genesis 16:13). The same God saw Elizabeth.

Hope that waits. “It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:26). Waiting quietly is not doing nothing; it is trusting.

Habakkuk 2:3. “Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come.” God's promises have appointed times.

The fullness of time. Elizabeth's son came at the moment God had set to prepare for His Son: “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4).

When the answer differs. Not every faithful couple receives a child, and Scripture never promises that. God's love is shown most fully at the cross (John 3:16), and He works all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Application. Name one thing you are waiting for. Write a short prayer about it, and add a line thanking God for one way He has already shown you His care.

Filled with the Spirit

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In her sixth month, Elizabeth had a surprise visitor. What happened next shows a woman full of the Holy Spirit, full of joy and quick to honor Jesus.

A sign for Mary. Gabriel told Mary, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age” (Luke 1:36). Elizabeth's baby showed Mary that God keeps His word.

Nothing impossible. Gabriel added, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). Elizabeth was living proof.

A visit. “Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste” (Luke 1:39). She “entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:40).

A jumping baby. “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41). Unborn John was glad that Jesus was near.

Filled with the Spirit. “And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41). The Holy Spirit showed her who Mary's baby was.

A loud blessing. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42). The fruit of the womb means the baby.

Her Lord. Elizabeth said, “But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43). She called the unborn Jesus her Lord.

No jealousy. Elizabeth was older and married to a priest. Mary was a young woman from Nazareth. Yet Elizabeth was glad to honor Mary and her Son.

Leaped for joy. “As soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy” (Luke 1:44).

Blessed for believing. “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45).

Three months together. “And Mary remained with her about three months” (Luke 1:56). The two women shared God's good news together.

The birth. When John was born, “her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her” (Luke 1:58).

God's name for him. The relatives wanted another name, but Elizabeth said, “No; he shall be called John” (Luke 1:60). She held on to God's word.

What to do. Elizabeth was happy when good things happened to Mary. This week, cheer for someone else's good news, and tell someone that Jesus is Lord.

When Mary arrived, Elizabeth spoke by the Holy Spirit about Jesus before He was even born. Her words teach who Jesus is and what faith looks like.

A sign given (1:36). Mary did not ask for a sign, but God gave one anyway: Elizabeth's pregnancy. “For with God nothing will be impossible” (1:37) recalls the question to Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).

With haste (1:39). Mary traveled to the hill country of Judah, likely several days' journey from Nazareth. She went to the one person who would understand.

Leaped (1:41). The word means leaped or skipped. The Greek Old Testament uses the same verb for the twins struggling inside Rebekah (Genesis 25:22).

Filled with the Spirit (1:41). Gabriel had said John would be filled with the Spirit “even from his mother's womb” (1:15). Now mother and son respond to Jesus together.

A person before birth. John responded to Jesus, who had been conceived only days or weeks before. Scripture treats life before birth as precious to God: “You covered me in my mother's womb” (Psalm 139:13).

“Blessed” (1:42). To be blessed here means to be spoken well of by God. Elizabeth blesses Mary because of the Child she carries.

Kyrios (1:43). Elizabeth calls Jesus “my Lord,” using kyrios (say: KOO-ree-os), the word the Greek Old Testament used for God's name. In 1:45 the same word refers to the Lord God. The baby in Mary's womb is Lord.

Humble joy. John would later say of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). His mother showed the same spirit first.

Faith blessed (1:45). “Blessed is she who believed.” Zacharias had been silenced for not believing (1:20). Mary believed and was blessed. God honors faith in His word.

Mercy made known (1:58). The neighbors heard that the Lord “had shown great mercy to her.” Elizabeth's private sorrow became a public testimony of God's kindness.

Holding to God's word (1:60). Before Zacharias wrote anything, Elizabeth said, “No; he shall be called John.” She knew and trusted the name God had chosen.

Elizabeth's legacy. She raised the prophet who would point to “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Her faithful waiting helped prepare the way for Jesus.

Application. Elizabeth rejoiced in God's work in someone younger than herself. Who could you encourage this week? Speak a blessing to them, and point them to Jesus as Lord.

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